November 4, 2011

DT Friday Freakout: Ritalin/Candy Edition

Why give in to the publicists and media, and freak out every day, right? Here are some headlines from the worlds of science, health, parenting, and education--plus one remixed Simpsons clip--to freak you out all at once. On the weekend:

  • See, this is the kind of smackdown of Big Syrup is what I tried to do in my own bumbling way 2.5 years ago. Basically, buy Grade B maple syrup; it's cheaper and tastes better. [theatlantic]
  • Ritalin and Adderall are not increasing the risk of heart attacks in the 2.7 million kids ages 2-18 who are prescribed it every year, so there's that. [NEJM via wash post, thanks awl]
  • Good news! It's a myth! Sugar does not make kids hyper! Except when it totally does. Though sometimes it's probably the psychopharmaceutical food coloring. Like the one in children's Tylenol. [the incidental economist and time.com via sullivan]
  • Oh no! Even the babies know when you're lying to them! [press release: missouri.edu; abstract: some impenetrable journal]
  • Have you already seen the wailing face staring out at the ultrasound technician who scanned that poor Canadian dude's testicular tumor? No matter, it never gets unfreaky. [telegraph.co.uk]
  • Everyone lies about their kids' age to create their gmail and Facebook accounts. Google will always just think they're 13 years older than they really are; how could that ever be a problem? [uic.edu]
  • "'If you're going to kill your offspring, it's better to do so as soon as possible,' says [noted infanticidal mother parrot researcher] Hope Klug of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga." [newscientist, study: cell.com]
  • Which has absolutely nothing to do with the survey finding that "49% [of Britons surveyed] agreed children are beginning to behave like animals." [bbc via dt feral parenting correspondent dt]
  • Summer babies are just slower than other babies. Probably because they're younger. Wait, what? [freakonomics]

1 Comment

My kids get hyper after any food input. Most recent, most noticable: broccoli and steak, plus milk. No sugar, dessert, etc.

I think it's mostly "van on the corner syndrome" aka confirmation bias. Which most people are loathe to consider might apply to them.

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