1014bspwest

baystateparent FREE

OCTOBER 2014

OUT & ABOUT FAMILY EVENTS CALENDAR HAPPY HAUNTING! • AREA HALLOWEEN ATTRACTIONS • FRIGHTFULLY FUN RECIPES • CRAFTY HATS TO MAKE

Our Annual

SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUE MANY YOUNG READERS SLOWED BY DYSLEXIA WHAT MAKES JOEY TIC? THE SURPRISING ANSWER

Massachusetts’ Premier Magazine For Families Since 1996 Massachusetts

WESTERN MA EDITION

Children Deserve the Best When it’s your child’s health, you want only the very best. The best pediatric doctors and specialists.

The best care.

The Baystate Children’s Specialty Center features over 15 pediatric specialty services under one roof, and is designed to offer the best in care coordination, comfort, and convenience, with a healthy dose of fun thrown in as well.

50 Wason Avenue Springfield, Massachusetts

Learn more and take a video tour at baystatehealth.org/bchspecialty.

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table of contents OCTOBER 2014

VOLUME 1

1.

3

NUMBER 8

things we learned

while making the october issue

You can be a hatter, yes, but it’s so much more fun to be a Mad Hatter!

These simple designs will be tops for your Halloween fun, each inspired by Alice in Wonderland. See page 15.

2.

For the first seven years of Joey’s life, he endured speech delays and body tics. Working to find a cause and solution, his family discovered a surprising and common culprit.

Read What Makes Joey Tic? On page 24.

in every issue 6 7 7 8

WELCOME: A Letter from Our Editor

9 9 10

OCTOBER’S CHILD: Meet Christopher

10

3.

One in five children suffer with a degree of dyslexia, often a cause for slow and delayed reading. Learn how to spot symptoms and get treatment in A Loss for Words on page 26.

Our Special Needs Featured Articles

24 26

31

The Truth About Gluten: Gluten-free facts from the experts

33

DISHIN’ WITH THE DIETITIAN: Think Outside the Candy Dish This Halloween

29

34

RIPE BITES: Brew Up a Frightfully Fun Halloween Party

30

What Makes Joey Tic? A Loss for Words: Many Young Readers Slowed by Dyslexia Advocating for Underserved Kids: A New Way to Volunteer in the Classroom The Pros and Cons of Newborn Screening

16 17 36 44

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS bsp ONLINE FINALLY FOREVER: Adoptive mom writes of daughter’s separation struggles

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS: Area Adoption Events WOMEN’S HEALTH: Local Mom shares personal story of postpartum depression WOMEN’S HEALTH: Breast Cancer Awareness Month area events LET’S GO: Happy Haunting!

Area Halloween events OUT & ABOUT: October Calendar of Family Events TAKE 8: Meet Carrie Taylor, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist OUR OCTOBER FAVORITES: Facts, Finds and Freebies

features

12 15 38 40 42

Breast Milk’s Secret Ingredient May Lead to Lasting Health DIY Hats Inspired by Alice in Wonderland Flu Shots: Yay or Nay? Violent Video Games Found to Cause Depression in Young Children South Hadley Tragedy Moves Hopkinton Teen to Action

advertising directories

43 46

DANCE, GYM & ENRICHMENT EXPLORE & LEARN PRESCHOOL & CHILD CARE ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 4 5

meet team

welcome to

baystateparent

baystateparent

publisher KIRK DAVIS

creative letters and reading backwards, dyslexia can affect people in many other ways — causing slow reading in children, for example. Find out the symptoms and solutions for dyslexic learners in A Loss for Words on page 26.

Welcome to our annual Special Needs issue, packed with articles on families who are raising incredible children — many with unique challenges. I am also turning the tables a bit this month and, in addition to telling some of your stories, am sharing a personal experience that changed my son’s life.

On page 24, you will find my article, What Makes Joey Tic? Joey is my 13-year-old who graciously shared some intimate details of a problem that affected his physical and emotional development for seven years. Together, we worked to find the source of his language delay and physical tics and, in the process, discovered something quite unexpected. And while it is trite, it is also true to say that if his story can help just one family, it is our honor to have shared it.

Another interesting piece in this issue discusses the prevalence and impact of dyslexia, a condition that affects an estimated 20 percent of us. Dyslexia is when the brain has trouble processing written language. And while the stereotype has always been that of reversed

On page 8, you will find a remarkable piece of writing in Emergence by Judy M. Miller. Judy details the struggles suffered by the daughter she adopted from China. Testing revealed that her toddler experienced sensory processing disorder, the result of being abandoned by her birth mother. The story is gripping in its honesty, and it also beautifully tells of a mother’s unconditional love for her daughter — and her personal pictures are stunning, too.

While these articles are a bit heavy, there is a lot of fun in our October issue, too! Our Creative Director Paula Ethier shares her tips for making delightful hats inspired

by Alice in Wonderland. See page 15. Once you have created your dashing new hat, you can wear it to one of the many area Halloween events that we have listed on page 16 — or check out the Out & About Family Calendar, page 17, which is packed with October activities for all ages.

Finally, I want to mention that I am moving to a new position, so this is my last column as the editor of baystateparent Western Mass

Our stunning cover photo is the work of Karen Geaghan Photos of Wilbraham.

You can see more of Karen’s work at karengeaghanphotos.com.

If you are a photographer interested in submitting a photo for cover consideration, please email baystateparent Creative Director Paula Ethier at paula@baystateparent.com.

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edition. While I know that I have a wonderful new opportunity waiting for me, I leave with a heavy heart.

Spending this past year listening to your stories, laughing with you on Facebook and sharing time together as parents has been a privilege — and one that I hold dear. You made our 2014 expansion into Western Mass one of the highlights of my career.

A big thank you to our incredible staff. Publisher Kirk Davis allowed me the freedom to be creative and decisive about our editorial.

Paula and our Sales Director Regina Stillings provided me with something to smile and laugh about each day. And the entire crew at our parent company, the Holden Landmark, showed me the amazing work that a small, dedicated, talented group of people can achieve. Join me in welcoming our new editor, Melissa Shaw, for our November issue.

Melissa, this is where I tell you to pour a cup of tea and pull up a chair…’ cause it’s time to enjoy the October issue of baystateparent magazine!

editor in chief MARYJO KURTZ 508-865-7070 ext. 201 maryjo@baystateparent.com creative director PAULA MONETTE ETHIER 508-865-7070 ext. 221 pethier@holdenlandmark.com senior graphic designer STEPHANIE MALLARD 508-865-7070 design@baystateparent.com

advertising director of sales REGINA STILLINGS 508-865-7070 ext. 210 regina@baystateparent.com western mass sales manager JESSICA O’MALLEY 413-437-4673 jessica@baystateparent.com

In Association With advertising director BETH BAKER 413-283-8393 ext. 245 bbaker@turley.com presidents KIRK and LAURIE DAVIS

photographers STEVEN KING SHAWNA SHENETTE

copy editor BRYAN ETHIER

Enjoy the day,

MaryJo Kurtz

baystateparent • Over 50,000 readers • 25,000 copies distributed monthly • Find us in ALL Big Y stores PLUS 400 other locations • distribution manager TOM SIGNA 508-865-7070 ext. 112 tsigna@holdenlandmark.com

baystateparent is published monthly with a main office at 22 West Street, Millbury, MA 01527

www.baystateparent.com

Meet Our October Contributors While newborn blood screening is capable of identifying them, several special needs and developmental issues are not routinely included in the test. The reason may surprise you. Journalist Amanda Collins explores this issue in The Pros and Cons of Newborn Screening on page 30. Amanda, a transplant from California, is a Sturbridge resident. She lives with her boyfriend, Jonathan, and two one-eyed rescue cats. She enjoys reading, hiking and biking, and being “the fun aunt” to her six young nieces and nephew.

Christina Cooper runs support and education groups for new parents in the greater Springfield area. On page 10, she shares a lighthearted and personal story of postpartum depression in a piece titled Postpartum Pleas: Calling for Help. Although no longer vibrating with anxiety and wanting to whack her husband with a baby monitor if he touches her when she’s sleeping, she remembers it well. Christina, John and their seven-yearold twins live in East Longmeadow.

Will your children be getting a flu shot? Journalist Susan Bushey Manning explores the pros and cons of the decision. Find her article Flu Shot: Yay or Nay? on page 38. Susan’s career includes work in TV, print and online.

She currently works in communications at National Grid and owns a communications consulting company. Susan is mom to toddler Jameson. She and her wife live in Worcester and are expecting their second son in January.

Judy M. Miller is a freelance writer, essayist and author of the international selling parent guide What to Expect from Your Adopted Tween. In this issue, Judy shares the tender story of her quest to find out why her adopted daughter struggled to find peace as a young child. Her search led to a diagnosis of sensory processing disorder, the result of her daughter being abandoned by her birth mother. Find Judy’s story Emergence on page 8.

Doug Page, a Medfield father of two tween-age boys, reports on a new study in his piece Video Game Violence Linked to Childhood Depression on page 40. Research shows that some kids who play violent video games are prone to depression. Doug interviewed experts in the field and offers strategies to use when it comes to regulating game play. In addition to his work with baystateparent, Doug has been published at United Press International and the Chicago Sun-Times.

Keith Regan is a journalist from Hopkinton and the father of two teenagers. This month, he shares the story of Meredith Prunty, a Hopkinton teen and actress. Moved by the 2010 suicide of South Hadley teen Phoebe Prince, Meredith battles bullying though work on a series of initiatives. Among her accomplishments is a bullying awareness video and work as a fashion company spokesperson. Read her story in South Hadley Tragedy Moves Hopkinton Girl to Action on page 42.

bsp online If you’re only reading baystateparent in print, you’re missing half the fun! Online every day we feature new information, contests and ways to get your children and your thoughts in our magazine.

Friends who like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or receive our email newsletter had the opportunity to win a series of great prizes in September.

Here are just some of the great prizes we gave away:

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WIGGLES

Family 4-pack to see The Wiggles CONGRATS to Suzanne Walton of Bellingham Andrea Mendillo of Worcester Michelle Colindres of Canton

Set of Haute Sprout Jewelry Robeez Baby Shoes Congrats to Kristen Walsh of Andover

CONGRATS to Tania Rooney of Westwood

Join us online today and join in the fun! www.facebook.com/baystateparent twitter.com/baystateparent Sign up for our twice-weekly newsletter at the top of our home page: www.baystateparent.com

The Special Education Surrogate Parent program is an initiative to help foster children get the best possible education by using volunteer advocates to meet with educators on behalf of the students. Journalist Amanda Roberge shares details of this program in Advocating for Underserved Kids: A New Way to Volunteer in the Classroom on page 29. Amanda is a regular and popular contributor to baystateparent and the busy Leominster mother of three daughters.

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FINALLY FOREVER

emergence

BY JUDY M. MILLER

Cries and screams–which occurred without warning and often over a dozen times each day– expressed her inability to connect, to experience, and her fathomless grief. I did not know how to help her other than to snuggle my daughter up as close to me as I possibly could, often skin-to-skin, heartto-heart, in an attempt to calm her and absorb the demons that chased her.

My

daughter joined us at thirteen months, broken in spirit and disconnected.

I sensed this in her referral pictures and felt it as soon as she arrived in the large meeting room at the Ministry's office in China. I stepped forward to take her when her name was called. She did not cry; she smiled, and this would be the only smile that day. Her smile was unexpected and although it registered somewhere in the back of my mind, I ignored the warning of things to come.

She scooted up on my shoulder.

Dark hair grew out of the shaved head, bug bites covered her pale face and the stink of polluted water permeated faded ratty orphanage clothing that had likely been shared and worn by many babies. She promptly stuck her thumb in her mouth and fell asleep.

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I batted one official's hand away when she reached over to take my daughter's thumb out of her mouth, "Bu (no)." Her thumb comforted her. Let it be.

My girl was a sad baby those first days in China. She would sit folded in half, her chest flat against the short-piled carpet in our hotel room, in between her splayed-out legs, and suck her thumb– one, two three, four, rest... one, two three, four, rest... The rhythm soothed her, and in the months and years to come I would find myself putting her thumb into her mouth to settle her.

I was ripped open each and every time my daughter tumbled into her hell. Her agony connected us on the deepest level imaginable. She felt safe with me and shared every bit of her grief. Years later, I would understand the magnitude of the cards she had been dealt by losing her birth mother and by being adopted.

My husband and I were rewarded with another smile two days later, and a few days later she began to sit up unassisted.

Within the second week she was walking while holding onto our hands. We were thrilled with her progress and believed that love and attention were working to bring this precious baby girl around.

Prior to arriving home, we cautioned our other kids not to take anything from her. In China we observed that our daughter ate off the outside of her closed chubby fists, grinding them

She was in survival mode.

into her food and then carefully sucking the food off her right hand. After it was clean, she would carefully open her fingers to suck the food that had made it into the crevices between her fingers. She kept her left hand tucked behind her, hiding what little food was there within. We had made the mistake in China of cleaning the left hand before giving her more food to hold in her right. Never again. She was in survival mode. I cleaned that little hand only during her deep sleep, when it unfurled to expose the macerated and spoiled remains.

Once home her adjustment seemed to go well. She enjoyed being with her brother and sister. She smiled and cooed often, and yet something seemed off. Within months, I began to notice other things. She was content to be still — not the normal activity for a toddler. My daughter could hear me, but she

lly ht uld ck he he nd as he eft to he hat ep se ns. ed th ed ng I he he My he

Chris is of Caucasian and Hispanic descent and is a natural athlete. He is open to trying new activities. He enjoys listening to music, dancing and going fishing.

In school, Chris has the support of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to help him meet his academic goals around writing and math. In the past, Chris has performed in school plays and has an excellent singing voice.

Legally free for adoption, Chris would do well in a single parent or two-parent family. He gets along well with children of any age. Chris currently lives in a group home but really wants to be part of a family.

He still has periodic contact with his birth mother and grandmother and seeks a family that could support that.

FINALLY FOREVER

would not respond. She would fall and not react. I received blank looks when trying to engage her in "follow me" games. I had her assessed by developmental therapists. They said my daughter was developmentally in the lownormal range.

Everything looked fine and it did not. Time passed and I asked for another assessment. The findings were that she was slightly delayed and would catch up soon. She was an extremely late walker and her gait was odd. We had her hips x-rayed. Normal again.

My niggling feeling grew into fear and then panic when it all began to escalate — the screams, the crying, throwing herself on the hardest surfaces imaginable, like concrete, without any warnings or triggers. One afternoon, I began to cry as I held her rung-outfrom-her-tantrum diapered-only three-and-a-half-year-old sleeping form. She was so beautiful and at peace as she slept. I wanted her to feel peaceful all of the time. I ached from watching her. I bled every time she screamed, cried or splatted herself onto a hard surface. I made phone calls while she slept, damp, against my heart, and found another therapy group that could see us the next day.

The hour-long assessment turned into three and a half.

Multiple therapists went over my daughter with a fine-toothedcomb and then, as a team, they met with me and went over my notes. She was given a diagnosis, something I had never heard of–sensory processing disorder (SPD), also known as sensory integration disorder, a disorder that can affect any combination of the far and near senses.

