I-JUST-THOUGHT-THIS-WAS-INTERESTING DEPT: AMERICAN TEENS AND LONELINESS

And the interesting thing, parents, is that teens--always thought in the past to be subject to angst, hormonal depressions, and feelings of loneliness--in fact do NOT feel that lonely these days.  I thought you moms and dads would find this interesting--read on:

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With growing concerns about loneliness among younger generations in modern society -- in the land of Facebook-stalking, Snapchat-sending gadget-junkies -- some experts now say despite being in technological isolation, American teenagers aren't feeling quite as lonely as their parents were when they were teens.

A study published Monday in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows a modest decline in loneliness among American high school and college students through the years 1978 to 2009.

The researchers figured this out looking at data from several studies of high school and college students in the United States that examined teen attitudes and activities among this age group.

It finds teenagers today are less empathetic. They are also less likely to join clubs and make fewer close friends than prior generations, but that doesn't leave them feeling left out.

Young people today, the study says, are more independent. They have less need for feeling attached to a large group of friends. For example, in 1985, 10% of people reported they discussed important matters with no one; in 2004, 25% reported the same. At the same time, young people feel more confident about themselves. They are more independent and assertive.

University of Queensland and Griffith University researchers suggest "extraversion and self-esteem, have increased over time." That, they say, may play a big part in this overall decline.

Throughout history, "people become less dependent on their families and need more specialized skills, which could lead to less interest in social support and more self-sufficiency," lead researcher David Clark wrote in a statement that went out with the study, "over time, people are more individualistic, more extroverted, and have higher self-esteem."

The data showed female college students reported lower levels of loneliness than their male counterparts, although there were no big differences between male and female students in high school.

White high school students reported lower loneliness than African-American students, Hispanic students and others.

With less physical contact, yet more electronic connections than other generations, technology may have shifted the type of connectedness this generation needs, at least to a point.

That's what Kimmy Ogochukwu Diei thinks. As a senior at the University of Chicago, she has had social media around all her life and she believes it has made having friends and feeling connected to them easier in many ways. Friends are just a text or message away even when she chooses to be by herself to study or work.

"Instead of me having to interact physically with my friends and contact them or run into them in order to get their attention and let them know how I'm doing, they can just contact me on Facebook or through email," Ogochukwu Diei said. "It's easier for me to say 'Hey, I'm doing fine.'"

The only time she really feels isolated is "when I don't have my phone with me or if it has died," Ogochukwu Diei said. Then "I do feel very isolated."

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AWARENESS UPDATES

On toys for kids with disabilities, autism, and more.  Read on:

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From:  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/19/toymaker-playtime-inclusive/19860/

The maker of childhood classics like Mr. Potato Head, Play-Doh and Connect 4 is looking to ensure that kids with developmental disabilities know how to engage with its toys too.
Hasbro Inc. said Wednesday it is introducing a series of online videos and other tools to help children with disabilities learn to play with seven toys in its lineup.
The offering called “ToyBox Tools” is designed to help kids learn what each toy is all about, how to put the item together and presents children with alternative ways to engage independently or with peers.
The initiative emerged from employees at Hasbro concerned that kids with developmental disabilities were losing out on valuable opportunities to connect with others through play, the company said.
Hasbro officials described the effort as a pilot program and said they will continue to refine the tools, which are available online for free, based on feedback from experts and consumers. The company indicated that it may develop similar resources for additional toys in the future.

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From:  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/18/pope-destigmatize-autism/19856/

For the first time, Pope Francis is set to meet with individuals with autism and their families during an international conference on the developmental disorder.
The pope will meet with families on Saturday, the Vatican said.
The gathering, which will include prayer and song, will cap a three-day conference put on by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers that officials indicated will bring together more than 650 people from 57 countries.
Organizers said their aim is to “help break the isolation and, in many cases, the stigma” experienced by people with autism and their families.
Speakers at the conference are expected to include researchers from the University of California as well as Bob and Suzanne Wright who co-founded Autism Speaks, among other advocates and experts from around the globe.
Topics on the agenda range from biological research and behavioral treatment options to the pastoral and theological aspects of supporting people on the spectrum.

