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ADHD diagnosis ‘harmful to kids’

A study by Australia’s Bond University in conjunction with scientists in the Netherlands found that there was a significant risk of “over-diagnosis” and therefore over-medication.

Researchers said the wider classification of symptoms for ADHD – attention deficit hyperactive disorder – in the psychiatric manual used in the profession has led to a steep rise in diagnosis and prescriptions for medication.

This “over-diagnosis” has a duel effect, with some children taking medication unnecessarily while stretched resources see others who really need help unable to access it.

In the past few years, ADHD has grown to include a collection of behavioural problems linked to poor attention span, restlessness, impulsiveness and hyperactivity.

This broadening of symptoms has led to a 73 per cent increase in ADHD medication prescriptions in Australia between 2000 and 2011.

This is an alarming statistic as the medications can cause weight loss, liver toxicity and suicidal thoughts and can ever suppress puberty.

But lead researcher Dr Rae Thomas says the implications of over-diagnosis are even more wide-ranging.

She says having a “diagnostic label” means teachers and parents have low academic expectations of affected children, potentially creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Dr Thomas also says over-diagnosis also risks the entire condition, which is real and can be very serious, being viewed with scepticism.

“Severe cases of ADHD are obvious, but in mild and moderate cases – which constitute the bulk of all ADHD diagnoses – subjective opinions of clinicians differ,” Dr Thomas says.

“The broadening of the diagnostic criteria is likely to increase what is already a significant concern about over-diagnosis.

“It risks resulting in a diagnosis of ADHD being regarded with scepticism to the harm of those with severe problems who unquestionably need sensitive, skilled specialist help and support.”

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Marriage over: Khloe Kardashian has had enough

Marriage over: Khloe Kardashian has had enough

As Khloe Kardashian continues to put her marriage back together, it seems her estranged husband, former NBA player Lamar Odom, has a different idea.

Last week, the troubled 34-year-old, who refuses to go to rehab, convinced his wife he was committed to his sobriety and their marriage.

The pair, who marked their fourth wedding anniversary in September, looked to be back on track when they stepped out together for the first time in months at a Kanye West concert.

But just days later, Lamar was spotted out partying and using drugs at a Halloween party.

“Against her better judgement, Khloe believed Lamar and thought he could stay clean. Lamar was spotted at Beacher’s Madhouse Halloween party, and he was wasted,” a source told Radar Online.

“They had mutual friends at the party, and several people told Khloe he was wasted.

“Lamar isn’t on a path to sobriety, and Khloe was living in a fantasy world thinking he could. The marriage is over. Even if Lamar finally decides to go to rehab, Khloe has had enough.”

While the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star hasn’t spoken publicly about her marital woes, she has tweeted some cryptic messages about her feelings.

When news broke that Lamar was visibly intoxicated at a nightclub recently, the 29-year-old wrote: “Know you can only trust yourself. I control my destiny.”

And when Lamar spoke out saying he and Khloe were doing “great”, she wrote: “Scary when people believe their own lies.”

The pair hasn’t been seen together since last week and continue to live apart.

“Khloe and Lamar still talk on the phone every day, but it’s more like a brother-sister relationship,” the source said.

“She cares about what happens to him. But she now recognises she is contributing to the chaos in her life by continuing to engage Lamar on a daily basis.”

In a recent episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Khloe revealed just how difficult it was becoming to deal with her husbands “emotional and erratic” behaviour.

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J.Lo: I’ve never had plastic surgery!

Jennifer Lopez has been forced to defend her youthful looks after London-based plastic surgeon Dr. Ayham Al-Ayoubi tweeted that she showed “many signs of plastic surgery”.

J.Lo almost immediately responded saying: “Sorry Sir, but I have never had plastic surgery of any kind. #fact”.

Dr. Ayham Al-Ayoubi apologised soon after saying the initial tweet, which showed before and after pictures of the singer with and without make-up, was posted by his assistant without his knowledge.

See the tweets plus Jennifer’s most beautiful moments here.