The therapists explained that normal sensory integration involves the neurological processing of information received by a person's body and his or her environment.

They helped me understand that SPD occurs when the brain cannot modulate the reciprocal processes of intake, organization, and output flow of the sensory information that it receives. Children who have been institutionalized, like my daughter, are at a substantially higher risk for developing SPD. My daughter exhibited difficulties with the tactile (touch), vestibular (movement), and proprioceptive

(positioning) senses. Additionally, she was responding to situations, people, and her environment with a combination of hyper(over responsiveness) and hyposensitivity (under responsiveness). Her prog-nosis was good because she was healthy and very young. She would require intensive therapy. The recommendation was that she should begin occupational, speech, and physical therapy as soon as possible.

The improvements that occurred within a matter of weeks were miraculous.

My daughter began talking and processing.

Her tantrums decreased. The "splats" disappeared. Her gait became normal. I enrolled her in a developmental preschool program in addition to her therapy sessions. She "graduated" within a year.

I realized that my daughter's neurological system, severely stressed by being separated from her birth mother, had continued to shut down while she lived in the welfare institute with little stimulation and nurturing. In other words, the neglect she suffered intensified her SPD. As my daughter healed from her SPD, she began to process and grieve openly for her losses — of her birth mother, of being given up, of not growing up in China.

It took six long and patiencestretched-thin years for my daughter to fully emerge from the cocoon of SPD and several more years before she gave up the comfort of her thumb.

My daughter is now a teenager.

She is tender, full of light and has an insatiable hunger to learn.

She speaks Mandarin, her birth language, and enthusiastically explores her culture of origin. She grieves less about what she sees as the injustice of adoption, of her being our daughter. She calls on her coping skills, taught to her by her therapists, when she feels out-of-sync.

Our bond is sacred. My daughter understands there is nothing she can do to make me stop loving her. And knowing that I will love her, no matter what, has given her the permission she has needed to open up, to talk about adoption and loss, and to find some resolution.

And her thumb? Well, she paints it wild funky colors.

October’s Child: Christopher

Animals have helped Christopher though some hard times, so he has become an animal lover. As he celebrates his fifteenth birthday this month, Chris — as he prefers to be called — would love to become part of a family with pets!

For more information regarding Chris, please contact Department of Children and Families (DCF) Adoption Supervisor Eileen Griffin at 978-353-3629. The Worcester DCF Office hosts monthly informational meetings for those wishing to learn more about the adoption process in general. Please call 508-929-2143 for specific information about the next meeting.

Circle of Friends Tuesday, October 7 — Foster Care/ Adoption Informational Meeting.

Department of Children and Families, Western Regional Office, 140 High St., 5th Floor, Springfield. 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Learn how you can change the life of a child in need by becoming a foster parent with the Department of Children and Families. Free. 413-452-3351. mass.gov.

Wednesday, October 15 — Webinar: Sexual Abuse Prior to Placement, Advice for Adoptive Parents. 8 p.m.

Learn how to recognize signs of past abuse, respond if you suspect or know abuse happened, protect the abused child and other children in the home, talk to your child about norms in their new home. $15. adoptionlearningpartners.org.

Thursday, October 16 — Online Adoption Information Meeting. 12 to 12:45 p.m. Registration at whfc.org.

Ongoing — Child & Family Services, 28 North Maple St., #4, Florence.

Support services for adoptive families.

413-320-4680. 1-800-972-2734. child-familyservices.org/florence/.

Ongoing — The Heart Gallery is an exhibit of portraits of children in the state’s

foster care system in need of adoption.

The display can currently be found at Greenfield Savings Bank, 6 University Dr., Amherst.

Ongoing — Massachusetts Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (MAPP) Trainings. Western Regional DCF Office, 140 Main St., 4th Floor, Springfield.

Tuesdays, 6 to 9 p.m. Support for foster and adoptive parents. No fee. Registration required. 413-452-3350. www.mass.gov.

Ongoing — The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children offers an afterhours telephone helpline that provides emergency assistance to foster kinship and pre-adoptive families when the DCF offices are closed. The helpline is available 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 24-hours on weekends and holidays. The number is 800-486-3730.

If your group or organization is holding an adoption information or support group, and you would like to have information posted for readers of baystateparent, please email editor@baystateparent.com.

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 8 9

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Postpartum Pleas:

Calling for

HELP

BY CHRISTINA COOPER

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If you were to meet me today, you wouldn’t know I was quite recently bonkers. Not that long ago, I was sitting on a pile of sneakers in my hall closet, crying over the phone to the Pampers 1-800 number.

“I…just…can’t…do…it…anymore,” I whispered between hitching sobs. “They never stop needing me.” My twins were tucked in a bassinet just outside the door of the closet, also crying.

“Oh, sweetheart,” sympathized the customer service lady, “babies can be so hard. And you have two of them, bless your heart. You give me your address and I’ll send you some coupons, OK?” “OK,” I sniffled.

My twins were born six weeks premature and spent twelve days in intensive care at Baystate Hospital. My sleep deprivation began immediately even though my boy and girl had round-the-clock nursing care.

Determined to breastfeed them, I set an alarm to wake me every three hours to pump milk.

Once they were home from the hospital, the kids set their own wailing alarms to get fed every two hours. Sometimes every hour.

Sometimes Jack would nurse for 45 minutes, sleep for ten, and be ready for his next meal.

My body decided vigilant, twitchy insomnia was the new normal. Thus began my twoyear struggle with postpartum anxiety and depression.

I spent most days at home under my twin nursing pillow, two babies in a football hold, puzzling out if I was getting better or worse.

Today I have cried for 8 hours, but I have been awake for 22 hours, so percentagewise, I am 63 and 2/3% sane and 36 and 1/3% nuts.

I called my husband constantly at work to see if he could come home early. “I’ve been awake since 4 a.m. last Tuesday. Please, please come home so they can cry at you instead?”

“It’s only 9:15,” he’d say. “I can’t leave yet!”

“OK,” I’d say. I’d wait as long as I could and then call again. “How about now?”

“It’s only 9:30! Call your mom!”

My postpartum anxiety was like a nasty houseguest that wouldn’t leave. Usually it yelled at me. “HEY! YOUR BABIES ARE CRYING AGAIN! YOU ARE A TERRIBLE MOTHER!” If the babies weren’t crying, it would complain about something else. “THERE ARE NOISY BIRDS CHIRPING OUTSIDE! WHY DIDN’T YOU BUY A HOUSE WITHOUT NOISY NEIGHBORHOOD BIRDS? YOU ARE A TERRIBLE MOTHER!” “Anxiety, shut up. Look, Susannah is smiling; I’m doing a good job taking care of her.”

“SHE’S SMILING? YOU HAVE GIVEN HER FALSE HOPE THAT THE WORLD IS KIND AND WHEN SOMEONE TEASES HER

AT SCHOOL SHE WILL BE CRUSHED AND DEPRESSED FOR LIFE. YOU ARE A TERRIBLE MOTHER!” I had to talk to someone other than the voices in my head, but I was new to town and had no friends. I tried calling my doctors first, but they told me all this was baby blues and would pass. (This was before the crucial 2010 Massachusetts legislation requiring all mothers be screened for postpartum mood disorders.) I called my health insurance and reached a young male receptionist. I burst into tears begging him to connect me with a therapist that made house calls to moms over 36% crazy. He stammered at me in alarm to use their website. He’ll probably never have kids now.

I needed to talk daily, even hourly, to someone trained to be nice no matter what. Did you know there are a lot of 1-800 numbers on all the baby products in your house?

I called the Enfamil hotline. “Why do they need to eat so much?” I moaned at the customer service lady.

“Babies are hard, twins are more than twice as hard. I’ll send you some free samples, darling,” she soothed me.

“OK,” I sniffled.

I called Gerber and Beechnut and Playtex and Avent. I got a lot of coupons and sympathetic murmurings. I found the Parental Stress Hotline number and finally had someone to talk to at 4 a.m. about noisy birds. I eventually found numbers for the Hadley-based group MotherWoman and MOMS Club in East Longmeadow, not to mention the number of a psychiatrist who prescribed me wonderful, wonderful drugs.

The more I talked, the better I became.

I’ve since become a trained MotherWoman facilitator and lead support groups for new parents. I’m at least 913/8% sane most days now and my 7-year-old twins are apt to offer new moms their sympathy for how darn hard those first years can be. Fellow moms and dads whose crazy percentage is unacceptably high: don’t stop calling for help. You are not alone. Just keep calling.

Someone will listen.

24-HOUR PARENTAL STRESS HOTLINE 1-800-632-8188 POSTPARTUM SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL WARMLINE 1-800-944-4773 MOTHERWOMAN 413-387-0703 www.motherwoman.org BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NETWORK CRISIS LINE (Springfield) 413-733-6661 PATHWAYS FOR PARENTS (Ludlow) 413-583-3527

WOMEN’S HEALTH

AMHERST PEDIATRICS

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he wn rs es al all od nd st th ms in ly

to er 00 ur

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ce es,

ex nd he ly sy he nd to ho gs.

an ew ys to ow ow ge or g.

Always Here For Your Medical Needs

Visit our website for information and forms

www.amherstpediatrics.net Make Your Appointment Today

We are open from 8:00 am – 7:00 pm (urgent care from 5 – 7) Monday - Friday 12 pm – 4 pm for urgent care on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays

In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Dr. Emlen Jones

Dr. Jennifer Roche

Dr. Steven Hickman

Dr. Susan Wang

Dr. John Snyder

Leslie Johnson, Nurse Practitioner

31A Hall Drive • Amherst, MA 01002 413-253-3773 • mail@amherstpediatrics.net

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a reminder to schedule due mammograms and to perform a monthly breast self-exam. For instructions on conducting a breast self-exam, visit this page of WebMD.com: http://www. webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/breast-self-exam.

This is also a month of increased attention to the topic of breast cancer and fundraising for a number of breast cancer organizations. Here, we compiled a list of events available in Western Mass to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If you have others to add, please post them on our Facebook page and at baystateparent.com.

SHARE Talk Radio Presents the EMBRCA Trial. Thursday, October 2, 1 to 2 p.m. Learn about this phase 3 clinical trial for women with BRCA 1 or 2 positive metastatic breast cancer on SHARE Talk Radio. You can listen online or by phone by calling 347-989-0646 at the designated time. sharecancersupport.org.

Making Strides of Pioneer Valley. Stanley Park, 400 Western Ave., Westfield. Sunday, October 5. 9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. walk. Noncompetitive, 5K (3.1 mile) event. 413-493-2126.

PioneerValleyMAstrides@cancer.org.

Coping with October: Ideas for Those Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer. Webinar.

Monday, October 6, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. In this session, specifically tailored for October-related issues, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center oncologist Dr. Don Dizon shares some coping strategies. sharecancersupport.org.

Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer. Webcast.

Wednesday, October 8, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registrants can listen over phone or online. cancercare.org.

Metastatic Breast Cancer: Cutting-Edge Research from National Cancer Institute.

Webinar. Wednesday, October 15, 1 to 2 p.m.

Featuring Dr. Patricia Steeg of National Cancer Institute. sharecancersupport.org.

Making Strides of Berkshire County. Wahconah Park, 105 Wahconah St., Pittsfield. Sunday, October 19, 9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. walk.

Non-competitive, 3.5 mile event. 413-493-2126.

BerkshireMAStrides@cancer.org.

Family Italian/American Restaurant Open 7 days a week 11am -10pm

The Rays of Hope Walk and Run Toward the Cure 8K. Temple Beth El, Dickinson St., Springfield. Sunday, October 19, 10:15 a.m. Large tents, pink balloons, music. Benefits Rays of Hope. baystatehealth.org/raysofhope The Rays of Hope Walk in Greenfield. Energy Park, Miles Street, Greenfield. Sunday, October 19.

Registration is 10 a.m. to noon, walk begins at noon.

Walk, exhibits, entertainment, speakers. foundation. baystatehealth.org/raysofhope Live Webchat on Latest Research and Treatments for Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Wednesday, October 29, 1 p.m. Presented by Eric Winer, MD, director of the Breast Oncology Program at The Susan F. Smith Center at Dana-Farber. Submit questions to webchats@dfci.harvard.edu and tune in live at dana-farber.org/webchats.

Mention baystateparent for 10% off your bill!

413-772-0970 244 Country Club Road Greenfield, MA terrazzagreenfield@gmail.com

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 10 11

Breast Milk’s

Secret Ingredient May Lead to

Lasting Health

In a new study from the University of California Davis, evidence shows that breastfeeding is good for babies, boosting immunity and protecting them from a wide range of health issues such as obesity, diabetes, liver problems and cardiovascular disease. In understanding how breast milk provides those benefits, researchers may have discovered ways to boost the benefits of breast milk to a larger population.

How does it provide those benefits? What makes a mother’s milk so good?

“Mother’s milk is the Rosetta Stone for all food,” said Bruce German, director of the UC Davis Foods for Health Institute. “It’s a complete diet, shaped over 200 million years of evolution, to keep healthy babies healthy.”

German and his team spent ten years decoding the mechanisms of human breast milk. Their discoveries are surprising and significant, and could lead to supplements that boost immunity for cancer patients, the elderly and children in the developing world — and enhance health for us all.

Solving a Milk Mystery The two most abundant biomolecules (molecules produced

12 OCTOBER2014 13

by a living organism) in breast milk are lactose and lipids, which babies digest and convert to energy. The third most abundant biomolecule is something the human baby lacksthe enzymes necessary to digest. In other words, it goes in their mouths and out into their diapers with no digestion along the way.

That’s curious. Of the 500 calories a lactating woman burns each day to make milk, 10 percent is spent synthesizing something the baby treats as waste. If it didn’t have value to the developing baby, wouldn’t natural selection have discarded it long ago?

“We were gob-smacked when we discovered how much of what lactating mothers produce is indigestible matter,” German said.

“What is it? What does it do?”

It turns out that the indigestible matter is a slew of complex sugars called oligosaccharides that are extremely difficult to detect and analyze. What do the oligosaccharides do? Researchers theorized that they fed bacteria in the baby’s gut since they didn’t nourish the baby, but what strain of bugs do they feed and why?

That puzzle was solved by David Mills and Peter J. Shields, researchers working with German.

Mills pinpointed one particular gut

bacterium called Bifidobacterium infantis (B. infantitis), which is uniquely able to break down and feed on the specific oligosaccharides in mother’s milk.

Lactating mothers produce oligosaccharides to help B. infantis proliferate and dominate in the baby’s gut, keeping their babies healthy by crowding out less savory bugs before they can become established. Perhaps more importantly, the oligosaccharides help B. infantis nurture the integrity of the lining of the babies’ intestines, thus playing a vital role in protecting them from infection and inflammation.

“What a genius strategy,” German said. “Mothers are recruiting another life form to babysit their babies.”

Sharing the Wealth with All Ages Capitalizing on what they’re learning about breast milk, researchers are working to promote wellness for humans beyond healthy babies.

Premature infants, for example, are often not healthy babies. They are particularly susceptible to a gastrointestinal disease called necrotizing enterocolitis, which

destroys the bowel. Up to 10 percent of extremely premature infants get the disease and up to 40 percent of those with the severest form of the disease die. Trials are currently underway to give premature babies oligosaccharides and their corresponding bacteria to see if this can improve their intestinal and overall health.