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But also--from:  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/20/seinfeld-doesnt-autism/19864/

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is backing off comments he made earlier this month suggesting that he may be on the autism spectrum.
In an interview with Access Hollywood, Seinfeld clarified that he does not have the developmental disorder.
“I don’t have autism. I’m not on the spectrum,” the 60-year-old comic said. “I just was watching this play about it and thought, why am I relating to something? I related to it on some level. That’s all I was saying.”
Seinfeld’s comments come just weeks after he told NBC News that he sees traits of autism in himself, explaining that he’s very literal and often struggles with social engagement.
“I think on a very drawn-out scale, I think I’m on the spectrum,” he said at the time.
The suggestion that Seinfeld, who’s currently promoting his web series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” might have autism sparked controversy among those affected by the developmental disorder.
Some advocates welcomed Seinfeld’s acknowledgement, but others criticized the celebrity arguing that by attempting to self-diagnose he was making light of a disorder that can bring significant challenges.

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FRIDAY FOOTBALL PICKS

I was 9-6 last week; I am 108-66-1 for the year.
Let's go!

NFL PICKS

Cleveland at Atlanta.  My pick:  FALCONS   24-20.  Honestly, who can predict what some of these teams are going to do?  But the way I look at this is:  the Browns have been very inconsistent; the Falcons here are at home, they've won a couple of games in a row (key to that:  the Falcons' offensive line has played together for several weeks in a row now and has gained consistency); and so look for the Falcons to keep it going.

Tennessee at Philadelphia.  My pick:  EAGLES   34-14.  The Eagles badly need this game; I expect them to play that way.  They have too many weapons for the Titans; note that Zach Mettenberger has yet to win as a starter, and I don't see that changing here.

Detroit at New England.  My pick:  PATRIOTS   31-14.  New England is on a roll, especially at home.  They are playing really well, and despite Detroit's solid defense, I don't see that changing here.

Green Bay at Minnesota.  My pick:  PACKERS    27-17.  Green Bay is not quite the same team away from home as they are at Lambeau; still...the way Aaron Rodgers is playing, matched up here with a rookie QB in Teddy Bridgewater, you have to think the Packers' roll will continue.

Jacksonville at Indianapolis.  My pick:  COLTS    33-16.  Indy got in the way of the New England steamroller last week; but they need to pick themselves up this time and get a win, and I'd expect them to play like it against a bad Jags club.

Cincinnati at Houston.  My pick:  BENGALS   21-19.  Hmmm.  So some oddsmakers have Houston made as much as a 1.5 point favorite here.  But I like Cincy.  It's a tough road game.  But I really like how the Bengals bounced back from adversity last week and won on the road in New Orleans.  That's a tough place to play, but the Bengals played one of their best games.  I look for that to give them a big boost, and it will carry over here, in what I see as a close win, again, on the road for them.

Tampa Bay at Chicago.  My pick:  BEARS   30-21.  Again, with both of these teams, who knows?  But the Bears played much better last week, giving them some momentum, and playing at home again in the cold gives them a familiar environment to keep things going.  Note also that this is the Bucs' second straight road game.

Arizona at Seattle.  My pick: UPSET SPECIAL---- CARDINALS   17-13.  Hmmm...again, interesting:  here again some oddsmakers make the Seahawks as much as a 7 point favorite here, over a 9-1 Cardinals team.  Yes, I know...Arizona has to use their 2nd string QB, Drew Stanton.  I know, Seattle is tough at home.  But this Seahawks has had problems.  Remember--Arizona BEAT Seattle, in Seattle, last year.  I think the Cards' defense is the best in the league.  So I say--Arizona is going to go up to the Great Northwest, and win...again.

St. Louis at San Diego.  My pick:  CHARGERS   16-10.  San Diego has issues.  I don't think they're fixed yet (for example--Philip Rivers is hurting; he has sore ribs).  I think the Rams' defense is very tough (they certainly showed that last week).  But the Chargers' defense is tough too, and I see that as the key to a Bolts victory in a low-scoring affair.

Miami at Denver.  My pick:  BRONCOS  24-16.  I think the Fins have a better team (and a tougher defense) than many give them credit for.  But:  the Broncos are at home, where they are very tough to beat; they've had a week to get over last week's disaster in St. Louis and, more importantly, to get practice time in and adjust to those who are injured.  I think Denver will bounce back here.