Jennifer Lopez defends her looks.

The twitter exchange between Jennifer and Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi.

Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi apologises to the singer.

J.Lo puts her timeless looks down to her make-up choices.

Jennifer Lopez parties in Las Vegas.

The singer’s sleek look in New York.

Jennifer steps out looking beautifully bronzed.

J.Lo in green and gold at the Bafta Awards.

J.Lo, a L’Oreal cosmetics spokesperson, certainly knows what looks work for her.

At the LA premiere of The Back-Up Plan

A pregnant J.Lo glows on the red carpet.

J.Lo in New York in 2010.

J.Lo rocks this red look back in 2006.

J.Lo at The 75th Annual Academy Awards.

This unforgettable look was created by Versace.

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Oprah Winfrey’s favourite things for 2013

Her famous talk show ended in 2011, but Oprah Winfrey is still producing its most popular segment – her annual list of her favourite things.
Oprah Winfrey

Her famous talk show ended in 2011, but Oprah Winfrey is still producing its most popular segment – her annual list of her favourite things.

This year, the list of products will be published in O magazine on November 12, but they’ve been leaked early on the show’s official website.

Oprah says this is her “ultimate, ultimate” gift selection. Take a look through and see if you agree.

Oprah Winfrey’s list of ‘ultimate ultimate’ favourite things.

Monogram Gloves, $250

Monogram Gloves, $250: “Made of supple Italian leather and lined with cashmere, these gloves are already pretty close to perfect. But add a hand-painted custom monogram by artist Logan Real, and I’m so sold.” — Oprah

Susan Hanover Earrings, $220

Susan Hanover Earrings, $220: “These earrings are just the right combination of pretty (coloured gems) and interesting (they’re encircled in oxidized sterling silver and crystals). Bonus: They look much more expensive than they actually are.”— Oprah

Oprah & Deepak’s Meditation Master Trilogy, $100

Oprah & Deepak’s Meditation Master Trilogy, $100: “You’ll be profoundly changed by this meditation experience that I created with my friend Deepak Chopra. Whether you’re a first-time meditator or have been doing it for years, this master trilogy — available via CD or download — will help light a path to your most abundant destiny.” — Oprah

Organic Cotton Pajamas, $74

Organic Cotton Pajamas, $74: “Now, this is the kind of thing I prefer to sleep in, because it feels like a second skin. Made of supersoft organic pima cotton, these pajamas come in three colors — my favorite is this chartreuse.” — Oprah

Present Cake, $79

Present Cake, $79: “Calling Sam Godfrey a baker doesn’t do the man justice: He is the Matisse of desserts. His latest creation is this moist, delicious chocolate cake, layered with salted caramel truffle cream and wrapped in fondant and a white-chocolate bow. It’s a happy way to end a holiday dinner.” — Oprah

High Tea Collection Nail Polishes, $65

High Tea Collection Nail Polishes, $65: “I absolutely love this set. Not only are all the lacquers toxin-free, they come in a range of colors, because ‘nude’ means different things to different people.” — Oprah

SeeHome Desk Magnifier, $49

SeeHome Desk Magnifier, $49: “These reading glasses come in 12 stylish frame colours and are chained to a weighted base, so you can keep them on a desk or kitchen counter in, well, plain sight.” — Oprah

Himalayan Salt Shot Glasses, $45

Himalayan Salt Shot Glasses, $45: “I prefer my tequila chased with salt and lime, and these shot glasses —carved from high-quality Himalayan salt — are perfect, no extra salt necessary.” — Oprah

Genevieve Boots, $300

Genevieve Boots, $300: “Love, love, love! I think these new tall boots from Ugg Australia are gorgeous — they can be worn up or cuffed down, and the leather bow and piping make them extra special. Uggs are still the warmest boots I own.” — Oprah

Sweater Mugs, $50

Sweater Mugs, $50: “Snuggle up to your hot chocolate with these big dishwasher-safe porcelain mugs, jazzed up in the same design as my favorite sweater.” —Oprah