Researchers believe providing oligosaccharides and specific bacteria could also be used to treat gastrointestinal disease in adults, restoring microbial balance in their digestive tracts. Similar treatments could soon be used to boost the immune defenses of people with compromised immune systems, such as people with the human immunodeficiency virus, patients undergoing chemotherapy, the elderly, and others.

It’s too early to know whether healthy adults should add oligosaccharides (or other bacteria feeders) to their diets for preventative health. Scientists can’t even say for sure what a healthy bacterial community in our guts should look like. But one thing is certain: “Our good bacteria play a much more important role in our health than we realized,” German said.

Turning Trash Into Treasure For treating premature infants and others in need of microbial balance, where are we going to find the oligosaccharides that help the good bugs thrive?

Cows make the necessary oligosaccharides, although the amounts produced decrease after the cow’s first few days of lactation.

Research is currently underway to see if selective cow breeding will promote cow oligosaccharide production and slow the reduction of oligosaccharides as lactation progresses.

There may be another option: turning a dairy-industry byproduct into bacterial treasure. Whey is the waste product of cheese making, and it’s produced in enormous amounts.

For every pound of cheese produced, ten pounds of whey are left over.

The whey is hard to dispose of — it’s not environmentally friendly — but it still contains oligosaccharides.

Current research is looking to alter the industrial processing of millions of pounds of whey and other dairy waste, identifying, extracting and delivering health-promoting oligosaccharides from these underused waste streams.

Addressing Infant Mortality Around the World Oligosaccharides in cow’s milk might also improve infant mortality rates in developing countries.

Children in areas such as West or Central Africa are 30 times more likely to die before their sixth birthday than children in the industrialized world, in large part due to malnutrition and intestinal diseases caused by contaminated food and water.

Children are less affected by intestinal disease while breastfeeding, but that protection drops off once they’re weaned and no longer consuming oligosaccharides. Studies are underway to reveal how gut microbes consume oligosaccharides, which could help in developing substances that improve immunity in non-breastfeeding children.

Researchers are also developing selective prebiotics based on their work isolating and concentrating oligosaccharides in cow’s milk.

There is still a lot to learn, but breast milk is already providing researchers intriguing clues to lasting health and ways to deliver better health and nutrition around the world.

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Tops for Trick-or-Treats Easy-to-make hats inspired by Alice in Wonderland

Sure you can be a hatter, but why not have fun as the Mad Hatter? These delightful toppers were designed by baystateparent Creative Director Paula Ethier, who said, “These are easy to make, but you could really go crazy decorating them, if you like.”

Photography by shawnashenettephotography.com

Queen of Hearts • Empty plastic container • Tulle • Boa feathers • White tissue paper • Headband • Mod Podge • Playing cards (hearts, of course!)

• Glue gun

Guest at the Party • Foam board • Styrofoam coffee cups • Black or brown pipe cleaners • Embellishments • Glue gun • Exacto knife • Red ribbon

Mad Hatter • Plastic black top hat (available at most craft/party stores) • Foam sheets • Feathers • Ribbon • Emellishments

Cover an empty plastic container with white tissue paper, using a paintbrush and some Mod Podge to hold it in place.

Using a glue gun, add a ruffle of tulle to the bottom of the container and attach the newly formed hat to a headband. To

secure the playing cards, make a small slit in the bottle with an Exacto knife, insert the cards and hold them in place with a dab of glue. For a feathery finish, stick a twist of red pipe cleaner to the top of the hat and drape it with black boa feathers.

To finish the costume, Queen of Hearts Kamryn is wearing a red turtleneck and black cape. Game on!

To make the base of the hat, cut a circle from the foam board using an Exacto knife. Adhere the red ribbon to the bottom of the circle with hot glue.

To create the stacked cups, remove the bottom quarter of three different Styrofoam cups. (Save the cup bottoms to create the circular cup handles.) Glue the three cups together in a topsy-turvy

design. Decorate with embellishments. To create “steam” from the top cup, attach twisted pipe cleaners to a circle of foam board. Glue the foam circle to the inside of the top cup.

Our party guest Caitlin completes her costume with a yellow apron and some freshly baked sugar cookies. A tasty attire!

• Glue Gun • Exacto knife

really use anything for decorations. Glue on some pompoms or glitter or buttons.

Go to the dollar store and look for ideas,” she suggested.

Our Mad Hatter, Cameron, accessorized with a colorful bow tie and a pocket watch. He has no plans to be late for any important date!

• Paintbrush • Exacto knife • Red pipe cleaner

Create a splashy top hat by gluing a foam sheet to the plastic hat base.

Paula decorated the design with cutouts, ribbon and feathers. “This is where your trash is your treasure because you can

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 14 15

LET’S GO

Happy Haunting!

Gather up your ghosts and goblins for some ghoulish fun!

We crept through the vault to stir up some tricks and found these treats! Do you know of more Halloween family fun?

Stop by baystateparent.com and tell us about it!

Fright Fest. Six Flags, 1623 Main St., Agawam. Weekends through November 23. 413-786-9300. sixflags.com.

Zombiefest. Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, 37 Corey Rd., Hancock.

Through October 31. Haunted giant swing ride, haunted zipline ride, Halloween activities. 413-738-5500.

13nightsatjiminy.com.

Valley Ghost Tours. 1 Kirkland Ave., Northampton. Nightly through October 31, 7:30 p.m. Family-friendly haunted history tour includes ghost stories for all ages. $15 per adult, $10 per children/students. 401-578-1231. valleyghosttours.com.

Ghost Tour. The Mount, 2 Plunkett St., Lenox. Fridays in October and Saturday, October 25.

5:45 and 7 p.m. Guided tour of the most haunted parts of the estate. $22 per adult, $18 youth ages 12 to 18. 413-551-5100.

Haunted Hayrides. McCray’s Farm, 55 Alvord St., South Hadley. Fridays through Sundays in October, 7 p.m.

413-533-0775. mccrays-farm.com.

8th Annual Spooky Safari. Forest Park Zoo, 302 Sumner Ave., Springfield. October 17, 18, 24 and 25 from 6 to 8 p.m.; Halloween, 6 to 9 p.m. Trick-or-treating, costume contests, light show, nocturnal animals, raffles. 413-733-2251. forestparkzoo.org.

16 OCTOBER2014

Haunted Train. Look Memorial Park, 300 North Main St., Florence.

October 17 through 19, 24 through 26. 413-584-5457. lookpark.org.

Monster Dash 5K. Town Hall, 69 Main St., Northfield. Saturday, October 25. 9 a.m. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. 5K road race or bike ride includes prizes, food, family fun.

Halloween Chills & Thrills.

Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards St., Springfield. Saturday, October 25. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Puppet shows, live animals, crafts, family activities. Museum admission price applies. 413-263-6800. springfieldmuseums.org.

Halloween Merry-Go-Round Ride.

Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, 221 Appleton St., Holyoke.

October 25 and 26. Half price ride for all that come in costume, treats for all.

Ghost Tour. The Mount, 2 Plunkett St., Lenox. 10:30 p.m. to midnight.

A 90-minute guided tour of the most haunted parts of the estate. $30 per adult, $25 youth ages 12 to 18. 413-551-5100.

Halloween Malloween. Holyoke Mall, 50 Holyoke St., Holyoke.

Trick-or-treat at participating stores from 4 to 6 p.m., costume contest at 5:30 p.m. For ages 12 and under.

Photo courtesy Six Flags

OUT& ABOUT

Discover the most haunted parts of The Mount, Edith Wharton’s estate in Lenox, Fridays in October and Saturday, October 25.

Navigate the Crazy Corn Maze at Randall’s Farm and Greenhouse in Ludlow, weekends through October 26.

Photo courtesy the UMass Fine Arts Center

Photo courtesy The Mount

Photo courtesy Randall’s Farm and Greenhouse

Fright Fest takes over Six Flags New England for the month of October through November 2.

Violinist Regina Carter recreates the music of Alabama in her Southern Comfort show Thursday, October 9, at UMass Bowker Auditorium.

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 17

OUT&ABOUT MELTDOWN WARNING: Before you pack up the mini-van, please confirm your destination. Although we’ve done our best to assure accuracy at press time, things can and do change…

Easthampton. Fridays through October 24, 2 to 6 p.m.

Photo courtesy Great Barrington Land Conservancy

Lenox Farmers Market. Shakespeare & Co., 70 Kemble St., Lenox. Fridays, 1 to 5 p.m. through October.

Run for the Hills at the Great Barrington Land Conservancy’s 5K or join the kids in a 1K Fun Run on Sunday, October 5.

1 Wednesday Fall Foliage Parade and Festival. 6 West Main St., North Adams. September 29 through October 5. Parade takes place Sunday, October 5, 1 p.m. Family friendly events.

413-499-4000. berkshires.org.

A3, The Burnett Gallery at the Jones Library, Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, Hope & Feathers Framing and Gallery, The Boys and Girls Club, Freedom Trails Gallery at Valley Frameworks, The JCA Hall Gallery, The Clawfoot Tub, and the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College.

Pajama Storytime. East Springfield Library, 21 Osborne Terrace, Springfield. 6 to 6:30 p.m. All ages welcome for stories and songs. Pajamas and stuffed animals welcome.

413-263-6840. springfieldlibrary.org.

Tuck-Me-In Storytime. Hubbard Library, 24 Center St., Ludlow. 7 p.m. Suitable for ages 3 to 7, this program encourages children to come in their pajamas. Free. 413-583-3408. hubbardlibrary.org.

Exhibition: From Magna Carta to the Constitution. Clark Art Institute, 225 South St., Williamstown. Through November 2. This exhibition brings together six important documents significant to American history and spanning more than eight centuries. $20 per adult, free for ages 18 and under.

413-458-2303. clarkart.edu.

Monson Farmers Market. First Church of Monson, 5 High St., Monson.

Thursdays through October 9, 3 to dusk. monsonfarmersmarket.org.

2 Thursday 40th Annual Multiband Pops Concert.

Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, UMass Amherst Campus, Amherst. 7:30 p.m. Showcase of 15 wind, brass, string, percussion, choral and dance ensembles, including the Minuteman Marching Band. $20 per person, $15 for students, children under 18, seniors. 413-545-2511. fac.umass.edu/musicanddance.

Amherst Art Walk. Various venues, Amherst. 5 to 8 p.m. Venues include Gallery 18 OCTOBER2014 19

South Hadley Farmers Market. Town Green, Hadley at College streets, South Hadley. Thursdays through October 9, 1 to 6 p.m.

Tiny Tots Storytime. Springfield Library, Children’s Room, 220 State St., Springfield.

10 to 11 a.m. Songs, stories, play, especially for children up to 36 months. 413-263-6828. springfieldlibrary.org.

West Stockbridge Farmers Market. Towne Center, Harris St., West Stockbridge. 3 to 7 p.m.

3 Friday Easthampton Farmers Market. Municipal Building Parking Lot, 50 Payson Ave.,

Ghost Tour. The Mount, 2 Plunkett St., Lenox.

Fridays in October and Saturday, October 25; 5:45 and 7 p.m. Guided tour of the most haunted parts of the estate. $22 per adult, $18 youth ages 12 to 18. 413-551-5100.

Valley Ghost Tours. Meet in the square between Thornes Marketplace and the East John Gare Parking Garage, Northampton. October 3 to 31, 7:30 p.m. Ninety-minute haunted history tour. $15 per adult, $10 per child under 16. valleyghosttours.com.

WeeMuse Adventures. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. Fridays in October, 11 to 11:30 a.m. For ages 18 months to 3 years, the program features songs, stories, scavenger hunts, playtime. Museum admission rates apply.

413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Haunted Hayrides. McCray’s Farm, 55 Alvord St., South Hadley. Fridays through Sundays in October, 7 p.m.

413-533-0775. mccrays-farm.com.

Meet Rockwell’s Models. Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Route 183, Stockbridge.

2:30 p.m. Models share personal experiences.

Museum admission fees apply. nrm.org.

Milham Planetarium Shows. Williams College, Old Hopkins Observatory, Williamstown. Fridays in October and November, 8 p.m. Astronomy students host public shows. Free. Reservations recommended.

413-597-2188. williams.edu.

4 Saturday Fright Fest. Six Flags, 1623 Main St., Agawam. Weekends through November 2.

413-786-9300. sixflags.com/newengland.

Amherst Farmers Market. Spring and South Pleasant streets, Amherst Center. Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through November 22. amherstfarmersmarket.com.

Scarecrow Workshops. Atkins Farms, Rt. 116 and Bay Rd., Amherst. Weekends, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., through October 19.

413-253-9528. atkinsfarms.com.

Heritage Walks. Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area, Great Barrington.

October 4 and 5. A variety of walks are offered, including long hikes, waking tours of towns, nature and birding walks, tours of site ruins, canoe/kayak river trips. 413-394-9773. heritage-hikes.org.

Hampden Farmers Market. Hampden Nurseries, 16 Somers Rd., Hampden.

Saturdays through October 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Crazy Corn Maze. Randall’s Farm and Greenhouse, 631 Center St., Ludlow.

Weekends through October 26 and Columbus Day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 413-589-7071.

North Adams Farmers Market. St. Anthony Municipal Parking Lot, Intersection of Marshall St. and St. Anthony Dr., North Adams. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Local farmers, food, crafts, musicians. explorenorthadams.com.

Otis Farmers Market. Papa’s Healthy Food & Fuel/L&M Auto, 2000 East Otis Rd., Otis.

Saturdays through October 11, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Plants, baked goods, eggs, maple syrup, jams, jellies, fruit butters, honey, goat milk soap, goat meat.

Art Lab. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. For children 2 to 5 years, accompanied by an adult. Using craft materials, children design field journal of museum exploration. Museum admission rates apply. 413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Chow Time. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. Saturdays in October, 12:30 to 1 p.m. Join staff for behind-the-scenes look at feeding the animals. Museum admission rates apply. 413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Caterpillar Chat. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. 2 to 3 p.m. Take a close look at the caterpillars in the Butterflies exhibit. Museum admission rates apply.

413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Fiesta! Springfield Library, Forest Park Branch, 380 Belmont Ave., Springfield. Noon to 2 p.m. A Latin food festival featuring foods of Puerto Rico and El Salvadore. 413-263-6843. springfieldlibrary.org.

5 Sunday Storytelling in the Orchard. Park Hill Orchard, 82 Park Hill Rd., Easthampton.

2 p.m. John Porcino Songs and Stories in the Orchard. Rain date October 19.

413-527-6186. parkhillorchard.com.

Run for the Hills 5K. Great Barrington Land Conservancy, Great Barrington.

8 a.m. registration. 10K, 5K, 1K Kids Fun Run to benefit Great Barrington Land Conservancy. greatbarringtonlandconservancy.org.

Fall Festival and Open House. Whole Children, 41 Russell St., Hadley. 1 to 4 p.m.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Whole Children (an afterschool and weekend center for children

OUT&ABOUT

The 2014 Eastern States Cup & Massachusetts State Championship.

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, 37 Corey Rd., Hancock. Gravity mountain bike racing.

413-738-5500. jiminypeak.com.