Washington at San Francisco.  My pick:  49ERS   20-10.  It's quite simple:  look for the Niners defense to dominate and get more turnovers here (just like last week), and that will be the key to the game.

Dallas at NY Giants.  My pick:  UPSET SPECIAL--GIANTS   27-24.  You know how it is--the Giants are now 3-7 on the year, and have lost 5 straight.  So this should be an easy pick, right?  But...I dunno.  Just a feeling.  It's a divisional game for the Cowboys, and on the road; that always seems to guarantee a closer battle.  The Giants still have weapons; they still have Eli Manning.  If the G-men lose, that would mean they'd lost 3 straight divisional games--that hasn't happened to them since 2003.  I just smell something unexpected happening here.

NY Jets vs Buffalo (game postponed from Sunday--it will be played in Detroit on Monday night).  My pick:  BILLS   17-10.  Kind of a strange situation, with the game being postponed.  But the Bills remain in the playoff hunt, and should be the hungrier team; and Buffalo's defense is very under-rated.  Look for them to dominate.

Baltimore at New Orleans (Monday night).  My pick:  SAINTS   28-24.  Obviously the Saints have under-performed this year.  But they remain in the thick of the playoff race in their division; so they have that going for them.  Plus, think of it this way--could the Saints really lose 3 straight games at home???  If they lost this one, that's what would happen; I just don't see it.  Look for New Orleans to bounce back.

TROUBLE WITH YOUR BALANCE? MAYBE TRY YOGA

Here's something that may help some of us with Moebius Syndrome.  Do you have Moebius?  Do you sometimes have trouble finding your balance when you run, walk, move about, exercise?  Do you sometimes feel like a klutz?  Of course, this can happen to anyone, whether they have Moebius or not.  But my own anecdotal impression--from my own life, and from talking to others who have Moebius--is that sometimes we have more balance issues than others.  Why is this, and what can we do about it?  The following article--not intended just for people with Moebius, but still I think very helpful--might be very interesting.  Read on:

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Do you trip over your own feet? Bump into things? Break nails and jam fingers by overreaching?

All human movements -- from walking up stairs to catching that pass in the end zone -- are driven by communication signals between the brain, central nervous system and our muscles.

There are health issues, like neuropathy (damage to the nervous system), which can inhibit this communication. So, if you're a chronic klutz, it's important to see your doctor before assuming your klutziness is just an inherent lack of mind-body connection efficiency.

For the rest of us who are just natural klutzes, practicing the right yoga techniques can curb these clumsy tendencies and improve balance by strengthening the mind-body connection.

Below are some simple postures that establish body awareness without relying on vision. In addition to athletes and others looking to enhance their coordination, I've successfully used these training techniques with multiple sclerosis patients and children with autism to help them gain better control of their bodies.

With regular practice, improvements in movement accuracy and sense of body control should be noticeable within a month.

Warrior II

Without a visual perspective, it can be challenging to judge your body's position, especially for those struggling with klutziness. Training this ability enhances body awareness.

Step your right foot back, keeping your leg straight, heel down and toes out to about 90 degrees. Bend your left knee to align directly over your left ankle. With your upper body aligned above your hips, reach your left arm forward and right arm back at shoulder height. Gazing over your front arm, try to align your back arm horizontally with your forward arm. When you feel it's perfectly placed, look back.

How'd you do? If you're off, make the correction and then look forward again. Take a few breaths while focusing on the sensation of alignment.

Repeat on the other side.

Lunge with mock sobriety test

Sobriety tests -- like walking a straight line, or bringing an outstretched arm in to touch a finger to your nose -- are designed to assess coordination of movements, since alcohol impairs neuromuscular communication. That's why a mock version of the roadside test can work as a training tool.

Step forward into a lunge pose with arms out wide at shoulder height. For stability and balance, engage your core and buttock muscles of your back leg.

Close your eyes and exhale as you slowly bring your right hand to your nose. Inhale and extend your arm again. Alternate hand-to-nose movements through six rounds of breath. Try to maintain a consistent, level path to your nose. If needed, modify by dropping your back knee and/or keeping your eyes open.

Repeat, lunging on the other side.

Modified tree pose with eyes closed

The ability to engage the right muscles for balance without a visual perspective is a skill that translates to even greater stability when all senses are available.

It's not easy but improves quickly with practice.

