Promote your business or product on 700level.com. For
more information about advertising with us CLICK HERE!

I actually have more questions now, as I watched a movie on the opposite side of this debate called Dead Meat. It centers on long waiting lines, but that movie has some glaring flaws

Michael Moore leaves out some very important concepts in the movie.

First off, the notion of quality is flawed. This is measured ONLY by mortality, infant mortality, life span and perceived quality of life. Now, when you include portions of our society that aren't provided to access, the overall result is that our "numbers" suffer. What I am saying is that the quality of care itself isn't bad, but the lack of access IS bad. He doesn't clarify the distinction.

Second, much of the movie is anecdotal buoyed by overarching stats. The breakdown of those statistics really leave much unexplained. He goes to ask a few Canadians how they feel about their health care or a few Brits. That isn't meaningful in terms of comparison. MOST medical breakthroughs are pioneered in THIS country precisely because of a few things: (1) unlimited earning potential and direct reward for such endeavor (2) great desire of the intelligentsia of the world to COME here to do just that. In Canada, provinces are given annual budgets that are meant to determine need for the upcoming year. This slows down the early adoption of technology. That means, they are likely to get that technology cheaper (after its market share increase) AND after they document its clinical/outcome related value. The problem with that is that it means you are less likely to come up with innovative therapy or diagnostic tools when compared with a more capitalist driven market. That can NOT be understated. It doesn't mean one system is superior, just that there pros and cons to each. We are more wasteful but more likely to innovate. The Canadians may be late adopters, less likely to innovate but more cost-effective.

Third, we have a more heterogeneous set of needs for different regions of the country and its different populations. In NYC, Miami, SF and LA, you have the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS. That clinical demand and expense is different from central Pa which may have 10 HIV positive patients in a 200 mile radius. In Canada, the variability is less and that allows greater ability to predict costs and budget accordingly.

Fourth, we have the largest indigent population, immigrant population and the largest illegal alien population. Their over-burdening of ER services REALLY does cost alot of money.

Fifth, we have the highest rate of obesity, diabetes, HTN, in the industrialized world etc. Much of this is attributable to lifestyle and complete lack of focus on prevention. We don't get exercise. We don't eat right. That is made worse by the fact that less healthy food is cheaper than healthy food (a disincentive to eat well).....etc The outcomes are predictable.

In the end, I do believe that everyone should be entitled to access to medical care. I think it should in part be supplemented by Government for one main reason which is to reduce administrative costs of having so many different players and necessitating so much administrative waste. Our admin costs are 2.5 those of Canada. At the very least, insurance companies should not be "for-profit". This doesn't mean the claims processing people, managers and CEO can't make money. It means that they don't have to show a continual annual increase in revenue of 4-10%. That would help stabilize costs. Notice I didn't press the pharma companies as hard? Innovation can/is motivated by potential profit.

Finally, Tort/medical liability reform is necessary. I can speak from personal experience on this first and second hand. I practice differently after seeing what my colleagues have been sued for. If you get NAMED on a suit, your premium goes up even if you are ultimately dropped from the suit and not found liable for negligence. This is estimated to impact 10% of our entire health care budget.

Thank you Jules,

I'll chew over your post for a while

Jules, my physician said my alcohol specific enzyme in my liver is elevated. I love drinking. Recommendations?

Go easy on drinking. Try limiting yourself to a few days a week? How elevated? There isn't really one specific to alcohol, per se that it routinely tested.

Thanks. I'm just going to do it on the weekends. She said a few were elevated. When I know the specifics I'll fill you in

Doc (and anyone else who wants to chime in):

Mrs. Bass is concerned that Mini Bass might have ADHD. He exhibits some symptoms, but we don't want to go the medication route. She wants him tested, and I'm reluctant b/c I don't want him labeled as something that he might not be. He's super-smart, but he's like Sonic the Hedgehog when it comes to sitting still and focusing.

Is there a way to treat ADHD without medication?

Can the kid easily go back to focusing on the original task after getting distracted? That's probably not ADHD.

Is there a way to treat ADHD without medication?


Martial arts

smart kids are often by nature bored and disruptive. For a kid to be smart, it would have required SOME focus at some point. Is he in school?

The single biggest indicator (to me) is if he is doing well in school, he won't have ADHD, because, by DEFINITION, ADHD should impair performance.

Seth encountered something like this and we had several posts on this particular topic. But the short of it is that ADHD will impair learning. The teachers love the label, because disruptive kids are given a medicine that basically keeps them from being disruptive.

Martial arts

Are you serious? Really, I don't know if you are, b/c that was an option

that wouldn't have helped me

Can the kid easily go back to focusing on the original task after getting distracted? That's probably not ADHD.

Yeah, somewhat. Right now he refuses to do his schoolwork at school, because he thinks he knows everything. I do kinda think he's bored, but he's sharp as a tack and can pick up things when he wants to. In all his classes (aside from Phys Ed, where they might be outside and running) he's on Honor Roll.

He really likes the yoga classes we take him to every week, and that seems to have calmed him down immensely, and even then if he gets out of control we tell him to take a few deep breaths and he's back to normal.

He's in kindergarten now, and he can read somewhat (which I didn't learn until 2nd grade). Part of the issue is the teachers, and part of it is that he might have been put in school a year too early (we thought he was ready, but it seems like socially he might not have been). One of his teachers really works with him, but the other is old school and might get on him for going out of line, even though he's only 5.