Hancock Farmers Market. Apple Tree Hill Organic Farm, 3205 Hancock Rd., Hancock.

Saturdays and Sundays through October 12, 2 to 6 p.m.

Fall Foliage Parade. 85 Main St., North Adams. 1 p.m. Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Mohawk Trail, the parade celebrates the adventure and culture experienced along the Mohawk Trail. fallfoliageparade.com.

24th Annual SIDS Race 4 Life. John Boyle O’Reilly Club, 33 Progress Ave., Springfield.

11 a.m. 3.75 mile fun run benefit for Massachusetts Center for SIDS. $30 registration. sidsrace4life.org.

Fiesta! Flan Contest & Concert. Springfield Library, Brightwood Branch, 359 Painfield St., Springfield. 6 to 8 p.m. A evening celebration includes flan contest and music from the Alturas Duo. 413-263-6805. springfieldlibrary.org.

Farmers Market at Forest Park. Cyr Arena parking lot, Forest Park, Springfield. Tuesdays through October 28, 12:30 to 6 p.m. Local products. farmersmarektatforestpark.com.

8 Wednesday Amherst Wednesday Market. Kendrick Park, North Pleasant St., Amherst.

Wednesdays, 2 to 6 p.m., through October 15. kendrickparkmarket.com.

Parent/Child STEM Session. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. 10:30 to 11 a.m. For children ages 2 to 4, explore through books, activities, play. Free.

Registration required. 413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

6 Monday

Great Falls Farmers Market. 2nd St. at Ave A, Turners Falls. Wednesdays in October, 2 to 6 p.m. Rain or shine. facebook.com/greatfallsfarmersmarket.

Evening Story Time. Montague Center Library, 17 Center St., Montague. Mondays, 6:30 to 7 p.m. Young children and their families are invited to come in their pajamas and wind down at the end of the day with stories.

413-367-2852. montaguepubliclibraries.org.

Family Craft Night. Springfield Library, East Springfield Branch, 21 Osborne Terrace, Springfield. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Monthly all-ages craft night. 413-263-6840. springfieldlibrary.org.

Three Rivers Farmers Market. Hryniewicz Park, Springfield St., Palmer. Mondays through October 27, 2 to 6 p.m.

Wee Ones Storytime. Springfield Library, Indian Orchard Branch. 44 Oak St., Indian Orchard. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Stories, songs recommended for children 1 to 2 years old with their caregivers. Free. 413-263-6846. springfieldlibrary.org.

World Percheron Congress 2014. Eastern States Exposition, Coliseum, Stroh Building & Mallary Complex, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. October 6 through 11. More than 850 horses from throughout North America and beyond participate in the competition.

413-737-2443. thebige.com.

7 Tuesday Sing With Me! Music Program for Pre-Schoolers. Hubbard Library, Children’s Department, 24 Center St., Ludlow. Tuesdays, 10:30 to 11 a.m. Singing, clapping and kids’ songs. 413-583-3408. hubbardlibrary.org.

Thornes Marketplace Farmers Market. Behind Thornes Marketplace, South St., Northampton. Tuesdays through November 11, 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. northamptontuesdaymarket.com.

Photo courtesy Whole Children

with special needs) is hosting a family event that includes games, classes, music, food. Free.

413-585-8010. wholechildren.org.

9 Thursday Regina Carter’s Southern Comfort.

Bowker Auditorium, 80 Campus Center Way, Amherst. 7:30 p.m. Violinist creates music of Alabama. Tickets $10 to $30. fac.umass.edu.

Sunset Salamander Search. Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, 472 West Mountain Rd., Lenox. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Suitable for ages 3 and up. Search the woodlands for salamanders. $10 per adult, $8 per child. Registration required. 413-637-0320. massaudubon.org.

Massachusetts Children’s Book Award Club. Springfield Library, Forest Park Branch, 380 Belmont Ave., Springfield. 4 to 5 p.m. 4th, 5th and 6th graders and caregivers are invited to book club based on books nominated for the 2014-2015 Massachusetts Children’s Book Award. 413-263-6843. springfieldlibrary.org.

10 Friday Lenox Farmers Market. Shakespeare & Co., 70 Kemble St., Lenox. 1 to 5 p.m. This is the last market of the 2014 season.

Made in the Berkshires Festival. The Colonial Theatre, 111 South St., Pittsfield.

October 10 through 12. Theatrical works, music, dance. berkshiretheatre.org.

Hadley’s Whole Children offers a free Fall Festival and Open House on Sunday, October 5, featuring games, music and food.

2014 Pittsfield CityJazz Festival. Various venues, Pittsfield. October 10 thorough 19.

Music at restuarants and lounges throughout downtown. Schedule at berkshiresjazz.org.

Riverside Blues and BBQ Festival. Beacon Field, Beacon and Gerrett streets, Greenfield.

October 11 and 12. Grilling contest, music, food, drinks, crafters, kids’ activities.

Farmers Market of Sheffield.

Old Parish Church parking lot, Route 7, Main St., Sheffield. 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.

This is the final market of the 2014 season. thesheffieldfarmersmarket.com.

The Fall Festival. Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, 37 Corey Rd., Hancock. October 11 to 13. Crafts, ski and snowboard sale, job fair. jiminypeak.com.

Indian Orchard Farmers Market. Hampden Bank Parking Lot, Springfield. Fridays through October 31, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

11 Saturday Ashfield Fall Festival. Main St., Ashfield.

October 11 and 12. arts and crafts, food, music, dance, children’s activities, tag sale. Free. ashfieldfallfestival.org.

Ashfield Farmers Market. Ashfield Town Common. Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October 25. ashfieldfarmersmarket.com.

Flora and Fun in the Wistariahurst Gardens: Performance by the Massachusetts Academy of Ballet.

Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St., Holyoke. Performances at 1:30 and 3 p.m.

Fairy inspired ballet performance and crafts.

Performances are free, $3 for crafts.

413-322-5660. wistariahurst.org.

North Adams Farmers Market. St. Anthony Municipal Parking Lot, Intersection of Marshall St. and St. Anthony Dr., North Adams. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Local farmers, food, crafts, musicians. explorenorthadams.com.

Otis Farmers Market. L&M Auto/Papa’s Healthy Foods, 2000 East Otis Rd., East Otis.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Walk Along Hoosic River. Mass MoCA parking lot, Marshall Street, North Adams.

11 a.m. to noon. Family-friendly walk along the Hoosic River.

Storytelling in the Orchard. Park Hill Orchard, 82 Park Hill Rd., Easthampton.

11 a.m. Rona Leventhal Travelin’ Shoes: A Multicultural Storytelling Extravaganza.

Rain date October 12. 413-527-6186. parkhillorchard.com.

Paradise City Arts Festival. 3-County Fairgrounds, Northampton. October 11 through 13. Crafts exhibits, food, live entertainment. $13 for adults, $11 for seniors, $8 for students, free for children under 12. paradisecityarts.com.

Granville Harvest Fair. Downtown Granville. October 11 trough 13.

Pittsfield Downtown Farmers Market.

First St. across from the Common, Pittsfield.

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 18 19

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413-301-8444

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Saturdays through October 25, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. farmersmarketpittsfield.org.

In the Company of Wild Butterflies.

Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield.

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Documentary looks at the world and life cycles of butterflies.

Museum admission fees apply. 413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Opening Day for Spark!Lab. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. New exhibit includes activites to challenge young minds to solve problems through a variety of exhibits.

Museum admission fees apply. 413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Opening the Door: Learn About College Applications and Admissions. Springfield Library, Mason Square Branch, 765 State St., Springfield. 12 to 1:30 p.m. A representative from the Springfield College Admissions Department will explain the process of applying and getting admitted to college. 413-263-6828. springfieldlibrary.org.

Mason Square Farmers Market.

Mason Square Neighborhood Health Center, Springfield. Saturdays through October 25, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Berkshire Harvest Festival. Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Rd., Stockbridge. October 11 and 12. Arts and crafts, entertainment, food, food trucks, auction, farmers market, kids’ activities. $5 adults, free children under age 12. berkshirebotanical.org.

starting at $159.99

14 Tuesday Millers Falls Library Club. Millers Falls Library, 23 Bridge St., Millers Falls.

Tuesdays, 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. After-school program for children of all ages includes crafts and snacks. Free. 413-659-3801. montaguepubliclibraries.org.

Music and Movement Storytime.

Springfield Library, Forest Park Branch, 380 Belmont Ave., Springfield. 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Music, rhymes, songs, story recommended for children 1 ½ to 3 years old. 413-263-6843. springfieldlibrary.org.

15 Wednesday Florence Farmers Market. Florence Civic Center, 90 Park St., Florence.

Wednesdays through October 29, 2 to 6 p.m. florencefarmersmarket.com.

Story Time. Carnegie Library, 201 Avenue A, Turners Falls. Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. Young children of all ages and their families are invited for stories, crafts, music, activities, snacks. 413-863-3214. montaguepubliclibraries.org.

Great Falls Farmers Market. Next to Great Falls Discovery Center, 2nd St. and Ave. A, Turners Falls. Wednesdays through October 29, 2 to 6 p.m.

16 Thursday

Belchertown Farmers Market.

Belchertown Common. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is the last market of the 2014 season. belchertownfarmersmarket.weebly.com.

Music and Movement. Millers Falls Library, 23 Bridge St., Millers Falls. Thursdays, 10 a.m., through December 18. Young children of all ages and their families or caregivers are invited. Free. 413-659-3801. montaguepubliclibraries.org.

The Pioneer Valley Book and Ephemera Fair. The Smith Vocational School, 80 Locust St., Northampton. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vintage book and ephemera show.

Party Packages

Blessed Sacrament School Fall Festival.

21 Westfield Rd., Holyoke. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Crafts, games, raffles food. 413-536-2236. blessedsacrmentholyoke.org.

12 Sunday

Junior Duck Stamp Traveling Art Exhibit.

Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 127 Combs Rd., Easthampton. Through October 27. Traveling exhibit features top youth entries from the 2014 Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp Contest.

GROUPS WELCOME! • Senior Centers • Day Care Centers • After School Programs All Walk-Ins Are Welcome!

20 OCTOBER2014 21

OUT&ABOUT

13 Monday Wild Rice and Fall Foliage Canoe on the Mill River. Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 127 Combs Rd., Easthampton. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Suitable for ages 8 and up. Paddle the Connecticut River oxbow and Mill River at Arcadia. $20 per adult, free for children.

Registration required. 413-584-3009. massaudubon.org.

17 Friday WeeMuse Adventures. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. Fridays in October, 11 to 11:30 a.m. For ages 18 months to 3 years, the program features songs, stories, scavenger hunts, playtime. Museum admission rates apply.

413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Shelburne Falls Farmers Market. Main and Water streets, Shelburne Falls Center. Fridays through October 31, 2 to 6 p.m.

18 Saturday March for Research 5K Walk and Run. UMass Amherst Campus, Southwest Quad.

Noon to 3 p.m. Proceeds used to fund research for the March of Dimes. $20 registration fee. active.com.

O Ava penin ilab gs le N ow

OUT&ABOUT Fall Forest Quest. Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 127 Combs Rd., Easthampton. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family day includes guided walk, farming demonstrations, games, crafts. Free. massaudubon.org.

Great Barrington Farmers Market.

Great Barrington Fairgrounds. Saturdays through October 25, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. greatbarringtonfarmersmarket.org.

Squirrels and Chipmunks Program.

Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Hampden.

10 to 11:30 a.m. Suitable for families with children ages 4 to 12. Hike, learn about squirrels and chipmunks. $7 per person.

Registration is required. 413-584-3009. massaudubon.org.

Historic Holyoke Cemetery Tour. Carriage House, Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabon St., Holyoke. 3 and 6 p.m. Rain date October 19.

Join City Historian Penni Martorell for a tour through Forestdale Cemetery. $10 per person.

413-322-5660. wistariahurst.org.

North Adams Farmers Market. St. Anthony Municipal Parking Lot, Intersection of Marshall St. and St. Anthony Dr., North Adams. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Local farmers, food, crafts, musicians. explorenorthadams.com.

Caterpillar Chat. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. 2 to 3 p.m. Take a close look at the caterpillars in the Butterflies exhibit. Museum admission rates apply.

413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Learner’s Lab: All About Fire Cider.

Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield.

11 a.m. to noon. Amy Huebner of Fire Cider will explain using apple cider vinegar in healthboosting recipes. Museum admission fees apply.

413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Live Your College Dreams: A Workshop for Teens. Springfield Library, East Forest Park Branch, 122 Island Pond Rd., Springfield.

Noon to 1:30 p.m. Learn from college experts how to focus on your dreams and turn them into a reality. 413-263-6836. springfieldlibrary.org.

19 Sunday Piano Day. Fine Arts Center Bezanson Recital Hall, UMass, Amherst. 2 to 6 p.m. For high school pianists, teachers, parents and piano lovers. Free. 413-545-2227. umass.edu.

Storytelling in the Orchard. Park Hill Orchard, 82 Park Hill Rd., Easthampton.

October 19 or 26, 2 p.m. Gail N. Herman Story Slam in the Orchard. 413-527-6186. parkhillorchard.com.

Granby/South Hadley CROP Hunger Walk. Church of Christ, Town Common, Route 202, Granby. Registration at 12:30 p.m., walk at 1 p.m. 413-537-2797. hunger.cwsglobal.org.

The Fair Magelone, a Romantic Love Story in Words and Music. Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St., Holyoke. 2 p.m.

Concert features four prominent local artists. $15 per person. 413-322-5660. wistariahurst.org.

Westfield Creating Childhood Memories since 1986

Rotunda Rhythms. Springfield Library, Central Library Rotunda, 220 State St., Springfield. 1 to 2 p.m. Concert features Alturas Duo. 413-263-6828. springfieldlibrary.org.

20 Monday Historial Lecture Series: Threads That Bind — Textiles in the Connecticut River Valley. Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St., Holyoke. 6 p.m. Demonstration of tools and objects that ancestors used to create textiles. $7 per person. 413-322-5660. wistariahurst.org.

Offering Full And 1/2 Day Preschool For Ages 12 Months - 6 Years Old Open Year Round 7:00 am - 5:30 pm Creative Curriculum • Pony Rides On-Site Conservation Area Special Monthly Events Spacious Indoor Activity Room and Bounce House

21 Tuesday West Springfield Farmers Market.

Hampdon Bank Parking Lot, 220 Westfield St., West Springfield. Tuesdays through October 28, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

22 Wednesday Parent/Child STEM Session. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. 10:30 to 11 a.m. For children ages 2 to 4, explore through books, activities, play. Free.

Registration required. 413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

23 Thursday Luminaries: Exploring Stockbridge Cemetery. Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Route 183, Stockbridge. 5 p.m. Walking history tour of Stockbridge Cemetery, refreshments. $5 per person, free for children 12 and under. nrm.org.

24 Friday WeeMuse Adventures. Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. Fridays in October, 11 to 11:30 a.m. For ages 18 months to 3 years, the program features songs, stories, scavenger hunts, playtime. Museum admission rates apply. 413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Westminster Farmers Market.

Town Common, Westminster. Fridays through October 31, 3 to 6:30 p.m. westminsterfarmersmarket.com.