Stand on one foot and place the heel of your opposite foot just above the ankle on the inside of your standing leg, keeping your toes on the ground like a kickstand. Take a mental inventory of the muscles you're engaging -- like your core and quadriceps -- to remain stable. Close your eyes and try to maintain your balance while taking three deep breaths.

Initially, you may feel shaky as your brain reacts by firing a variety of muscles in an effort to compensate for the loss of sight. Consciously retake control of firing appropriate muscles for stability.

Repeat twice on each side.

 

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SOME ITEMS TO "MUSE" ABOUT

These are just some items that my Moebius friends have been mentioning lately, and that made me think that their great thoughts ought to be spread even more widely:

1] Families with a child with Moebius Syndrome--with a special needs child--are in some ways lucky.  They learn to accept differences.  They know all about diversity; they experience it every day.  They learn how beautiful differences can be and how it enhances you; it doesn't drag you down.  Knowing someone with Moebius Syndrome teaches you more about life.  It can be a beautiful thing.

2] So many parents and grandparents of someone with Moebius Syndrome are so proud.  They tout all the successes that come, and their love quite obviously is so strong.  Once again--it can be a beautiful thing.

3] So often we learn about accomplishments.  My Moebius friends are succeeding in college; at relationships; and at life.  One of my friends recently told the story about how her Moebius son is now able to get, by himself, into a chair.  That seems like the easiest thing in the world, but to a child with special needs, it isn't.  But they learn how to do it.  They learn how to adapt.  It can be a beautiful thing. 

There are problems we face with Moebius, too.  We face physical pains and obstacles.  Many Moebius children face sleep issues.  If you're a parent of a Moebius child, dealing every day with a child who has special needs puts great strain on both you, and your marriage.

On that note, one of my friends very recently wrote a beautiful, intelligent, penetrating blog entry about how having a special needs child has affected his marriage.  You can read that here.  Check it out; once again we see--despite all the problems, life and marriage and childhood--with Moebius!--can be a beautiful thing.

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FOR MOEBIUS MOMS AND DADS (AND FOR ANY PARENTS, REALLY): WHEN TO SPEAK UP

Ah, the dilemmas of being a parent.  When do you say something when you see ANOTHER parent not acting well? What do you tell your kids, if they see it too?  Read on:

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How long is too long to pretend to be a pterosaur?

When a little person is pretending to be a furry flying vertebrate soaring the unfriendly prehistoric skies at a special exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, the answer is clear.

Because there’s a sign. And the sign says don’t hog virtual lab when others are waiting.

This honor system seems fitting for a museum, although the integration of what feels like an Xbox game into the experience brought out some primal parental conflict one recent weekend.

Here’s what happened:

One father and his son dominated the pterosaur virtual lab in which a person stands, arms spread, and pilots the pterosaur on a screen ahead. Another father approached them and told them it was time to give others a turn.

At that point, sparks flew, teeth were bared, and the ensuring argument felt like two T-Rexes on the set of the McLaughlin Group.

Father No. 1 was not going to take the public reprimand, and ridiculed father No. 2, who stood his ground, gaining righteousness as he spoke for the group.

Except the group was mute.

My husband, who’d been in the line long enough to see father No. 1 cut to the front, didn’t say a word. Even I kept quiet, my mouth open, unable to say what was on my mind.

Of course father No. 2 was correct. But the other dad was a bully and there was no point picking a fight. He wasn’t going to change his ways and had quite a lot of accessible anger.

“Oh, man,” I said when I got home, “what does this mean for my offspring?”

Still, I felt like a plant eater, doomed to walk the slow but steady path towards extinction while the aggressive types dominated the scene.

So I did what any modern mother (reporter) would do. I contacted a friend who used to work at the museum. He referred me to Dr. Brian Andres, an assistant professor in the geosciences department at the University of South Florida.

Fortunately, Dr. Andres had been to the exhibit. There is simply no record of how pterosaurs, flying reptiles of the late Triassic and Cretaceous periods that kicked the bucket 66 million years ago, behaved while waiting in line, he explained.

He did say, however, that their reproductive biology appears to be something between birds and crocodiles. Based on the fossil record, pterosaurs had nesting colonies, which indicates that the individuals “could stand each other’s presence.”

So far, they seemed better behaved than father No.1.