Circle Candlestick Holders, $75-$150

Circle Candlestick Holders, $75-$150: “Don’t you just hate it when you’re at a dinner party and the centrepiece is blocking your view? Well, these elegant, 24kt-gold-plated candlestick holders eliminate the problem — and they’re O shaped to boot!” — Oprah

Toulouse Jewellery Box, $295

Toulouse Jewellery Box, $295: “Here’s one storage item you won’t want to stash away: This velvet-lined jewellery box by design guru Jonathan Adler has a glossy orange marbled exterior and gold foil details, making it as stylish as the baubles you’ll put inside.”— Oprah

Quilted Nylon Barn Jacket, $128

Quilted Nylon Barn Jacket, $128: “I’m crazy about barn jackets, and this is the best of the bunch — diamond-quilted nylon in jewel tones with fancy embellishments like contrasting corduroy trim and a printed lining.”— Oprah

Kindle Paperwhite, $119

Kindle Paperwhite, $119: “Take this reader to the beach! A higher-contrast screen cuts glare outdoors, while a built-in light reduces eyestrain indoors. An orange leather cover makes it feel like a treasured volume.” — Oprah

Dog Toy Set and Bin, $68

Dog Toy Set and Bin, $68: “What do you get the dog who has everything? Well, maybe just a little bit more! Squeaky, durable, and eco-friendly, these chew toys — made in two sizes so both little and big dogs can play—are a guaranteed pup pleaser.” —Oprah

Carmona Canape and Dessert Plates, $30-$52

Carmona Canape and Dessert Plates, $30-$52: “The only thing more chic than a white bone-china plate is a white bone-china plate with a fabulous shape. Event planner Tammy Carmona designed these.” — Oprah

Enrico Products Spiral Salad Bowl and Servers, $54

Enrico Products Spiral Salad Bowl and Servers, $54: “Hand-carved out of reclaimed mango wood, this sizable bowl is perfect for dinner party salads and fruit bowl duty alike. Available in six colors, it’s a festive gift for a Christmas open house.” — Oprah

T-fal ActiFry, $250

T-fal ActiFry, $250: “Anyone who follows me on Instagram knows that I went gaga over this gadget, which lets you fry four servings of potatoes using only a tablespoon of oil. A truly low-fat French fry! Heaven has arrived.” — Oprah

PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle, $100

PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle, $100: “I couldn’t get by without my tea; I keep this electric kettle in my office so I can brew the perfect cup anytime. It boils up in a flash and — because different teas require different degrees of heat — it has six temperature settings.” — Oprah

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Pregnant women face discrimination at work

Pregnant woman at work touching stomach

Pregnancy is now the number one workplace complaint, a new report says.

Pregnancy is now the number one reason behind workplace discrimination complaints, overtaking disability and family responsibilities for the first time.

Of 235 complaints received by the FWO in 2012-13 pregnant women who felt they had been discriminated against at work accounted for 28 per cent, up dramatically from eight per cent in 2010-11.

Historically discrimination due to physical or mental disability has been the key gripe of complainants, but the most recent report has complaints of such nature taking up only 21 per cent of the total.

Eleven per cent of complaints came from workers who felt their family or carer responsibilities led to them being treated differently.

Pregnant women who claimed they had been subject to discriminatory behaviour dominated complaints over these groups for the first time.

In one case, a Melbourne retail assistant had her roster slashed from 27 hours per week to just seven after telling her boss she was pregnant, and was told to accept the change or resign.

After resigning in what the FWO found to be “constructive dismissal”, where the employee resigns because their employer’s behaviour has become so intolerable that the worker is left with no other choice, the company was made to take corrective actions after workplace laws were explained.

Under the Fair Work Act, it is unlawful to discriminate against employees on a range of grounds including pregnancy, race, sex, and disability.

The FWO annual report also said working parents faced discrimination beyond pregnancy, finding barriers to accessing leave, including parental and carer’s leave, and difficulty with requesting and using flexible work arrangements.