25 Saturday First Child in the Woods/Caregiver and Infant/Toddler Walk. Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 127 Combs Rd., Easthampton. 10 to 11 a.m. Suitable for families with children up to 5-years-old. Walk, nature play. $7 per adult,

1251 East Mountain Road, Westfield, MA 01085 413-568-9822 • www.creativekidswestfield.com

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BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 20 21

OUT&ABOUT free for children. Registration required.

413-584-3009. massaudubon.org.

Spiders are Amazing. Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 127 Combs Rd., Easthampton.

10 to noon. Suitable for families with children ages 4 to 12. Spider activities include craft and outdoor exploration. $8 per person. Registration required. 413-584-3009. massaudubon.org.

Photo courtesy South Hadley Farmers Market

Greenfield Farmers Market. Court Square, Greenfield. Saturdays through November 22, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. greenfieldfarmersmarket.com.

Enjoy the end of the South Hadley Farmers Market season on Thursday October 2 and 9, on the Town Green.

The MacDuffie School Excellence in Education Since 1890 Small School Community Big School Opportunity Grades 6 - 12 ~ Day + Boarding

Ontrend Craft Fair. Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell St., Route 9, Hadley. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Showcase of indie crafters. ontrendcrafts.com.

North Adams Farmers Market. St. Anthony Municipal Parking Lot, Intersection of Marshall St. and St. Anthony Dr., North Adams. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Local farmers, food, crafts, musicians. explorenorthadams.com.

Kitchen Ka-Boom! Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. 11 a.m. to noon.

Perform science experiments that are kid-safe and can be recreated using common kitchen items. Museum admission fees apply.

413-443-7171. berkshiremuseum.org.

Gluten and Allergen Free Expo.

MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., Springfield. October 25 and 26. The largest special diet consumer event in the US. Poetry Slam at Forest Park. Forest Park Community Room, 380 Belmont Ave., Springfield. 1 to 2:30 p.m. Bring your best, original rhymes and spoken word.

413-263-6843. sprinfgieldlibrary.org.

Gardens of Wilbraham Farmers Market.

The Gardens of Wilbraham, 2301 Boston Rd., Wilbraham. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is the last market of the 2014 season.

26 Sunday The Family Collage Workshop. Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Rd., Amherst. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ages 6 and up with

66 School Street ❙ Granby, MA 01033

Visit us at macduffie.org 22 OCTOBER2014

an adult; up to 2 children per adult. Create a set of painted papers to turn into a Carle-inspired collage. $25 per pair or trio. Registration required. 413-658-1100. carlemuseum.org.

27 Monday Historial Lecture Series: Threads That Bind — Textiles in the Connecticut River Valley. Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St., Holyoke. 6 p.m. Scholar presents history of Japanese silk industry. $7 per person.

413-322-5660. wistariahurst.org.

Learn to Play Chess. Springfield Library, Indian Orchard Branch, 44 Oak St., Indian Orchard. 3 to 5 p.m. Practice chess moves or learn to play for the first time. Suitable for children ages 7 and up. 413-263-6846. springfieldlibrary.org.

31 Friday 20th Annual Franklin County Cider Days.

Various locations, Franklin County.

October 31 through November 2. Community event celebrating all things apples in Franklin County, including orchard tours, cidermaking, tastings, and workshops. ciderdays.org.

Candlelight Tour. Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St., Holyoke. 7 and 8:30 p.m.

Creep down darkened hallways and rooms in Skinner Mansion on guided night tour. $15 per person. 413-322-5660. wistariahurst.org.

Create a Sugar Skull for Dia de los Muertos. Springfield Library, Indian Orchard Branch, 44 Oak St., Indian Orchard. 4 to 5 p.m. Open to ages 11 and older. Honor the ones that have gone before by making a Sugar Skull. 413-263-6846. springfieldlibrary.org.

Ghost Tour. The Mount, 2 Plunkett St., Lenox.

10:30 p.m. to midnight. A 90-minute guided tour of the most haunted parts of the estate. $30 per adult, $25 youth ages 12 to 18.

413-551-5100.

Visit baystateparent.com to post your family event. Email listings to editor@baystateparent.com.

Visit us at baystateparent.com

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BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 23

What Makes Joey Tic SPECIAL NEEDS

BY MARYJO KURTZ

photo by steven king

It

was bedtime for Joey, my first-grader.

I snuggled under the blankets with him to read a book, as I had done most nights. But this time, I was a little bit nervous. “I have a new book tonight,” I whispered.

As I started to read the story of a young boy named Nathan, I noticed that Joey was unusually quiet. He was studying the pictures and listening closely to what I was reading.

The book was about a young boy with Tourette’s Syndrome. His tics confuse his friends. Sometimes he can’t stop winking. Sometimes he sniffs repeatedly. Sometimes he flaps his arms. Joey’s eyes grew wide.

“That’s what I do!” he said excitedly.

I smiled and continued reading.

24 OCTOBER2014 25

Nathan would go on to talk about his Tourette’s Syndrome and how it made him feel.

“Do I have Tourette’s Syndrome?”

Joey asked.

“I don’t know, honey. The doctor doesn’t know, either,” I explained.

“But the important thing to know is that you are not alone. A lot of children have tics.”

As I walked out of his room that night, I turned out the light and looked back at him, all snugged in his bed for sleep. He was smiling at me.

The peace of this moment was a long time coming. The tics, which had been increasing for a couple of years, made us anxious. They were just another in a long list of peculiar and intense symptoms that he experienced from birth.

And I was on a hunt to figure out the cause.

From birth, Joey was agitated. He screamed himself to sleep each night. He did not enjoy being held or comforted. At times, touching him made his episodes worse.

When exams showed nothing abnormal, the pediatrician suggested colic. I tried to convince myself that it was just a very strong case of colic, though it became difficult to believe that as my baby started to grow.

By the time Joey was a year old, bedtime was a painful routine of putting him in the crib and hearing him scream for over an hour. I would sit on the top step of the house, crying in unison, wishing I had answers for what sounded to me like fearful pleas for help.

His language skills were delayed.

At 18-month-old, he had no words.

We had his hearing tested, but the results showed no loss. At the

suggestion of a neighbor, I had Joey tested through the Massachusetts Early Intervention program. The results showed he was physically and intellectually advanced, but his verbal abilities lagged.

As part of the Early Intervention program, a language therapist visited our house each week, trying to get Joey to speak. While he enjoyed her activities and games, he would often break into his screams of frustration. I recall a session that brought me to tears because I couldn’t calm him, and the therapist was at a loss on how to help.

To help him communicate, we taught him elementary sign language. A few simple motions helped him to say thank you or tell us he was hungry.

Slowly, he developed words. By the time he was three, he had tested out of Early Intervention and started preschool. His screaming episodes, while still intense, were being replaced by unusually repeated physical behaviors.

The most common was a jerking motion in his legs. It resembled a skip, and it was involuntary. As kindergarten rolled around, a new twitch developed in his arms. He would grab at his elbows in an attempt to keep his arms in place.

Frequent online research pointed me to Tourette’s disorder. I learned that tics sometimes begin as early as two-years-old and often progress as the child goes through his teens. I asked our pediatrician if it was possible Joey had Tourette’s Syndrome.

“Possibly,” he answered. “Let’s keep an eye on this and see if it progresses. If you begin to hear a grunting tic, then we are probably heading in that direction.”

The tics became more frequent throughout kindergarten and first grade. I started asking friends about Tourette’s and learned that two teachers in Joey’s elementary school had daughters with the disorder. I called both women to ask for more information.

One of the teachers was very comforting, sharing her story and telling me what to expect with a diagnosis of Tourette’s. The other teacher took time out of her schedule to sit in on Joey’s classes and observe him. She called me one evening to tell me her thoughts.

Her words were unexpected.

“Mrs. Kurtz, Joey does not have Tourette’s. I am not sure what is causing him to tic, but this is not Tourette’s,” she said. Among her questions to me was one about allergies. She sounded as though she were going through a list of standardized questions, so the idea

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of allergy testing did not register with me — until a Little League baseball game the following night.

Watching Joey play baseball has always been a joy. Not just for my husband and me but for anyone who understands the game.

Joey is at peace on a ball field, watching and strategizing each play, cheering for his team. During Little League games, his tics were often minimal — usually just the familiar skip in his step. But on this particular night, a new symptom appeared. The repeated grunt that our pediatrician predicted.

At first, it sounded like a cough.

But it was a little louder and it repeated every few minutes. I leaned over to my husband and whispered, “I think that’s what the doctor was talking about.”

As the game progressed, so did Joey’s coughing grunt. It was frequent enough to get the attention of those sitting in the stands. A few moms asked me if Joey was catching a cold. A few more just turned to look at me, as if to break the news to me that my son was making a loud barking noise.

The evening felt very long. It was very hard to watch him, knowing he was unable to control the noise he was making. Knowing that people were starting to question what was happening.

My maternal urge was to pull him off the field and get him to a doctor immediately. But I had researched enough to know that there were no miracle cures waiting for Joey.

This was just another hurdle in our journey to understand his mysterious symptoms.

While I was consumed in thought about what this coughing grunt would mean to my son and our family, the woman sitting to my right was studying my son. After a few innings of listening to him, she leaned over to me and said, “Have you ever had him tested for food allergies?”

Allergies. The teacher at Joey’s school put that possibility before me just a day earlier.

I explained that Joey had a lifetime of symptoms and this might be the grunt that our pediatrician mentioned.

“It could be something else, but food is powerful,” she said. “My children have a number of allergies.

I think it might help to have him tested.”

As soon as we got home from the game, I emailed a friend of mine in Wellesley who has three boys with food allergies. She is a doctor at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, so I hoped she would be able to suggest

a course of action for me to take.

By the following morning, my friend gave me the name of a pediatric allergist and told me what to expect from the testing. Before the week was out, Joey and I were in the allergist’s office.

There are different ways to test a child for allergies. In Joey’s case, the doctor performed a series of skin pricks on his back, about two dozen of them. Each prick contains a small amount of a suspected allergen. The doctor then looks for a reaction on the skin.

Joey sat on my lap, straddling me with his bare back to the doctor.

The good thing about this position was that it gave me an opportunity to hug him while he was being tested. The bad thing was that I could see his back clearly, and I was witnessing a burst of color develop from the prick sites.

“Joey is allergic to tree nuts, pitted fruits, and sesame seeds,” she explained. “He also tested positive for feathers, dust, and cats.”

I asked if this could explain his life of agitation or the tics. She paused and thought on it. “Well, it’s possible. Let’s set up a threemonth appointment to see if you note any changes in his behavior by eliminating these allergens.”

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed to have to wait three months, though I had minimal expectations that he might see some kind of relief by then.

When we got home, I went through the kitchen cupboards to isolate the foods that affected Joey. That turned out to be almost everything in his diet. He loved peaches and cherries (pitted fruits), Chinese food (sesame oil), and pistachios (tree nuts). Our sandwich rolls and bread had sesame seeds; the morning granola had tree nuts.

I commonly add almonds to the green beans I made for dinner.

As I became aware of the many foods that were possibly hurting him, I thought about a cherished photo I have of the first time he tasted baby food. It was a little jar of peaches. And he loved them. I bought them all the time.

Oh, my God, I thought, I’ve been poisoning him!

It took most of the afternoon to clear out the kitchen and fill it with new diet staples. By evening, the down comforters had been removed from the house and the sheets had been washed. Now, it was time to hurry up and wait.

Three months seemed like a long time.

Though he still had that continual coughing grunt, Joey went to bed that night a happy boy. He

understood the changes he had to make, and he seemed to relish the challenge.

What happened next was completely unexpected.

Joey came down to breakfast the next morning and something was different. As I prepped the bowl of Cheerios, I noticed the room was very quiet. There was no cough.

I think I might have asked about his school day, but I don’t really remember. It would not matter if I did because I was completely focused on his body. There were no tics.

My brain was racing. This seemed too soon. It had only been 12 hours.

The doctor said three months. I was pretty sure my imagination was in dream mode.

My day was spent buying foods that he could eat, laundering all of his clothes, and waiting — impatiently — for him to get home from school. I didn’t want to bring attention to the tics, but I had to know.

“Honey, how was your cough today?”

“I don’t think I coughed at all today.”

“Wow. That’s great. Um, what about your tics? Were they bothering you at all?”

Joey smiled. “I don’t think I ticked today, Mom.” He didn’t tic that day. He didn’t cough that day. And three months after that day, I felt like I was sharing a miracle with his allergist.

She listened happily as I tearfully told her that Joey’s seven-year struggle had come to an end. And then she echoed the words of the woman at the Little League game, “Food is powerful.”

I was packing up old children’s books for donation last week and came across I Can’t Stop: A Story About Tourette’s Syndrome, by Holly Niner. There was Nathan on the cover. I wondered if Joey, now a healthy 13-year-old, would remember this book. I smiled thinking about how happy it made him to learn that other kids had tics, too.

As I tucked the book into the donation box, I mentally relived those difficult early years. Funny, I thought, this same book that brought Joey comfort all those years ago was now bringing the same to me. It was a reminder of how far removed we are from those early years of worry and anxiety. It represents an important chapter for me in my journey to find out what makes Joey tic.

"By the time

Joey was a year old, bedtime was a painful routine of putting him in the crib and hearing him scream for over an hour. I would sit on the top step of the house, crying in unison, wishing I had answers for what sounded to me like fearful pleas for help."

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 24 25

A LOSS SPECIAL NEEDS

for WORDS: Many Young Readers

SLOWED

by Dyslexia

BY MARYJO KURTZ

When her daughter was in kindergarten, Massachusetts mom Justine Turner* noticed problems with her daughter’s reading. “She was having trouble. The teacher said it would come in time. I believed it would come in time,” she recalled.

B

ut by second grade, Justine’s fears were growing. “She just can’t get it. Other kids are getting it,” she said.

“Some kids are carrying around Harry Potter, and my child is still reading Biscuit Goes to School. With difficulty.”

Her daughter was placed in remedial reading in October of first grade and remained there until the end of sixth grade. “Despite numerous years of the school district evaluating her for special education eligibility at my request, she never received an IEP (individualized special education plan) until the middle of seventh grade. Even then, it was not for reading, but it was for written expression,” she said. “Having a teenager who reads at a second or third grade level despite numerous years in remedial reading is a disgrace.”

By the time her daughter was in fifth grade, Justine took her for an evaluation outside of the school district. It was then that the struggles were clearly identified as dyslexia.

“Since many parents do not know their child has dyslexia, they do not know or understand that dyslexic kids need a specific method of being taught how to read. Without 26 OCTOBER2014 27

proper instruction, many dyslexic kids use compensatory strategies to try and keep up with their peers.

But, unfortunately, around the time middle school starts, they are left behind because they do not have the skills to read text books and assignments with new vocabulary,” she said.

Nearly 20 Percent Have Dyslexia Dyslexia is often overlooked as the reason for reading difficulty. Yet, the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity reported that it is the most common reading disability, affecting “approximately one out of every five people.” It is a neurological condition that crosses racial and socioeconomic lines. It is when the brain has difficulty processing written language.

Many “remain undiagnosed, untreated and struggling with the impact of their dyslexia,” the center reported. The result is that children with dyslexia are left to find or create new ways to cope with reading issues.