And, Dr. Andres said, there is evidence that both males and females likely cared for the eggs and the young for a certain amount of time. But the men were larger and had “more extravagant crests.”

Father No. 1 did have a nice head of hair. In fact, he looked and sounded like a cross between Alan Rickman and Vladimir Putin. Not so warm and fuzzy.

We don’t know how female pterosaurs behaved, Dr. Andres told me, but their relatives, birds and crocodiles, defend their offspring.

I wanted to join the mammals, anyway.

And there was the evidence I needed. In the game of life, or the halls of a museum, wasn’t it all about protecting our young? Father No. 1 wanted to give his son the advantage in the group, experiencing the thrill of prehistoric flight until he dominated the virtual landscape. Father No. 2 fought for equality and a decent chance. And I, mother, whom Dr. Andres gamely described as a pterosaur with a slightly smaller form and “less conspicuous head crest,” just wanted to get out of there unnoticed.

Anytime my oldest child watches adults behave in ways that might earn them a visit to the principal’s office, she asks me a lot of questions, which lead to my own. Is there a less confrontational way to speak to someone you suspect is ready for a fight? At what point do you step in? And when do you listen to your instincts about knowing when to let things play out on their own? Our visit to the pterosaur exhibit revealed much about human behavior, it turned out.

Fossil record or not, there’s always someone who cuts to the front of a line and wants to stay there. So much of parenting feels like knowing when to compete and when to walk away. The best answer I had for my 9-year-old’s many questions was to explain that the same idea applies to growing up.

Sarah Maraniss Vander Schaaff blogs at The Educated Mom and is an editor at Mindprint Learning. Follow her on Twitter.

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TIPS FOR GETTING A BETTER NIGHT'S SLEEP

Because I know there are lots of people in general--and, specifically, a number of my friends in the Moebius community--who at times have trouble getting a good sleep.  And we need better sleep--it's important for your health.  So read on below--and be sure to go the link to the story here--it's got lots of other good links and tips there.

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Even a sleep expert gets tired sometimes.

"It's been a long day," explains a weary-sounding Nick Littlehales, as he answers the phone to start an interview explaining how he went from aspiring golf pro to the go-to recovery guru for top soccer clubs and Olympic athletes.

While, for many of us, sleep deprivation often compounds into a seemingly neverending spiral of exhaustion, Littlehales has dedicated most of his adult life to finding the tools that break the cycle.

If he has a late night, he knows how to factor it into his schedule and immediately get back on track.

"Sleep, as far as mental and physical recovery goes, has never been more important to not only elite sport but everyone I bump into who struggles with their sleep hygiene," he tells CNN.

"They've just been getting worse and worse and suddenly so out of sync with the natural circadian process that does so much for us. Eventually you start to become somebody that's way below what you can achieve at a personal level."

Not only have we lost touch with our natural body rhythms, which for thousands of years were dictated by sunrise and sunset, Littlehales says most people have little awareness of their sleep patterns and habits.

"All the executives, all the people doing two jobs, three jobs, and trying to do a semi-amateur pro sport, they're all trying to make 28 hours out of a 24-hour cycle, putting too much pressure on it," he says.

"More and more athletes who've moved over to that time are moving back to taking the pressure off the nocturnal period."

Technology is also playing its part -- people in all walks of life spend more and more time with electronic devices, such as phones and tablets that stimulate the brain with artificial light, forever checking their email and social media updates.

"The phone I'm talking to you on now was simply a mobile phone when I was walking around Manchester United football club in 1998 -- it is now used for so many different things," Littlehales says.

"They have a counter-productive effect on a very natural process called our circadian rhythms, which has so many biological consequences in our bodies.

"What you see now is more different levels of insomnia with athletes either being not able to stay asleep for a long-enough period, or not being able to get into sleep easily enough."

The methods that he has used to help footballers at clubs such as United and Real Madrid, along with cycling champions like Bradley Wiggins, are surprisingly simple -- once you dump the widely-held sleep concepts that he says have become increasingly obsolete.

For starters, forget about the convention that dictates we all need eight hours' sleep every night. Try 7.5, nine or even six.

"It's dead easy if you look at it in 90-minute cycles, which is how sleep is measured," Littlehales says.

