PH and kids

[Joe S.]

In class today we  did not have the vinyl gloves for the PH tests for the kids. So I washed my hands and gave each child a piece of litmus paper. I had them place the strip on their tongue and then see if they were acid or base. The well behaved kids were base or neutral. The hyperactive kids (ADD/ADHD) were acid. I had a class of 18 today.

[irish]

Joe, I have no idea of the significance of this but it is interesting. I would venture to guess that the researchers are tuned into this. Did you, by chance, google on this ph thingy. Irish

[Debora]

Hi Joe

This is interesting to know,  my daughter was dx'd with ADD and the medicine helps her during school, she doesn't have to take it in the summer.   It would be interesting to find out her ph level.

Thanks for the info!
Debora

[Pooh]

Hi Joe,
You sound like a great teacher who not only enjoys his job, but the kids too.  Thank you. 

The testing results were really interesting.  It would be interesting also to find out what it all means.  If when you are finished let us know.  I would like to know what the difference in the results signify.

Keep up the great work, there are to few of your kind out there. 

Pooh

[Patze]

Hi Joe,

It's neat to hear on how you relate to your "kids"! 

I do have a question though, the children with ADD/ADHD tested acid, are they on any drugs to "maintain" them?  If they are, that could be an answer to the difference - just a thought.

Take care -

Patze

[Joe S.]

Irish, as I type your name I think of my mother Iris. The google is an interesting idea. I did what I did to fil time and keep the kids safe.

Debora, it would be interesting to hear where your daughter is on the PH scale when she is on and off medication.

Pooh, I do not know when I will teach that class (PH) again. It may be two years from now and I may not remember (fibro-fog). Each class I teach is a different depending on what the kids are understanding an what I am remembering.

There is so much missing form their education that from what I had that I just want to cry some times. The Chemistry that I teach is at a lower level than what I learned in first grade. I am now told by co-workers that most of the experiments that I did in first grade, they did not get until they are in their masters program. While I did not have physics until high school, What I learned their is not covered until college. I have seen courses where children play with blocks for one year (kinder garden) and at the end of that year are able to do first year college calculus. It hurts to see that our children are not reaching their potential.

Patze, I do not know. I am not allowed to see that information. If I have a para in the class I may be able to find out. A lot of the kids that I work with in the summer programs have challenges. I had one class of 20 where I did have a para for my autistic child but did not have paras for the couple of Aspergers kids. The balance of the class was ADD or ADHD. It was a challenging week. It was a full day camp and I had to go swimming with the kids. my wife thought that I was training wild animals because of all the scratches on my body where one or more of the kids had drawn blood climbing on me in the swimming pool. (I had to act as life guard and teach them to swim).

[Debora]

Hi Joe

First of all I would like you to know that you are an outstanding person in working and caring with/for the kids!  Its people like you that do make a difference in childrens lives.  Thank You!

It would be interesting to find out what my daughter's ph levels are on and off the meds.  Do you know if there is anyway I could find out?  Her pediatrician is terrific but unfortunately, our insurance changed and he doesn't take our insurance, so to get around it we call in to renew her meds and he will talk to us on how she is doing or he will give us a call.  He is still trying to get us discounts on visits.  He has been her doc since she was a baby. 
We really didn't want her to go on these "bad meds" (she is on adderal) but we needed a solution and as her doctor said if she has ADD the meds will help her, if she doesn't have ADD it won't help her like it should.

We had heard all the bad stuff: its an easy out for doctors and parents, turns them into a zombie, etc but when she started taking it we saw such a huge change in her, her teacher said in all her years of teaching that Breanna is one she will always remember and the huge improvements.  Once on the meds she excelled in all her school work and is above average for reading and spelling! 

We were also blessed so much with a terrific teacher who we always kept in contact with almost everyday.  There is a friend and neighbor of mine who's son a year older than Breanna has ADD, unfortunately, his Dad won't give him the meds he needs and his Mom does but not all the time and not the right dosage.  They are getting divorced and are now too busy with being with their girl/boyfriends to take notice.   I have mentioned it to the Mom many times what is going on with him, he is a latch key kid, so I used to keep an eye on him but she didn't want to hear what he was doing, so I gave up.  Her and I don't even talk anymore because of it.  I guess I said things she didn't want to hear like: her priority should be her son and not some guy.
He wears out his teachers, literally!  they feel so sad for him but can only do so much with him and his parents.  His parents refuse to put him in a special ed class to get the help he needs.

Anyway, I need to get off that rabbit trail....... I could go on and on about it.  But thank you again for being a caring person for the kids!

Debora

[Joe S.]

Debora, Here is an inexpensive source for the paper:
http://scientificsonline.com/Product.asp?pn=3021313&sid=google&cm_mmc=google-_-cpc-_-edmu-_-litmuspaper&bhcd2=1214589656

They are rather inexpensive (1.95) compared to some of the others (14.95).

[Debora]

Thanks Joe

I'll be getting some ASAP.  I'll let you know the results of all this!

Debora