Looking out for our children's health
Zoloft and Pregnancy: This Time It’s PersonalPosted by Claudia Grazioso on February 22, 2012
It’s funny how being personally connected to someone with a problem makes you want to re-look at everything you thought you knew about the topic. A really cool woman I know recently started taking Zoloft. She had been through a hard time, and depression had gotten the better of her. But with Zoloft, she was [...]
Aromatherapy as a Treatment for Mild DepressionPosted by Dana Hinders on February 3, 2012
Aromatherapy refers to the use of essential oils for their therapeutic benefits. Essential oils that are derived from plants have highly concentrated fragrances that can trigger specific emotional responses in the brain. Some oils boost energy, while others help reduce anxiety. Specific combinations of essential oils are often used as alternative medical treatments for depression, [...]
Posted by The Vigilant Mom on January 11, 2012
Antidepressants can be helpful for people suffering from severe depression, but a growing number of people believe these medications are over prescribed. The use of antidepressants among women is of particular concern, since many of the most popular medications have been linked to serious fetal birth defects. For example, Zoloft birth defects include anencephaly, craniosynostosis, [...]
Study Finds Children’s OCD Treatable with Talk Therapy, AntidepressantsPosted by Deborah Pujoue on November 11, 2011
It’s ironic that a prescription medication known to cause birth defects would be recommended as a treatment for children that have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), yet a new study suggests just that. This is significant, since according to a recent study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, 1 in every [...]
10 Fingers, 10 Toes and Limb DefectsPosted by Claudia Grazioso on July 11, 2011
“Ten toes. Ten fingers!” I’ve heard more than a few doctors say that when a baby is first born. And even though we all have ultrasounds these days, it is still a relief — especially when you are reeling from post-labor hormone rushes. Moms like to hear it. But sometimes that’s not exactly the case. [...]
Panic Attacks and PregnancyPosted by Claudia Grazioso on June 2, 2011
About three weeks before my wedding, I started having panic attacks. It wasn’t just stress, it was full-blown, end-of-the-world panic. Suddenly, I couldn’t calm down, my mind raced, my heart pounded, I bolted awake every night. It was awful. I finally called a doctor, who offered to prescribe Klonopin. It would help, she assured me. [...]
Living with a Limb DefectPosted by Fiona Cole on April 25, 2011
A major study in 2007 found that antidepressant medication, when taken during pregnancy, may elevate the risk of a birth defect known as a congenital limb defect. A link was found between antidepressants and limb-reduction defects in developing fetuses. A limb defect means that part of — or the whole of — one of the [...]