"If you build a sleep routine around 90-minute cycles it gives a clear indication subconsciously -- it's not a routine you have to follow every day, but you've got something to focus on and it allows you to be flexible and it's so easy to follow."

In his case, he aims to be asleep around 11 p.m. and wake up at 6.30 a.m. --- giving himself time for a 90-minute pre-sleep routine and the same period post waking before starting work.

If, say, he goes out for dinner after work and gets home later than usual, rather than scramble to get to bed at the usual time, he'll make sure he still has his 90-minute slowdown period and aim for the next sleep slot of 12.30 a.m. and still get up at the same time.

Six hours' sleep might not seem enough, but this is where Littlehales turns to the habit that has died out in many Western countries -- the afternoon nap.

"We've got three natural sleep periods every day, and we need to use them," he says.

So if you've missed out overnight, try catching up with a controlled 20-minute nap between 1-3 p.m. or 5-7 p.m.

The siesta is a traditional break in many countries, especially those in hot climates, and Littlehales noticed it when he went to Spain to advise coaching staff at Real Madrid.

"Come one o'clock the place was deserted. They've got 80-odd rooms of seven-star suites at their training center," he says.

"Some players will go there and spend 2-3 hours like they would a siesta -- they'd have some food, have a nap. Some of them will go home and come back.

"Although it may look on the outside that they play more matches than any other club in Europe, if not the world, and they play at ridiculous times at night, but within all of their schedules there is a very strong recovery balance against activity."

Football gave Littlehales his big break in sport, becoming known as Manchester United's "sleep coach" in 1998 after a chance email to then manager Alex Ferguson earned him an invite to work with the club physio.

By that stage, his ambitions of being the next Seve Ballesteros on the golf circuit were long gone, but he had used many of the sales and networking skills he learned as a club pro to work his way up to the board of British company Slumberland and a role as chairman of the inaugural UK Sleep Council.

"That was trying to change people's perceptions -- but it was solely driven by retailers trying to sell more beds, not from the premise of improving the way people slept. That was really the end of my road," he says.

United had a problem with veteran England defender Gary Pallister, who was plagued by constant back pain. Littlehales suggested switching his sleeping arrangements -- it didn't cure the problem but helped Pallister's posture and subsequent rehabilitation.

It led to the introduction of sleep rooms at United's Carrington training ground to allow players to cope with the demands of morning and afternoon sessions, and Littlehales went on to work with the club's Premier League rival Arsenal and the England national team.

His ideas also caught the attention of British Cycling, which in 2009 was developing the nascent Team Sky pro outfit that would feature Tour de France winner and Olympic champion Wiggins.

"They were looking at recovery as a big issue and decided that my approach made a lot of sense to not only them but also the individual riders," says Littlehales.

"We created a sleep kit, which is a replication of the ideal layers -- pillow, duvet, linen -- all put together to allow a small group of staff to go into the hotel and unzip Bradley's bag, he sleeps in it, they zip it back up and take it to the next hotel.

"While he's traveling on a three-week grand tour, every night he would know that that stuff that's specifically focused on him for mental and physical recovery, it works, he's tried it.

"They started to build an enormous perceived value around this area, which is one of the largest chunks of their recovery period every day."

Wiggins went on to triumph at cycling's biggest race in 2012 and that same year won the Olympic time trial, while Chris Hoy -- another fan of the sleep kit -- claimed two more Games golds to become the sport's most decorated rider.

It's not just athletes who need quality sleep. Rest deprivation has been shown to take its toll on physical and mental health, impacting on work performance and relationships.

"There's a lot of evidence that (sleep problems are) some of the real reasons why type two diabetes is going up quite dramatically ... weight control, depression, bipolar, anxiety, stress -- there's a lot of quite serious health issues," Littlehales says.

"They're finding things like breast cancer in shift-working nurses against non-shift working nurses."

So how do you fix broken sleep patterns?

"Although it's a very simple process, once focused on it you realize that you can actually be spending a lot of your valuable time wasting it trying to sleep," says Littlehales, who recommends the following steps.

First, work out if you are an early person or a late one ("lark or owl") and how it applies to your work situation. Next, set constant sleep and wake times using 90-minute sleep cycles.

Establish 90-minute periods before sleep that reduce outside stimuli (i.e. shut down electronic devices) and bring down your body temperature -- don't exercise too strenuously at night.