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I teach refugees how to be Australian

It's the simplest of daily tasks – packing a lunch box for your child. But for thousands of Sudanese refugees in Australia, this and many other routine parental chores are incomprehensible.
Sharon Sandy with a woman named Samira on her recent trip to the Sudan.

Sharon Sandy with a woman named Samira on her recent trip to the Sudan.

Enter Sharon Sandy, who spent the past six years of her life helping refugee families in her hometown of Traralgon, in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, learn how to be Australian.

Sharon, a mum of four, met her first Sudanese family through her local primary school, where she works as a welfare officer.

Horrified and inspired by their tales of war and famine, Sharon started offering basic courses teaching the basics of life in the lucky country.

“I ran parenting classes, teaching mums and dads the basics; like how to pack a school bag in Australia,” Sharon says. “It is simple task that we take for granted, but they had never done it before.

“I was so moved by their stories – these are people who had literally run for their lives – that I felt compelled to help them in their new country.”

Sudanese refugees are now Victoria’s fastest growing migrant population and Sharon soon had plenty of pupils.

As they got to know her, the kids started telling Sharon about life back home and before she knew it, Sharon had filled a book with their accounts.

“I was humbled by their stories: children who had seen their relatives murdered at point blank range, others who described being so starving they had no energy to cry, so I started to writing them down,” Sharon says.

Sharon laminated and bound the books for her students, and they became so popular she looked to a Melbourne publisher for help.

What resulted is a beautiful picture book called Donkeys Can’t Fly On Planes that is already onto its third print run.

“Kids Own Publishing were very good to us: an artist came and visited the kids at school to help them create pictures to really tell their story, and what has resulted is a truly beautiful book,” Sharon says.

Sharon’s labour of love has not ended with the book’s publication, and instead of taking a break last Christmas holidays; she spent her money on a fact-finding mission to Sudan and Ethiopia.

“A couple of the Sudanese community wanted to give something back to the country they had left behind, and so we decided to fundraise to build an orphanage and school in the village of Bor in Sudan,” Sharon says.

“Sudan was truly a hellhole. We ate nothing but rice for 6 days, and yet we knew we were the lucky ones. Decades of war and drought have ruined all the crops and they are desperately trying to start again,” she explains.

The number of orphans in Sudan beggars belief – in the village of Bor, children outnumber adults two to one.

“We saw teenage children who had built a mud hut in an attempt to provide a classroom for younger kids – only to see it washed away in the wet season,” Sharon says.

Sharon and the Bor Community and Education Project aim to use money from fundraisers and book sales to reinvigorate the local community.

When asked about her obvious passion for the project, Sharon is reluctant to take praise.

“It’s just my thing to do,” she says. “My kids are growing up, so I guess I was looking for some way of giving back.

“I just figure if everyone helped somewhere, just a little bit, the world would be a better place.”

To donate to the Bor Community and Education Project, or to purchase a copy of Donkey’s Can’t Fly on Planes, click here.

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Princess Madeleine expecting baby girl

Princess Madeleine of Sweden and husband Christopher O'Neill.

The Swedish royal has confirmed with Swedish magazine Svensk Damtidning that she and husband Christopher O’Neill are due to welcome a little Princess in February of next year.

Madeleine revealed the gender of the royal baby while registering for a baby website the couple will use to create a gift registry for their upcoming upcoming baby shower, the magazine reports.

A representative from the Swedish Royal Court said that the reports were correct, but that the expecting mother did not wish to comment.

“The information is correct,” the Palace official said.

The pregnant Princess announced in September that she was expecting her first child in the new year, with February 25 reported as the due date.

The new arrival will be third in line to the throne and will be the first child for the royal couple, who reside in New York.

‘Tis the season for royal arrivals, with the latest announcement following a string of new heirs delivered, or shortly due, to the British royals.

In addition to the birth of Prince George to Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge in July, William’s cousin Zara Phillips is expecting her first child in the new year.

Prince George will also have a fellow playmate in Kensington Palace with the first grandchild of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, baby Maud, arriving in August.