Central Massachusetts mother Lisa Nelson is co-founder of Decoding Dyslexia MA, a 47-state grassroots

movement dedicated to dyslexia awareness and identification.

“The crazy part about this is that everyone I talk to knows someone who struggles with reading,” she said. “Part of the issue is that educators are not educated on what [dyslexia] is and how to remediate.”

Using alternate learning methods can help those with dyslexia, Nelson said.

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), “some [dyslexic] children show few signs of difficulty with early reading and writing. But later on, they may have trouble with complex language skills such as grammar, reading comprehension and more in-depth writing.”

Early Detection Is Key “Most kids get diagnosed in third grade, when it goes from learning to read to reading to learn,” said Nelson. “I think that reading transition is sometimes now getting even younger, down to second grade.”

The NCLD published guidelines identifying some of the early warning signs of dyslexia. For preschool children, the symptoms include trouble with things like recognizing

letters, matching letters with sounds, rhyming, learning the alphabet and numbers, or understanding common word sequences.

For school-age children, the NCLD cites difficulty with spelling, remembering facts and numbers, handwriting or gripping a pencil, and word problems in math. A child may also reverse letters, such as b and d, or move letters around when spelling a word.

Teenagers and adults may show signs of difficulty reading aloud, reading at an expected level, managing time or learning a foreign language. The NCLD also notes that many show problems with summarizing a story or understanding non-literal language, such as that of a joke.

“Originally, I took my concerns to my daughter’s teachers,” said Justine. “But the teachers didn’t have the resources or understanding to diagnose my daughter.”

So, Justine took her daughter for an outside evaluation. “I ended up doing it when she was in fifth grade,” she said. “I absolutely thought I was late, but at least I had a diagnosis.”

An evaluation may include a child’s ability to understand spoken and written language and will often examine family history for possible

hereditary conditions.

Strategies are Available to Treat Dyslexia “With help from a tutor, teacher or other trained professional, almost all people with dyslexia can become good readers and writers,” reports the NCLD on its website.

Dyslexia professionals suggest that parents introduce children to different types of reading (such as books, computer screens and magazines) at a young age.

In addition, multi-sensory instruction, such as books on tape and screen readers, can be helpful for dyslexic children.

“I stress that parents find resources in others, too. I met with a PAC (parent advisory council) and learned from another PAC mom that I needed an advocate,” Justine said. “Find or work with an advocate who understands testing. With the help of an advocate, I looked into private schools and found one that specialized in dyslexia.”

Justine’s daughter started attending the private school last year when she was in eighth grade. “One of the things about dyslexic kids [who are not diagnosed] is that their selfesteem goes down and they start to act up,” Justine said. “When my daughter first went to the new school, she said, ‘Mom, there are kids

like me.’ It was a good year. We had appropriate remediation and she had the special attention she needs.”

Today, her daughter is in ninth grade and is continuing at her private school. “Her fluency has increased,” said Justine, smiling and nodding.

“And her ability to self-advocate has increased.”

Information and Support Can Be Found Online “I learned a great deal from other families,” she explained. “I started on Facebook, liking anything dealing with dyslexia. [Parents with dyslexic children] started telling stories to each other and sharing websites.

There are even places online where kids are telling their stories. The key component to understanding dyslexia is to educate yourself.”

She also stressed that dyslexia may not be an isolated condition. “Often, more than one thing is going on.

There could be a number of issues,” she said.

“It’s a community,” said Nelson.

“Groups like Decoding Dyslexia work to educate. We’re working for early identification, early and appropriate remediation, teacher training, changes in state and federal law, screening for children. We want people to understand that the

dyslexic brain doesn’t work the way a typical brain works.”

Nelson recommended a number of websites for families interested in learning more about the condition.

These include: •Decoding Dyslexia MA, decodingdyslexiama.org • The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity, dyslexia.yale.edu • The International Dyslexia Association, interdys.org • WrightsLaw (an advocacy group for children with disabilities), wrightslaw.org • Federation for Children with Special Needs, fcsn.org • Reading Rockets, readingrockets.org “[My daughter] has a long way to go because of the amount of time it took for me to find help for her,” said Justine. “But the fact that she feels better about herself and she is in a better place where people understand her, and the fact that her teachers say she has a confidence and air about her that is helping her, well, that’s great.”

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or contact Karin Knapik karinknapik@gmail.com

*name changed by request

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To learn more about how Curtis Blake Learning Services can help your student see and reach their full potential, call 413-205-3420 or visit: CurtisBlakeLearning.com.

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 26 27

SPECIAL NEEDS

We’re having a party and YOU are invited!

Whole Children offers classes for children of all abilities, especially those with special needs.

Fall classes start Oct 14!

28 OCTOBER2014 29

SPECIAL NEEDS

Advocating for Underserved Kids:

A New Way to Volunteer in the Classroom

BY AMANDA ROBERGE

In the early 1990s, Elaine Arsenault had a foster child come to live in her home and she quickly realized the child had a third-grade education. The problem was that the child was in high school.

“That, I felt, was completely unacceptable,” she said. She swiftly moved into action and became that child’s number one advocate, attending IEP meetings and making demands on his behalf and working tirelessly to make sure he was afforded the same opportunities in education that his peers – who had the benefit of loving parents and a safe, secure home – had access to.

Arsenault currently recruits others to do just that through the Special Education Surrogate Parent (SESP) program, which is a project of the Federation for Children with Special Needs. Under this volunteer program, more than 600 adults throughout the Commonwealth have joined the cause and together they are fighting for more than 750 kids to be able to get the best education possible.

This type of volunteerism, recruiters understand, is much more involved than writing a check. It relies on peoples’ passion for education, advocacy and social justice for an underprivileged population. It relies on their commitment to children. While nonprofits rely heavily on corporate funding, it is through volunteers that much of the work is done.

For SESPs who become skilled in the world of advocacy for kids through the Federation for Children with Special Needs, the devotion is priceless. It means that otherwise underrepresented kids – many of whom are in foster care or residential homes with no parent to advocate for them – have an educated, caring adult fighting for their rights at school.

“A lot of kids don’t make it in foster care and they have so many strikes against them already,” said Paige Parisi, Project Director for the Recruitment, Support & Training Center (RTSC) that is the very foundation of the SESP Program. “Education is often their

only real route to success, and the relationships they form with their friends, coaches and teachers can help them later in life. They don’t have the benefit of someone acting as a parent and helping them to form those connections.”

Among the current volunteers, said Parisi, a vast majority are schoolteachers, social workers, and parents – often of kids with special needs who understand the importance of having an advocate in the school system.

But many are regular people who fall into none of these categories, said Arsenault. The real common thread is their compassionate personalities.

According to Renee B. Williams, Recruitment and Outreach Specialist for the RTSC, the children depend on their SESPs to protect their legal right to a free and appropriate education.

“Once appointed, these volunteers have the full legal authority of a parent or legal guardian to attend team meetings, approve or reject IEPs, and, if necessary, file a complaint or appeal,” she explained. “On average, an SESP spends about 10 to 20 hours a year volunteering their time.”

For would-be volunteers who have no shortage of compassion but are concerned about the logistics, the training and support center is comprehensive and encouraging. The staff, she said, is there for the SESPs every step of the way, teaching them about the IEP process, about the unique needs of children whose lives have been plagued by abuse, neglect and trauma.

The biggest worry she hears from potential SESPs is that they are afraid they won’t have the answers to educators’ questions at meetings, since they are not often fully acquainted with the individuals they are seeking to help. While some SESPs get a chance to know their student,

many do not live in close proximity or the child has mental health issues that make relationships with his or her SESP difficult or ill-advised.

The personal challenges these kids face, added Arsenault, make the need for an advocate so much greater.

“These are absolutely the most vulnerable students in the Commonwealth,” said Parisi.

For more information about becoming an SESP, visit www.fcsn.org/rtsc/. *For more informaiton about this program, visit fcsn.org/rtsc.

Open House Thursday, October 16 4-7pm

• State approved school • Research based instruction for students with specific learning disabilities (Dyslexia) • Provides academic services to students between the ages of 9-18 (grades 4-12) • Class size: 8 maximum with daily 1:1 tutorial in literacy and organizational skills • Academic, social, recreational and athletic opportunities White Oak School 533 North Road Westfield, MA 01085 (413)562-9500 www.whiteoakschool.org BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 28 29

whether newborn screening should be expanded to include conditions that don't necessarily have a “cure.”

Devine is hoping that, at the very least, promoting discussions around newborn screening will provoke other parents to begin asking the same questions she does.

SPECIAL NEEDS

The Pros and Cons

What is newborn screening and who decides what to screen for?

of Newborn Screening

BY AMANDA COLLINS

T

wo decades ago, when Denise Devine's oldest child, Pat, was growing from a healthy infant into a happy toddler, the new mom began to notice he wasn't quite like other kids his age.

Pat would walk on the very tips of his toes and flap his hands when he was excited, things his mom said she didn't see other children doing. But he was happy and she was a first-time mom, so for a while, Devine figured it was just a part of his developing personality.

But as Pat continued to grow, he missed an important milestone: other children in his daycare were beginning to talk and he wasn't. The delay in his speech, along with a push from his daycare provider, brought the Devines to their pediatrician for testing when Pat was about 24 months old. When the doctor told them it was Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic condition that causes a range of developmental problems including learning disabilities and cognitive impairment, Devine said the family immediately went into “crisis mode.”

30 OCTOBER2014 31

“I think that's true for any family that finds something out at that time in their child's life. There's the craziness of having an active toddler running around and the worry of what's going on with them. You're already in that mode, and then you find out a diagnosis, and it leads to total meltdown,” she said.

By the time of Pat's diagnosis, Devine had already had another child. She has asked herself many times over the years if life would have been any different if she knew about Pat's disorder earlier in his life. What if he had been tested as a newborn? Would she have made any different decisions?

“I think, in general, parents would rather have a diagnosis sooner than later. Information is always a good thing, even if it's bad news,” she said.

The Hadley resident recently joined a national Consumer Task Force on Newborn Screening through the non-profit organization Baby's First Test. They're working to engage and educate groups that are underinformed when it comes to newborn screening policies. There's debate in the medical community on

Most babies, even those born with a disorder, appear healthy at birth.

Screening newborns for important, but not necessarily obvious, health conditions can help doctors identify and treat some disorders that aren't apparent when they're born.

Newborn screening began in the 1960s when scientist Robert Guthrie developed a blood test that could detect whether newborns had the metabolic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU). Since then, scientists have developed more tests to screen newborns for a variety of genetic disorders. All states have newborn screening tests but what is included in the test varies from state to state.

With a prick of the heel, a blood sample is collected from a baby at about 48 hours old. The sample is then sent to a laboratory and quickly tested.

In Massachusetts, newborn screening is mandatory, and the test screens for dozens of disorders.

Other than religious exemption, there is no permitted reason to opt out of newborn screening in the state, said Roger B. Eaton, Ph.D., the director of the New England Newborn Screening Program (NENSP) at UMass Medical School. Parents can, however, decline other optional testing without providing any reason.

Eaton explained that the Massachusetts Department of Public Health along NENSP, the agent that operates newborn screening in the state, determines which disorders are screened. Conditions that are screened for must meet certain criteria. That includes whether or not the condition is treatable, if there is a good test, and if early medical intervention would benefit the infant.

If there's no cure, should we test?

If there would be no direct medical benefit in identifying a disorder at birth, is there any reason to screen for it?

Before a disease or disorder is considered for inclusion in newborn screening in Massachusetts, it would have to be determined that identifying it would medically benefit the infant, but Devine, for one, thinks there is more to consider.

“The test is really just the first step for families,” she said. Even when it comes to an untreatable diagnosis, families still need to meet professionals, access information and learn a whole new vocabulary.

The sooner they know, the sooner they can find the support they need, she said.

Eaton agreed that there would be some benefits to screening newborns for disorders that can't be cured, noting an earlier discovery may lessen a family's stress over a long period spent trying to determine a diagnosis. Detection during the newborn period could also provide an opportunity for earlier supportive, if not curative, care, and provide mothers with more options should they choose to have another child.

But there are also cons to consider.

Eaton pointed out that identifying an untreatable disorder during a time that the child is clinically well could have long term implications. There's the potential that it could impact the relationship between the parent and baby, as the newborn period is an important time for parent-child bonding.

“Screening for such disorders also will likely result in some number of false-positive reports that introduce their own sources of stress and expense,” said Eaton.

“While generally considered a necessary downside of screening for disorders that may be greatly benefitted by treatment, the risk-benefit balance of such unavoidable false positive notifications is shifted when there is no effective treatment for the disorder being identified.”

Can babies be screened for disorders beyond those that are mandated?

Beyond the scope of what's routinely screened for, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) does offer screening for optional conditions. This is part of research studies for new tests called pilot studies and requires no additional blood from the baby. Any newborn can be included in optional screening or parents can opt-out without providing a reason.

“Parents may always arrange for additional testing through their own health care providers,” added Eaton. “Such testing would not be performed on the same sample collected for DPH-regulated newborn blood screening.”

For more information on newborn screening in Massachusetts, visit nensp.umassmed.edu. To follow Devine on the Consumer Task Force on newborn screening, visit babysfirsttest.org.

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The Truth About Gluten

Gluten-free facts from the experts Celebrities, athletes, talk show hosts and nearly 30 percent of people say they are turning to gluten-free diets to solve health issues from “foggy mind” to bloating and obesity.

But before you throw out the flour or start embracing all things non-wheat, barley and rye, it’s important to consider that not all nutrition experts advocate a gluten-free diet.

According to Dr. Stephano Guandalini, founder and director of the Center for Celiac Disease at the University of

Chicago, “There is a popular belief that gluten is bad for everyone. This is not the case.

There is no evidence to show that anyone who does not suffer from celiac disease (CD) or nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) benefits from following a glutenfree diet.”

Gluten: Wheat Protein Explained

Gluten is a protein matrix in wheat formed by gliadin and glutenin. It’s also present in barley and rye, and their many

ancient grain ancestors. Gluten’s structure forms pockets that trap carbon dioxide released by leavening agents, such as yeast, baking powder or baking soda, giving bread and baked goods their texture. Gluten-free breads and products are denser and heavier because they can’t form air pockets without gluten.

Wheat and Gluten Facts Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease, is very real and affects

about 1 in 141 people — less than 1 percent of the population.

For people who have celiac, even a small amount of gluten is unsafe. When they eat it, their bodies immediately react, damaging the lining of their intestinal tract. The damage allows many proteins and other substances to enter the blood stream that should not, setting up physical reactions and digestive problems with serious health consequences.

Incidences of all autoimmune diseases are on the increase, BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 30 31

with CD four times more common than it was 60 years ago. Research is being conducted by a number of leading medical and scientific institutions to investigate if changes in our gut bacteria might be the cause.

“It’s very important that people who have celiac get diagnosed and tested so that they can begin following a gluten-free diet as soon as possible. And, it’s something they have to stay on for the rest of their lives,” said Dr. Joseph Murray, celiac disease researcher at the Mayo Clinic.

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is the other rare condition.

According to Guandalini, “Around 0.5 percent of people react to gluten in a way that is not a food allergy but is also not celiac.”