Make sure your bedroom is dedicated to sleep and rest. Keep the temperature cool. Wake up with the sun, or during winter with the help of machines that simulate daylight. Give yourself 90 minutes to get ready for the day ahead.

Use afternoon naps to catch up on any missed sleep.

Littlehales says the last of those is often difficult for foreign footballers who join English clubs, where the culture is very different to their homelands. But that is changing as high-flying Premier League teams such as Manchester City and Southampton have also taken his ideas on board.

City has followed local rival United in investing in sleeping areas at its training ground, building a complex that will serve as a hotel before home games.

Littlehales says attitudes towards sleep in sport have changed a lot since he started working in the area, which is being recognized as one of the remaining aspects where human performance can be improved.

"Nobody would ever put their hand up and say I can't perform in a team or do that event because I had a poor night's sleep," he says.

"As the years have gone by, the analysis that's available to sports science professionals has just grown and grown so they know far more about any individual athlete than they ever did before.

"The performance levels of athletes have continued to improve and increase, so the more and more that happens the human form can only go so far.

"You can keep improving equipment, nutrition and things like that, but the human being needs to develop in a much better way."

For many of us, not just sports stars, a better night's sleep is a good start.

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FRIDAY FOOTBALL PICKS

I was 11-7 last week.
I am 99-60-1 for the year.
Let's go!

COLLEGE PICKS

Mississippi State at Alabama.  My pick:  BULLDOGS   24-17.  I know; everyone is picking 'Bama.  They've been there before; they have the pedigree.  But listen--Mississippi State has faced a gauntlet this year.  And won every game.  I don't think they'll be afraid.  MSU to win.

Florida State at Miami.  My pick:  SEMINOLES   31-24.  Lots of people are picking the Hurricanes in an upset here.  And yes, FSU has lived on the edge.  But--why can't the Noles keep doing so?  They have more talent than Miami.  FSU to survive again.

NFL PICKS

Minnesota at Chicago.  My pick:  BEARS  20-14.  I know, I know--the Bears have looked terrible.  But--they're at home here, I can't believe they're quite as bad as they've looked, they've been getting ripped by the media--and any team and any bunch of football players will hunker down when getting ripped like that; and so it's time for some things to go right for the Bears.

Houston at Cleveland.  My pick:  BROWNS  21-17.  What's helping the Browns is that they have a good defense, and a quarterback who plays within himself.  They don't always look hugely impressive; but they seem to mostly get it done, especially at home.  Look for the Texans to struggle as they start a new QB, Ryan Mallett.

Seattle at Kansas City.  My pick:  CHIEFS  24-23.  This is a very interesting matchup.  At the start of this season, looking ahead, I would have thought for sure I'd be picking Seattle here.  But--there have chinks in the Seahawk armor.  They've been sloppy, even in their wins.  You saw that again last week.  This Chiefs team has improved.  They'll capitalize on Seattle sloppiness.

Atlanta at Carolina.  My pick:  FALCONS  31-30.  You can't like the way Carolina has been playing--mistakes, poor QB play, you name it.  Meanwhile it seems like Atlanta maybe found some footing last week in their win; Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are connecting well.  Look for them to score more points this week.

Cincinnati at New Orleans.  My pick:  SAINTS    30-20.  The Bengals are in trouble.  A big reason why:  A.J. Green's health, and lately Andy Dalton's inconsistent play.  Those are not good trends going into New Orleans, where the Saints are very hard to beat (they should have won last week) and where Drew Brees' offense functions well.

Tampa Bay at Washington.  My pick:  REDSKINS  24-16.  Two teams which aren't going anywhere; but Washington at least has shown some signs of life lately.  Look for them to take care of business at home.

Denver at St. Louis.  My pick:  BRONCOS   34-17  So now Shaun Hill is going to start this week for the Rams?  Won't help here--the Broncos have too much firepower.

San Francisco at NY Giants.  My pick:  49ERS  28-20.  I think the Niners are starting to piece things together; look for their defense to force turnovers from the inconsistent Giants, and for Colin Kaepernick to run, pass, and generally make plays.

Oakland at San Diego.  My pick:  CHARGERS   24-10.  Finally, a chance for the Chargers to get well.  I don't think they'll let the opportunity slip.