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Prince Charles: Magazine editor

Prince Charles guest-edits and features on the cover of the November issue of Country Life.

The Prince of Wales turns the pen on the media guest-editing the November issue of Country Life magazine.

Charles, who is also the cover star, has chosen to feature stories that reflect his interest in art, music, architecture and design.

He also writes about his “visions for rural life and sustainability planning”, and features a group of “champions of the countryside”.

The special issue has been eight months in the making and is to be released on November 13 to coincide with  Charles’s 65th birthday the following day.

“The Prince of Wales has been a great supporter of Country Life and its ideals over many decades, and has always takena  close interest in what we do,” editor Mark Hedges said.

“So we’re delighted, at last, to be able to call on his wise input and creativity.”

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Denise Richards wants to end custody of Charlie’s twins

Denise Richards wants to end custody of Charlie and Brooke’s twins

Denise Richards with daughters nine-year-old Sam, eight-year-old Lola and two-year-old Eloise.

Denise Richards is refusing to care for her ex-husband Charlie Sheen’s children with Brooke Mueller any longer after revealing they are violent towards her daughters.

Denise has written a letter to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services stating she no longer wishes to care for the boys and blames Brooke for their troublesome behaviour, a source told Radar Online.

The actress gained temporary custody of four-year-old twins Max and Bob in May when Brooke entered rehab for the 22nd time because of ongoing drug abuse. She says the boys’ behaviour became out of control following visits with their mother.

In the letter, the 42-year-old says the twins act violently towards her daughters, Sam, 9, Lola, 8, and two-year-old Eloise, claiming they have strangled, scratched, punched, slapped and kicked the girls in the face and head.

One incident resulted in a doctor’s visit for Sam after a toy was thrown at her face.

Denise alleges the boys abuse her dogs, squeezing their heads and strangling them by the neck, and says they have threatened to kill them.

She states the boys are also poorly behaved at school, acting violently towards their teachers and other children.

In an effort to solve the problem, Denise suggested the boys receive psychological counselling, but Brooke apparently shut that idea down.

Denise began acting as temporary legal guardian for Charlie and Brooke’s twin boys after child protective services removed the children from Brooke’s home.

Brooke is currently being treated for an addiction to prescription drugs and other substances.

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Gwyneth steers George Clooney away from Vanity Fair

Gwyneth steers George Clooney away from Vanity Fair

As Vanity Fair continues to pen a scathing tell-all article about Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress has ramped up her own attack right back on the magazine.

The Iron Man 3 star was already requesting that her celebrity circle of friends steer clear of the publication, after it vowed to bring her down.

The 41-year-old has now increased her efforts to “destroy” the coveted magazine’s reputation before they can publish the expose on her, a source told Radar Online.

“She wants the magazine’s reputation destroyed before they can publish anything on her,” the source said.

Gwyneth initially sent an email to Hollywood A-listers asking them not to participate in the magazine’s expose, stating: “If you’re asked for quotes or comments, please decline. Also, I recommend you all never do this magazine again.”

Now she’s asked those involved in the magazine’s Hollywood Issue cover, which features numerous stars in a special edition, to pull out of the cover commitment.

While she has successfully convinced good friend George Clooney to withdraw from the cover shoot, she hasn’t had as much luck with Julia Roberts, who remains good friends with the magazine’s editor, Graydon Carter.

“[Julia] is ignoring Gwyneth, has no problem with Graydon and is happily still committed to appear on the cover of that issue,” the source said.

“It’s probably ended any chance of a friendship between the two of them.”

Although Graydon is determined to print the article, the tell-all failed to appear in the latest issue, sparking rumours the magazine had backed down.

But the article, which is expected to detail Gwyneth’s possible infidelities with Miami hotelier Jeff Soffer, which she denies, and a number of other salacious details about the star, is still set to go ahead.

“It’s still going to run and it could possibly break online in the next two to three weeks,” the source said.

“Too many resources have been ploughed into it and too many bridges have been burnt for it to be killed.”

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