The Bipolar Child

Recently, Discovery Fitness and Health had been airing documentaries about people with Bipolar disorder. One of the documentaries followed a few families in which children were diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. Some of their outbursts were caught on film. One child was very scared and confused by how he was feeling. He kept asking his mom to help him because he did not know what was going on. He was not sure why he was feeling this way. Another family consisted of four children with Bipolar disorder. The children were quite knowledgeable about their diagnosis, however, they were still scrutinized while at school.
While I did not have Bipolar disorder as a child, I still had plenty of other problems. I had depression and, sometimes, anger issues. I was left out quite a bit, because I was the "weird" kid. I remember being on a play scape during recess, wanting to play with the other kids. There were two people with my first name. When I asked if I could play with them, they said, "We like the other Shauna better." They laughed and whispered. I walked away, crying. This triggered severe depression in me, and I remember going home and having an outburst, just like the children in the documentary. For a child with Bipolar, the mind can be a really scary place. The child has no idea what is going on, because the disorder takes over.
For a child with Bipolar disorder, the main thing the child will need is his or her's family. A loving and supportive family can do wonders for a child, with or without Bipolar disorder. Medication and therapy are tied for most important. Medication and therapy will help lesson the mood swings, and also help them to not last as long. With these things in mind, a child can flourish in school and social situations.

(photo courtesy of: http://blogs.psychcentral.com/bipolar/files/2011/07/bipolar_girl_crpd.jpg)

Celebrities who have Celiac Disease

Getting diagnosed with Celiac Disease can be pretty tough (believe me, I remember how hard it was for me). You may be the first among your family and/or friends that has been diagnosed as Celiac. It can be lonely (even though my grandmother had it, and I was partially raised by her, she had been gone for a few years when I was diagnosed. I had no one). What gave me some comfort was that I was not alone. Some of the celebrities I look up to were also Celiac Disease sufferers. People like Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Emmy Rossum had been living with the disease for years before I was diagnosed. I researched both and learned a lot from them. Also, learning that my first celeb crush has 2 Celiacs in his family really helped me feel less alone. Here is a list of celebs who have diagnosed Celiac Disease: Elizabeth Hasselbeck (public figure) Emmy Rossum (actress) Wil Wheaton's mom and sister Meg Cabot (author) Sarah Joy Brown (actress) Joe C (rapper who frequently performed with

South Park's Gluten-Free Ebola Episode

photo credit: southparkdigital Greetings Celiac Warriors! Recently, South Park did a gluten free episode that got a lot of attention in the gluten free and Celiac communities. For the most part, the reaction has been positive. Many folks, including myself, found it hilarious. You may be wondering what the episode was about. I'm going to give you the cliff notes version: The episode starts off with the kids returning to school after their start up company fails. Then the show cuts to the teachers lounge where the teachers are discussing Mr. Mackey who has gone gluten free. Mr. Mackey comes back and starts blaming all the world's problems on gluten. A co-worker becomes annoyed by all the gluten free talk and starts screaming at Mr. Mackey to shut up. Mackey states that behavior problems are due to gluten consumption. A female teacher expresses interest in going gluten free. Later on, the boys are on the radio promoting an "epic" party. Callers ask the boys i

Why we need more awareness about Celiac Disease.

Celiac Disease Awareness Month is here, and it is important that we continue to raise awareness in hopes it helps the rest of the world to take us seriously. This morning, I came across a heartbreaking story of a woman who died from complications of celiac disease. She had ignored her symptoms and didn't adhere to a GF diet. She, like all of us, ate wheat products for a portion of her life. Her body loved wheat. I mean, wheat products were yummy! When she was diagnosed with Celiac, not only was it during a time when gluten free food was very sparse, she had difficulty giving up what she loved: foods with wheat ingredients. She suffered the consequences of not adhering to a GF diet, as her liver gave out on her. She also had an enlarged stomach and had gained 30 pounds. She succumbed to her complications, and her daughter has spoken about her mother's health issues. She, like all of us, are hoping for more awareness to be raised. We as Celiacs need more support. All of

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