I really don't want to label him, but his birth mother does have a history of mental illness. But you would think it would've showed by now if it were present.

This sounds more like a smart kid that isn't challenged academically, Bass. Good for mini-Bass and proud Papa-Bass.

The issue of mental illness is that it is very hard to diagnose in children. They have different manifestations. Depression, mania, anxiety, etc. He definitely doesn't sound anxious. Some mental illnesses don't become apparent till teenage years.

Ok, to chime in a bit and if KB wishes, he may be able to shed some light on this as well.

I was bored in school, when it came to CERTAIN types of classes - those where the right side of one's brain is concerned. Always the 1st kid done the board work, always being put to work by the teachers on 'special' projects using my artistic ability to do things for the classroom or aids for upcoming lessons theyd use etc.
I was in the gifted program throughout elementary school until it was kinda a hindrance cos when I would struggle in math class, the teachers would say "you're in Challenge, you're just not trying".

While I was not disruptive, I was bored and was always up and outta my seat, tapping pencils, had the foot kinda tappin the entire time, sittin on the edge of my seat, often very social.

I think FB may have something there - not martial arts necessarily- but sports. I was involved in sports from 2nd grade on, usually year round and as long as I had those outlets, and the 2 recesses a day, I was fine.

If I didnt have 'something to do/look forward to' I could get easily distracted, lose interest in things, and in areas I needed to try to reign it in and focus, forget it. So, who knows.

I agree with Jules that many teachers just wanna dope up a kid - and i agree with your hesitation Bass. Its up to you guys but Id be willing to bet that if you have him tested, the result will be 'ADD" at least and then they're likely to recommend the meds.

A teacher suggestted my step-son was ADHD and thats just not the case. Just what they're programmed to think anymore I suppose.

But I can see looking back now, that I likely DID have some form of ADHD but always & naturally dealt with it, free of meds, and I don't know that i am worse for wear.

Glenn, just save it.
thanks in advance.
j.k

Agreed almost 100%, except for the sports part. I was playing sports non-stop, and it never helped my concentration. Same as you Seth, math and subjects of that ilk were pointless for me. If I was really interested in something, I'd study/learn it until the subject matter was almost exhausted.

But concentration on anything else was/is impossible to maintain. You should see me at work

While I was not disruptive, I was bored and was always up and outta my seat, tapping pencils, had the foot kinda tappin the entire time, sittin on the edge of my seat, often very social.

I think that IS disruptive, Seth....no? Hehe. Maybe teacher KB can give his .02?

I was always a B "conduct" student (which invariably evoked gales of laughter amongst classmates) but an A student otherwise - till middle school. Then girls got A LOT more interesting.

Seth, that's one major reason why I don't want to have him tested - if he's labeled as having ADHD (and you KNOW some of these docs are quick to dispatch the pills), then it's not something that he can shake off easily. Then comes pressure for him to take his medicine and it just snowballs from there. I absolutely refuse for him to take meds unless there's no other choice, and I don't think we're at this point. And I do agree that teachers, instead of handling cases individually, are too quick to throw everyone in one area (less work, I suppose, but these days it's not easy being a teacher, and I recognize that).

He kind of likes sports, but, again, he gets easily distracted and he doesn't focus, or he might get bored and lag behind. He REALLY gets into yoga, and it's almost become a necessity. Other fam members have noticed a serious change since he started. Maybe karate will help him keep focused.

And contrast with his sister from the same mother, she's on all sorts of meds and she's got issues. But she's also been raised in a single-family household where the mom can be quite a bit of a hard-ass (which is cool sometimes, but othertimes you gotta have balance).

Thanks for the words, all.

BTW, it might look like it might not be ADHD - seems like some kids are teasing him (kids overall are screwed up these days) and since he's eager to please, he does things to make them laugh, and that gets him in trouble (not absolving him, b/c he needs to be in control of himself), and kids have recognized that sometimes the teacher views him as one of the 'problem' children. But he's not helping by doing what he does.

Just have to take it one day at a time.

A good thing to do might be to take him to a licensed therapist instead of a psychiatrist/psychologist. Licensed therapists can't prescribe drugs, they're not doctors. They can suggest someone else if they think the problem is severe enough, but they can't prescribe the drugs themselves

Bass-


If he gets into yoga- then Dr. Barnett has given you "the cure".

Martial Arts- as Munch or Uber will attest to- are not only a sport of the body, but moreso of the mind. There is an explicit attention paid to "focus of the mind", which is why I mentioned it.

Also, the physical aspect of it is a good outlet for excess energy- but maybe Uber could explain it better, being a Grandmaster of several different arts.

At the very least, you could suggest he try it out and then he hates it after a while and quits.

Or maybe, it's an activity that gives in a focus and outlet for pent up boredom, and he thrives and becomes a kung-fu master and he dedicates all his success in his future to his dad.

Just a thought

Yah it sounds like that would work for him, he just needs an outlet. For ADHD, that kind of thing doesn't really help with paying attention to things you just can't get into (and even things you do like). My friend was a brown belt, and was even worse than me as far as that goes.

But yeah, if he's on honor roll all the time, sounds like he just needs an outlet for all the energy

You sound angry.

really

Well, it came off as you "poo-pooing" my suggestion, with a tinge of anger or sarcasm.


I did say it was "just a thought"- but if you think meds is the way to go, I'll shut up

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22