Dr. Alessio Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, explained, “Some people simply don’t react well to gluten and feel better when it’s removed from the diet. Unfortunately, there is no test for NCGS and this is part of why going gluten-free has become ‘the’ answer to all that ails us digestively and otherwise.

It’s unfortunate because there are a lot of causes besides gluten for digestive issues.”

mixes and seasoned tortilla or potato chips may contain small amounts of gluten,” said Tricia Thompson, registered dietitian and founder of the Gluten Free Watch Dog. “The new FDA labeling rules define ‘glutenfree’ foods as having less than 20 parts per million of gluten.

This is extremely helpful for people with celiac disease or

tortillas, cakes, cookies, crackers) will result in fewer calories, but important nutrients like B-vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid), and iron and fiber will also be lost,” said Pam Cureton with Boston’s Center for Celiac Research and chair of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ subpractice group, Dietitians in

NCGS who must avoid all gluten, even in tiny amounts.”

Understanding Gluten-Free Diets

According to the NPD Group, a market research firm that has followed nutrition trends for more than 20 years, the biggest driver behind the gluten-free trend is weight loss.

“Eliminating wheat products (bread, rolls, cereals, pasta,

Gluten Intolerance Diseases (DIGID). “Grains provide 43 percent of the fiber in the U.S. diet and wheat is approximately three-quarters of the grains eaten in the U.S. Nutritionally, many gluten-free products are not equal replacements for their wheat-containing counterparts.”

Cureton recommends that anyone thinking about starting a gluten-free diet see a skilled dietitian first to be sure it is nutritionally sound and to help guide them through the difficulties of the diet.

“Following a gluten-free diet is very difficult and one must know how to read labels.

Foods such as broths, soups, gravies, sauces, seasoned rice

The Topic of Weight Management

Family oriented farm offering pick-your-own pumpkins Bring the kids to visit our petting zoo, have fun in the hay play area and have a picnic!

Hay rides each weekend and on Columbus Day. School and youth groups welcome with reservations.

f letcher f letcher farm farm southampton, massachusetts southampton, massachusetts f letcherfamilyfarm.com f letcherfamilyfarm.com| | 413.527.6888 413.527.6888

Gunn Road, Southampton, MA 01073 413-527-6888 • www.fletcherfamilyfarm.com Find us on Facebook 32 OCTOBER2014

Facts About Wheat Breeding Some promoters of the glutenfree lifestyle say that recent wheat breeding practices have led to higher, more “toxic” types of wheat. They believe that such practices are increasing the rates of celiac and gluten sensitivity.

“Wheat, like all other food plants we eat, has undergone farmer selection and traditional breeding over the years,” states Brett Carver, PhD, wheat genetics chair in Agriculture at Oklahoma State University.

“The hybridization that led to bread wheat occurred 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. All cultivated wheat varieties, both modern and heirloom varieties, have these hybridization events in common, so the kinds of protein (and gluten) present in today’s varieties reflect the proteins present throughout the domestication process of wheat.”

“Genetically modified wheat is not commercially available anywhere in the world,” said Guandalini. “Wheat has been, and continues to be, a lifesaving and nutritious grain for most people.”

Gluten-Free: The Bottom Line Most of us can eat and enjoy the many varieties of wheat foods available to us. And, luckily, for the few of us who can’t, there are gluten-free options.

For more information, visit www.wheatfoods.org.

Calling all Sports Moms & Dads: We want to feature pictures of your little (and no-so-little) athletes in the November issue of baystateparent.

From pee-wee soccer players and tween karate students to cheerleaders and varsity quarterbacks, we want to see them all.

Send your photo to editor@baystateparent.com.

Please include first name, age and town by Thursday, October 16.

Dishin’ with the Dietitian

Think Outside the Candy Dish This Halloween

BY CARRIE TAYLOR, RDN, LDN

Q:

Halloween is coming again, and that means another wave of candy for my family. What are the repercussions of a couple of weeks of increased sugar for all of us? My husband and 9-year-old son will devour candy for days, and it concerns me.

— Lydia, Springfield

A: If Halloween trick-or-treating typically puts your household into a sugar overload, taking time to prepare for the festivities beforehand will prove your greatest strategy.

In reality, a few pieces of candy here and here will not negatively impact your family’s nutrition. The issues lay in when a few pieces turn into large portions that continually

displace healthful foods such as whole grains, lowfat milk products, vegetables and fruit.

The silver lining of Halloween is that it gives parents yet another opportunity to model a healthy relationship with food where there are no forbidden foods.

Although it is easiest to introduce healthful behaviors from the beginning of your child’s Halloween experience, it is never too late to begin instilling small changes from one year to the next. Here are a few tips to help keep the sugar monsters in your life at bay while maintaining the Halloween spirit:

keep, discuss the best practice for enjoying it. How many pieces are approved to have each day? Would candy need to be combined with a nourishing food such as a glass of lowfat milk? Whatever the plan is, stick to it yourself. Don’t simply stash away leftover candy to enjoy without abandon.

2. Giving out goodies?

Think outside the candy dish!

Trick-or-treaters will surely have their bags filled to the rim with sugary treats, so why not mix it up? In lieu of traditional candy fare, offer small gifts such as little tubs of bubbles, whistles, colored pencils, fun erasers, stickers, costume jewelry and temporary tattoos. Offering alternative treats like bags of popcorn, pretzels, fish-shaped cheese crackers or trail mix are also crowd pleasers.

the season like pumpkin soups, and baked goods, and apple sauce and cider in addition to a few Halloween-inspired dishes like baked pasta with ghost and witch shaped noodles.

4. Think Your Treats If you prefer to hand out candy on Halloween, do so sensibly.

Choose options that are not family favorites. For example, love peanut butter cups? Offer peppermint patties. Love gummy bears? Offer chocolate. Whatever your tempting indulgence is, keep it out of the house.

Carrie Taylor is the lead registered dietitian nutritionist for the Living Well Eating Smart program at Big Y Foods. Have a nutrition question? E-mail livingwell@bigy.com.

3. Hosting a party?

Celebrate the harvest.

Children are well aware of Halloween’s sugary offerings, so why not make the theme of the party about the season versus the ultimate candy splurge?

Focusing on the festivities of the harvest season not only shifts attention away from food it also helps keep everyone active. For example, you can go on a hayride, explore a corn maze, pick apples or decorate pumpkins.

Serve up foods highlighting

Would you like to be featured in a future issue of baystateparent?

Send your question to editor@baystateparent.com and you might soon be Dishin’ with the Dietitian!

1. Make a Candy Plan It’s true that Halloween is only one night a year, but the goodies can last for weeks. Plan accordingly and practice the behaviors you want to teach. For example, have a conversation with your children ahead of time on what they should do with the candy they receive: How much should they keep? How much should they donate to troops stationed abroad? Can they sell pieces to you (i.e.: $0.05 per piece)? For the candy they do BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 32 33

Bites BREW UP A FRIGHTFULLY FUN

Halloween Party

H

aunted with the thought of a ho-hum Halloween?

Never fear — trick-or-treaters will want more than just candy once they see your party table. Throw a fabulous Halloween party fit for little goblins or grown-up monsters with some devilishly good sweets.

Try these easy party ideas to make your Halloween spook-tacular:

Pumpkin Spice Popcorn Servings: 6 cups • 6 cups popped kettle corn • 2 cups mini pretzel twists • 1 package (10 ounces) meltable candy • 1 bottle (2.5 ounces) sprinkles Spread popcorn and pretzels on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

In disposable decorating bag, melt candy in microwave at 34 OCTOBER2014 35

50 percent power for 1 minute; remove bag and knead.

Continue melting candy for 30-second intervals at 50 percent power until completely melted.

Snip off end of bag and drizzle melted candy over popcorn mixture; immediately add sprinkles. Let stand until candy has hardened, about 20 minutes.

Break into pieces to serve.

Add some “pop” to popcorn:

Trick out ordinary popcorn into a sweet-and-salty party pleaser. Drizzle on melted candy for festive flavors, and then capture the Halloween spirit by adding fun sprinkle mixes.

Caramel Apple Popcorn Servings: 6 cups • 6 cups popped popcorn, buttered and salted • 3/4 cup roasted salted peanuts • 1 package (10 ounces) caramels • 1 bottle (2.5 ounces) sprinkles Spread popcorn and peanuts on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

In disposable decorating bag,

melt candy in microwave at 50 percent power for 1 minute; remove bag and knead. Continue melting candy for 30-second intervals at 50 percent power until completely melted. Snip off end of bag and drizzle melted candy over popcorn. Immediately top with sprinkles. Let stand until candy has hardened, about 20 min­utes.

Break into pieces to serve.

Masquerade cookies:

Who says you can’t play with your food? Create edible masks with decorated shaped cookies and attach them to cookie sticks with melted candy. Set up a photo station at your party, so guests can take pictures with their cookie mask creations before eating them.

Pumpkin pound cakes:

It wouldn’t be Halloween without carved pumpkins. Make yours edible by baking a delicious pumpkin spice pound cake shaped like a pumpkin. Increase the fun by adding silly icing facial features.

Masquerade Cookies

Pumpkin Pound Cake

butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls.

On floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter by 1/8 inch thick. Dip eye and glasses cookie cutters in flour before each use. Arrange cookies on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-11 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

Cool completely on cooling grid. Decorate as desired using Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix flour, baking tinted icing, colored sugars and powder and salt. In second Halloween icing decorations. large bowl, beat butter and Use melted candy to attach sugar with electric mixer until sticks to backs of cookies; chill light and fluffy. Beat in egg and until set. extracts. Add flour mixture to Servings: 2 dozen cookies • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar • 1 egg • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract Decorative icings, sugars

and candies

Servings: 16 • 3 cups all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened • 2 cups granulated sugar • 4 eggs • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 1/4 cups canned 100 percent pumpkin (not pie filling) Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare pan lightly with vegetable pan spray with flour. Place on baking

sheet.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition; beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with pumpkin; mix well. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 70–80 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

Midnight potions:

Spice up the night with candy corn drinks served in containers guests can devour, making cleanup easy and delicious. Or, toast the night with the Witch’s Brew Mocktail.

For more Halloween ideas and inspiration, visit wilton.com.

Candy Corn Drinks

Witch’s Brew Mocktail

Servings: 8 • 1 cup (half of 12-ounce package) white meltable candy, melted according to package directions • 1 cup (half of 12-ounce package) orange meltable candy, melted according to package directions • 1 package (12 ounces) yellow meltable candy, melted according to package directions • Orange flavored fruit

Servings: 6 • 3 cups ginger ale, chilled • 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice, chilled • 1/3 cup sweetened lime juice, chilled • Green gel food color or green icing color (optional) • Halloween Skewers In large pitcher, combine ginger ale, pineapple juice, sweetened lime juice and, if using, gel food color.

To prepare glasses, dip rims of martini glasses in water, then in black sugar. Fill with drink mixture; add eyeball skewers.

drink, orange, peach or mango juice or other favorite drink Fill disposable decorating bag with melted bright white candy.

Divide evenly among cavities of 8-cavity silicone shot glass mold, taking care to not get any candy on sides of mold. Repeat process with orange and yellow candy.

Refrigerate until candy is set, about 30 minutes.

Carefully remove candy glasses from mold and set aside. Fill with orange drink.

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take eight

with Carrie Taylor

Each month in baystateparent, we go Dishin’ with the Dietitian to answer your food questions (see page 33). One of our popular columnists is Carrie Taylor, RDN, LDN, lead registered dietitian nutritionist for the Living Well Eating Smart program at Big Y Foods. This month, we Take 8 with Carrie to find out a little more about family diets and nutrition.

What are the main reasons people meet with dietitians?

We truly see all sorts of reasons with our customers.

That said, they predominantly vary between three general interests: learn how to eat once diagnosed with a food allergy or intolerance; learn how to eat once diagnosed with a particular disease such as diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure; or learn how to eat to lose weight.

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What are the top questions people have for dietitians?

• Can you put me on a diet? Answer: No. But I can help you learn how to build a balanced eating plan around the foods you love and your personal wellness goals.

• What should I eat to be healthy?

Answer: Whatever you enjoy eating that will make you feel vibrant, energetic, clear headed and able to maintain a healthy weight.

• Isn’t ____ bad for me? With the empty blank being whatever demonized nutrient of the moment. Fat, carbs, white flour…take your pick! Answer: No, no and no. We need all nutrients — fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, protein and water. Following eating guidelines based on general statements like “Don’t eat anything white” tend to be over restrictive and unmaintainable long term.

What is the biggest misconception that people have about personal nutrition?

That there is a right way to eat. It is truly an unfortunate lens to spend life looking at food with. Not only do you constantly tell yourself you are not eating right, you then perpetuate this false belief to those around you (including your children). Nutrition goals are not based on every single meal you eat but rather on what your overall eating practices are.

36 OCTOBER2014 37

4

What are your top three tips to improve family diets?

• Look down at your plate — Do you see color? No? Get some.

Add in a vegetable (or two!) and a fruit.

• Plan, prepare and eat together. This is the BEST way to get children excited about eating new foods and a surefire way to ensure the whole family is eating balanced, varied meals.

• Go with the flow. Don’t set yourself up for failure. If one day you had cake, enjoy every little bite and move on.

7 Shawna Shenette Photo

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Why did you become a dietitian?

I was an athlete in high school who loved eating and preparing food. After starting college as a biology major with a political science minor, I decided to make the switch to nutrition and sports medicine and never looked back.

What online resources do you recommend for meal planning?

The Living Well Eating Smart page of BigY.com, of course! www.bigy.com/livingwell. You’ll find recipes, videos, nutrition tips and more.

The USDA’s ChooseMyPlate.gov website.

You can enter your weight, height, age, gender and activity level and it will provide you with a general eating plan based on calories and broken down into servings by Food Groups.

The Center for Mindful Eating. www.thecenterformindfuleating.org. This is a great resource to help learn about taking the time to enjoy the food you eat versus rushing through one eating occasion to the next.

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As we head into the holidays, what advice do you have for those of us who get concerned about holiday eating?

If you find you overdo it at every party, figure out why. Are you attending on a hungry stomach?

Eat a snack ahead of time so hunger isn’t dictating your selections.

Do not talk about how bad you’re being because you are cheating.

It’s a merry time of year, stay positive. Enjoy the flavors of what you want to taste, in moderation, and move on.

Do you ever cheat and splurge on food that you know is not healthy?

I love to eat, so I eat all kinds of foods.

My overall goal is to eat at least 3-4 Food Groups per meal with snacks between meals to keep my blood sugar most stable so I’m less inclined to reach for indulgent food simply out of hunger. That said, when I do indulge in a delectable delight, I enjoy every second without guilt.

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2014 P R EM I ER SPON SOR

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Full schedules for all Family Fun events available at springfieldmuseums.org.

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• Academic Excellence • Community Involvement • Drama/Music

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“No one lights a candle and places it in hiding, nor under a bushel basket, but upon a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.”

“What I love about being a student at St. Mary’s is that I know I am going to graduate completely prepared for college and have many great memories to take with me!”

