Pam Connell's comments

Methamphetamine Exposure in Babies - Blog Entry

28 Oct 2007 01:53 PM

Jopacheco--

Meth, like alcohol, can have very different effects on babies depending on when during their fetal development they were exposed and on many other factors. (Think about alcohol's effect on adults--some become sleepy while others become loud. Adults also have different side effects to prescription medications depending on their own metabolisms and body chemistry.)

It is true that some children are naturally fussier or slower to develop, etc. When there are several symptoms and/or more intense symptoms, sometimes it is helpful to know that these may be a result of substance exposure.

I know it is so frustrating as a parent to be searching for information for why a child struggles. The link MJ included contains many, many site resources and articles which may give you more complete information.

However, your comments to MJ were unnecessarily harsh. MJ did not claim to be a substance abuse expert; she is an adoptive parent sharing her experience, a very brief summary of her research, and resource links with other parents.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - Blog Entry

24 Oct 2007 05:21 PM

Alcohol can also cause serious behavioral and emotional problems iand learning disabilities in children who do not have the physical characteristics necessary to diagnose the syndrome. These may not be detectable for the first several years of the child's life. To avoid the perception that these Fetal Alcohol Effects are less severe than they are for people with physical manifestations, doctors now refer to alcohol-related brain injury as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Some experts believe that as little as two drinks at the wrong time may cause brain damage. Most experts advise complete avoidance of alcohol for women who are pregnant or trying to conceive.

Anna has written some more in-depth blogs on this in the adoption blog for those readers who are interested.

Thanks Pattie for raising this important issue.

Calculators in the Classroom - Blog Entry

10 Oct 2007 01:46 AM

I do agree we need to demand more of kids in general. Nothing is more frustrating than a cashier who can't make change because the machine is down!

Calculators in the Classroom - Blog Entry

10 Oct 2007 01:43 AM

I have a child with some learning problems and memory issues. Most of what I've been reading says children should be taught their math facts, but meanwhile a calculator can enable students who can't memorize these facts to show what they do know. Apparently some kids who have a really hard time with basic arithmetic actually go on to do very well in advanced math--they seem to have the kind of minds that can grasp abstract geometric concepts etc. (I wouldn't know; I got As in math until high school and then lost it!) But the learning disabilities authors I've read feel that many kids get frustrated and come to hate math because they are not allowed to do any interesting math until they memorize their facts.

I think it's similar to accommodations for dyslexic or dysgraphic children who have problems with reading or writing. The child and teacher should work hard until these skills are mastered. But the child can also be allowed to tell or show what he knows about history or science without getting a failing grade on test or paper because of lack of writing ability.

So I guess I would say, usually I wouldn't let a kid use a calculator during a math lesson, but perhaps it would enable a child to keep up with their age group and stay excited about math--while at the same time working intensively to remediate the basic problem.

HIV and AIDS: Fact and Fiction - Blog Entry

10 Oct 2007 01:15 AM

The rate of HIV transmission from mother to child during birth is much lower when the woman has taken drugs during pregnancy to prevent transmission to the baby. Every pregnant woman should know her HIV status and ask her doctor about preventing transmission to the baby.

Book Review: The Open Adoption Experience - Blog Entry

28 Sep 2007 09:43 PM

Melina has also written Making Sense of Adoption, which I wrote a review of for this blog in August.

Book Review: The Open Adoption Experience - Blog Entry

28 Sep 2007 09:40 PM

Sally--Lois Melina has written Raising Your Adopted Child as well as many columns for Adoptive Families magazine.

Is Madonna Adopting? - Blog Entry

27 Sep 2007 04:49 PM

Let's all remember that's it is easier to misunderstand people in writing, when we cannot hear tone of voice, see facial expressions, or in some cases cannot use italics, etc. to show what we really want emphasized. I don't want us to jump to conclusions about each other.

I am convinced that Valorie loves children and people. I read her comment "that's simply how it's done" as just a way of speaking; I do not think she meant to imply that a birthparent letting go of a child is simple or easy. I did not think she was calling the birthparents, country or sendoff ceremony "weird". I think she was only saying that it may seem to be odd or unusual to the casual news reader who probably associates adoption only with orphans.

I do think kiwibird brings up a good point that sometimes sponsorship programs may be a better option in cases where donations toward a child's educational or medical care may enable them to stay with family. I also respect that sometimes adoption is the better option for the birthfamilies and children, and I have the greatest respect for the emotional pain I imagine birthparents face upon placement.

College Professors- Are They Worth More Money? - Blog Entry

19 Sep 2007 04:27 PM

I think both groups deserve great respect; preschool and elementary teachers just as much as high school and college teachers. We should pay more to those who teach younger grades since they are possibly even harder, although a graduate degree usually means more loans to pay off and that should be recognized.

What concerns me now is so many colleges using "adjunct" faculty nearly fulltime--this way they don't have to offer employee benefits and the faculty member cannot work toward tenure.

Mixed Media Messages about Adoption Issues - Blog Entry

03 Sep 2007 01:18 AM

Thanks for sharing this experience--I bet it's more common than we hear about.