Jessica Forest, 12th grade “I enjoy learning at St. Mary's. With such a friendly environment, there's no reason not to like it here! There is so much potential for students enrolled here because there are many activities that every student can have achance to participate in.”

Kieran O'Donnell, 11th grade “What I like about St. Mary's is how accepting the school community is.”

Mariah Suarez, 10th grade “St. Mary’s is an accomplished school where you’ll be comfortable around teachers and other students. The high caliber of the education you receive here truly prepares you for the college of your choice.”

Padraig Smith, 9th grade

“I like St. Mary’s because instead of pushing you to reach the curriculum, the teachers give you actual information that will help you to reach your goals when you are out of high school and in life.”

Faith Wang, 8th grade “I like that all the teachers are very welcoming and explain their lessons in easy and fun ways. All the kids know each other and are friends.”

Cole Viamari, 7th grade “I like that St. Mary’s gives you a jump start on college, so when you get there you are a step ahead.”

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Accredited by NEAS&C

“I like all my friends here and the teachers are very nice.”

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Lighting the way to the future

“I like to learn and I like the projects.”

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B

Flu

Shot:

Yay or Nay?

BY SUSAN BUSHEY MANNING

No one likes a needle, but for some, the reason goes far beyond the pinch of their skin. There’s a growing segment of parents who are choosing to not vaccinate against influenza.

38 OCTOBER2014 39

ecky Myerov, 41, of Westford, has a few reasons she doesn’t usually vaccinate against the flu, even though she supports all other vaccinations.

She said her kids —Hannah (11), Emily (8) and CJ (6) — used to get the shots, but, “I started questioning it when CJ was diagnosed with autism. Although I know and understand that vaccines don’t cause autism, it just made me think twice about what I was giving my kids,” she said.

According to Myerov, “My kids seemed healthy with or without the flu shot. There are so many chemicals, vaccines, pesticides in our environment today, it seems like everything causes cancer.

It’s one less thing I have to worry about, I figure.

I understand getting it for the benefit of people who have low immune system. However, we are not currently in that situation.

If I had an elderly parent with a compromised immune system, I may reconsider,” she said. “[Another] reason I don’t do flu shots is for convenience. It is difficult to get the kids into the doctors to get the flu shots done … time-wise and everybody being scared,” she said.

But with one in three kids who get the flu at risk for serious complications, according to a recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, is it worth taking a chance?

Pediatric infections disease physician Tina Hermos of the UMass Memorial Medial Center in Worcester said the statistics are convincing enough.

“There are essentially no cons (to the shot). We all wish it worked a little better, of course, and would not be needed every year, but the risks of a serious side effect are extremely low with the shot,” Hermos said.

“One in five get the flu every year. Everyone who dies of the flu, including previously healthy kids, got it from someone who probably made out okay in the end. Fifty percent of kids who die of the flu have no underlying condition.

In Massachusetts last season, there were just five pediatric deaths from influenza: two healthy, one with asthma, two with more serious underlying conditions—all un- or under-vaccinated,” she said.

The study, released in September, said, “During peak influenza season, many children meet criteria for flulike symptoms including a fever, cough and sore throat. Most children have mild illness and

recover quickly, however, some children can develop a more serious illness.”

Findings showed of 241 patients with the flu between the ages of 0 and 19, high-risk conditions showed in 53.5 percent. Of those, 35.3 percent developed severe complications, including pneumonia.

The risks are enough to convince Ashland mom Erica Blades to vaccinate her children.

The 35-year-old mother said she doesn’t think twice about vaccinating her 3-year-old son and 5-month-old daughter.

“I want to protect my children from serious illness and disease. … The risk is far too high not to (vaccinate). I think many parents think that vaccinations cause autism, ADD, ADHD or other problems in children. I’m not convinced that this is true. I believe that if you don’t vaccinate your children, you put them at risk as well as others,” she said.

For Massachusetts General Hospital oncologist Inga Lennes of Newton, mother to 1-year-old Jack, the flu shot is not even a question.

“I am a flu shot fanatic. Not so much to save children from the flu, but to save elders, the immunosuppressed and otherwise vulnerable populations from the flu that unvaccinated children and adults can spread throughout communities. I tell people not to get the flu shot for themselves, get it for the neighbor receiving chemo or the newborn who could die from the flu if you accidentally gave it to them,” she said.

Primary care doctor Elizabeth Armstrong, who practices in Westfield, said her kids getting the flu shot is a practical decision.

“Speaking as a working parent with an inflexible schedule, I make sure my kids get the flu shot. Obviously, I don’t want them to get sick with the flu. But it’s also a logistical decision. If I can keep them from getting ONE febrile illness this winter, it’ll save me at least three days’ worth of sick leave and/or the hassle of finding babysitting coverage when they’re too sick to go to daycare,” she said.

Leominster mother of three boys, Wendy Anderson, is somewhere in the middle — vaccinating one

child, but not the other — and not on a standard schedule.

“I vaccinate my children but on a modified schedule. We do this because my 13-year-old had a bad reaction to his first set of shots.

After that, he had his vaccinations spread out so he didn’t get more than two at a time, but mostly he just had one at a time. When my youngest — who is now 9 — was born, we just used that modified schedule. When he was diagnosed with autism at 4, I could honestly say that his vaccines were not the cause,” said the 43-year-old PTO president.

“My 13-year-old gets the flu shot.

For my 9-year-old, we don’t do it. While I’m not a believer of the autism-vaccination link, I am not keen on putting anything in his body he doesn’t need. Add to that the fact that he had a flu vaccine once when he was in preschool …

He was cranky and irritable for a few days and had a low-grade fever.

When he gets sick, it takes him a long time to bounce back. We now decline the vaccine for him,” she said.

What about your family?

Do you get a flu shot?

Tell us your thoughts on baystateparent.com or on our Facebook page!

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ad m th be th to su

Video Game

m so el Th an

VIOLENCE Linked to Childhood

DEPRESSION

BY DOUG PAGE

Video games — available on personal computers, gaming consoles, cell phones, tablets or other wireless devices — can take a child on a gruesome, violent, virtual reality trip, and a new study shows that video game violence is linked to depression in pre-teen children.

What are parents to do?

“Know what your kids are watching,” advised Massachusetts General Hospital psychiatrist Eugene Beresin, of the hospital’s Center for Mental Health and Media. “Ninetyfive percent of the parents we talk to have no clue what their kids are seeing or playing on a screen.”

“Set time limits and be outspoken about the types of video games you’ll allow,” Great Barrington psychologist Anne Benson added.

And what if your child becomes upset because you prohibit certain video games?

“Ignore their slamming doors and rolling eyes,” Benson said.

Link to Depression This advice comes on the heels of

a recent study, of more than 5,000 fifth-grade children published in the Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking journal. It found that kids who played violent video games every day for more than two hours a day were likely to show signs of depression.

“It’s possible that kids prone to depression are attracted to violent video games,” said Susan Tortolero the study’s lead author and University of Texas psychologist.

“They exasperate their depressive mood because they’re seeing violence and develop a cynical view of the world.”

Massachusetts mental health experts reacted differently to this study but agreed on the steps parents can take to control how often children play video games as well as other kinds of media they consume.

“Some kids are depressed and try to manage their depression by video game playing,” said Cheryl Olson, co-author of the book Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and the co-

founder of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Mental Health and Media.

“Girls who play video games the most use them as a way to combat depression,” said Beresin. “It’s like self-medicating. Video games can help release the chemical dopamine in the brain.”

In other words, video games, because they can help release this chemical, can make kids feel better and distract them from their problems.

Boston-based psychologist Anthony Rao, author of The Way of Boys: Promoting the Social and Emotional Development of Young Boys, said the study’s results are no surprise.

“These games can affect the neurochemistry,” he noted. “A little for entertainment can be okay, but anything beyond that can be a problem. Heavy use is correlated with depression. Whether or not it’s cause and effect is unimportant.

If your kid is off track or there’s depression, the game is likely a problem.”

Springfield psychiatrist John

Fanton, of Baystate Medical Center, is equally worried.

“The problem, in some ways, isn’t so much the screen time but that children are spending time in stories that aren’t their own,” he said. “Video games crowd out their imagination and prevent them from exercising their own imagination as well as learning problem-solving skills and self control by developing their own story.”

Another problem, Fanton said, is that video games allow kids in a group setting to focus on the game, not each other.

“Video games are coming at the expense of kids being able to deal with the awkward silence during a conversation and being able to share a moment with someone,” he added.

But Olson said that while video games can provide a social experience for children – if they’re playing with other kids – they can be a problem if children are always alone when they are playing these games, have no friends and appear to have no balance in their lives.

“Heavy use is correlated with depression. Whether or not it’s cause and effect is unimportant. If your kid is off track or there’s depression, the game is likely a problem.”

– Boston-based psychologist Anthony Rao 40 OCTOBER2014 41

“Protect your kids’ sleep,” Olson advised. “Studies show electronic media can interfere with sleep. Get the game system out of the kids’ bedrooms, put their cell phones by the front door so they’re not listening to music or texting when they’re supposed to be sleeping.”

Cheryl Hogan, a Medfield mother of two boys, said her sons aren’t allowed to play their electronics Monday through Thursday during the school year and, when they are, it’s not until

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homework and household chores are completed.

“Media (whether it’s video games, television, movies, radio or the Internet) can shape a young person’s view and how they interact in relationships, but we also know that if parents talk to their children, they can counteract the messages kids receive from these games,” Tortolero said.

“The research doesn’t support absolutes, whether it’s taking away sugary snacks or video games,” said Olson. “It’s about balance, which is harder for parents but a wiser course of action.”

AUG. 2014

What’s a parent to do?

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Each video game is rated for content, including violence and language, and some retail outlets, such as GameStop, say they will not sell a game rated M (mature) to underage children unless they’re accompanied by a parent.

Here are some websites that review video games.

Each is searchable, making it possible to enter the game’s name to find the review and the rating.

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South Hadley Tragedy Moves Hopkinton Girl to Action

BY KEITH REGAN

Phoebe Prince was a wakeup call.

When the 15-year-old South Hadley girl took her own life on Jan. 14, 2010, after repeated bullying at school and online, the dangers of bullying in the digital age became too apparent for many to ignore.

Criminal charges were brought against several of Prince’s classmates and the Massachusetts legislature quickly passed one of the country’s toughest anti-bullying statutes, requiring school districts to have formal plans in place to quickly address bullying.

And for Meredith Prunty, then 14, of Hopkinton, the tragedy was a call to action.

“I was horrified. As the story unfolded in the media, I just couldn’t believe that people could be so mean. I wanted to do something to help understand the issue and spread anti-bullying awareness but didn’t know where to start,” she said.

Prunty soon found her answer.

The musical act Michael and Marissa cast Prunty — whose budding acting career has included a number of local films as well as extra roles in major films shot in the Boston area — as the lead in an anti-bullying music video to a song written in response Pheobe’s death.

“There is a scene in the video that was surreal at the time, where I am in the cafeteria and the kids are throwing paper objects at me,” recalled Prunty, now 18. “It was a devastating feeling as I felt isolated 42 OCTOBER2014 43

and all I could think of was how to escape. After that scene wrapped, I looked around and most of the crew and parents on set were crying as they, too, were touched by the scene. One crew member afterwards told me that he had been bullied as a teen and the memories were still raw and uncomfortable.”

The success of the video, played widely on children’s television, provided Prunty a platform to help spread awareness of the prevalence of bullying and information about how to prevent and stop it. Prunty used her social media network to get the message out to her new group of young fans.

Before long, she was asked to become a spokesperson for The Brand UR, a fashion company founded to encourage self-esteem in girls that also funnels some of its profits to anti-bullying causes.

“We have been working together along with a host of celebrities to raise awareness,” said Prunty. “I am happy to say that they have been doing great. The important thing to me is always use whatever opportunity comes my way to spread bullying awareness.”

Prunty’s anti-bullying work recently earned her a $1,000 Kohl’s Care scholarship. She is now in the running for a $10,000 grant from that program. The money will help her pay for college at the University of Alabama, where she plans to study nursing and hopes to be invited to pledge a sorority where she can

continue her community service efforts.

The message Prunty shares about bullying emphasizes how it can be prevented, starting with children being raised in loving environments.

“Bullying is about power and control. When people are insecure about themselves they want to raise themselves up by tearing down others. It becomes worse when there are cliques and groups who isolate others and gang up on them. Then the whole group feels powerful.

Bullying has been around forever but has increased exponentially due to the Internet. Social media has made bullying a 24/7 opportunity.

Although bullying can happen to anyone at any age, it is worse in high school because the teens are trying to figure out what they are all about and tend to be insecure and awkward.”

The explosion of social media has been akin to pouring fuel on a fire, she noted, extending bullying well beyond hallways and playground.

“Before social media, most bullying incidences would be left at school. Kids could come home after school and not be exposed to any further hurt. Social media is very powerful as everyone wants to be a part of it and have fun with friends. However, that exposure brings challenges. As I mentioned earlier, bullies are insecure and so when they make a hurtful post and all their friends support it by either a ‘like’ or ‘comment,’ it gives them

affirmation that it is OK to pick on people.”

Parents have a role to play as well, Prunty said, including teaching kids how to treat others from an early age and emphasizing the dangerousness of gossip and that words can truly hurt a person. As kids get older, parents should also stay current on their children’s social media use.

“Social media such as Facebook affords parents the insight to see what is going on in their child’s life.

I have heard parents say that they don’t have time or that the social media is for kids and they couldn’t be more wrong. If you want to help, know your rights, talk to your kids and understand the platforms where they socialize.”

Prunty’s activism has personal roots as well.

“I was a victim of bullying in my freshman year due to the fact that I broke up with a boy who simply didn’t think I had the right to do so.

He was relentless in his campaign to bring all his friends together to be hurtful. I was fortunate enough to have my parents and schools support but also unexpectedly, a few leaders at school who reached out to help. One of the people who helped me I only knew from walking past her in the halls. It was amazing the difference it made. I know firsthand the pain that victims of bullying go through and know how important it is to have support.”

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What’s Perfect For Kids?

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Tour beautifully restored museum houses.

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Starting on the date the prize appears, log on to www.baystateparent.com to enter for your chance to win.

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44 OCTOBER2014

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NFL Electric Football by Tudor Games is a tabletop game recommended for ages 8 and up.

It features two teams of football players facing off on a vibrating gridiron. Retails for $60. Visit baystateparent.com today to find out how you might win this game!

{Fact}

In 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed every October 12 as Columbus Day. It was not until 1971 that the celebration was moved to the second Monday in October.

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According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the average woman with a normal prepregnancy weight needs only about 300 extra calories a day to promote her baby’s growth.

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If you have the flu, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone (without the use of feverreducing medicine).

The Baby Nurse Bible by Carole Kramer Arsenault, founder of Boston Baby Nurses, offers expert advice on preparing for baby’s arrival, choosing safe products, understanding the delivery process and more. Enter to win this collection of over 125 baby nurse tips on baystateparent.com today!

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According to US Census figures from 2012, 36% of women between the ages of 15 and 50 with a birth in the previous 12 months were widowed, divorced or never married.

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NOW OPEN Come Join Us Seafood & More!

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The Picturesque Connecticut River

48 OCTOBER2014

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