Philadelphia at Green Bay.  My pick:  PACKERS  35-24.  This game will be fascinating to watch.  But I just think the Pack, at home, in cold weather, with Aaron Rodgers playing as well as he is (and thus giving the Pack a big edge in QBs over Mark Sanchez) will be too tough to beat.

Detroit at Arizona.  My pick:  CARDINALS 21-20.  Obviously I'm a Lions fan and I'd love to see them win this one; I am glad to have been wrong on the Lions so many times this year.  But on the road...against that tough Cardinals' defense?  I see AZ prevailing.

New England at Indianapolis.  My pick:  COLTS  38-34.  This is a really tough one to pick.  The Patriots obviously have played very well lately, especially Tom Brady.  But--the Colts do get them away from Foxboro; the Colts are coming off a bye and are rested, and have had time to prepare.  The stars would seem to align well for the Colts, who are very tough at home.

Pittsburgh at Tennessee.  My pick:  STEELERS  27-10.  The Steelers were flat against the Jets last week.  I don't expect that to happen again.  Zach Mettenberger is now playing QB for the Titans; this will be a real tough, and probably not good, matchup for him.

FOR MOEBIUS MOMS AND DADS: SOME DENTISTS WORK TO IMPROVE CARE FOR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

You know, going to the dentist can be difficult sometimes for kids with Moebius Syndrome.  As many of you parents know, Moebius kids have have unique issues with their teeth, and this can lead to various dental problems.  It can mean a number of, not to mention long, trips to the dentist.  And that too can be hard, given that those with Moebius can have oral issues in general.  I know that I have always had a very easily-triggered gag reflex; thus it can be hard when someone (like a dentist!) is putting something strange into my mouth. 

But the good news is, there are dentists out there who pay attention to these kinds of special needs, and who work to make things better.  Does your child's dentist know about some of these things?  Maybe you want to make him or her aware.  Read on:

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Amy Luedemann-Lazar originally disliked working with children with autism — with routine dental procedures becoming “backbreaking” work, given the children’s behavioral and communication difficulties.

It wasn’t a single turning point, but a series of smaller events that led the 42-year-old pediatric dentist to become one of the leading providers for children with special needs in the Houston area. Among the reasons: She watched a friend raise a daughter with autism, an influx of patients with special needs turned up at her office and she was introduced to a program designed to treat patients on the spectrum without restraint or sedation, typical practices in many dental offices.

Children on the spectrum can struggle with communication, adaptation and sensory processing, making dental treatment difficult and even sometimes dangerous. As a result, parents of this growing population — 1 in 68 U.S. children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder — can be left choosing between having their child immobilized or sedated or even just avoiding needed dental care.

At Kidstown Dental in Katy, Texas, Luedemann-Lazar begins slowly with patients who have special needs — starting by having them simply sit in the dentist’s chair for the count of 10 and working up to a procedure through incremental visits.

The efforts and techniques are much appreciated by parents of children with autism in the west Houston suburb, where about 1 in 56 students have a spectrum diagnosis, according to Katy Independent School District statistics.

“You can’t just go to any dentist — any pediatric dentist — and expect them to know how to work with your child,” said parent Cynthia Reece, president of the nonprofit Katy Autism Support group. Reece’s 15-year-old son who has autism sees “Dr. Amy.” “She’s the expert, the go-to person in our community.”

Luedemann-Lazar’s repetitive tasking approach — developed from a treatment technique called the D-Termined program — is a form of behavior guidance, and is part of a growing movement in pediatric dentistry aimed at tailoring care for patients with autism.

Children on the spectrum “learn by applied behavior analysis, where things are broken down into small steps,” David Tesini, a Massachusetts-based pediatric dentist who developed the D-Termined program about a decade ago. “Everything should be broken down into small steps.”

Building up to dentist

The D-Termined program — created for children with autism but applicable to those with a wide range of special needs — is designed accordingly, with patients repeating and slowly building on each of the steps involved in seeing the dentist over the course of multiple visits. The program was successful with 68 percent of patients studied in a yet-to-be-published study out of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Tesini said, meaning these patients were treated without restraint, sedatives or anesthesia.

Although the D-Termined program is relatively new — Tesini released the first instructional video nine years ago — a similar repetitive tasking technique is taught at most pediatric residency programs, including the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, said Gary Badger, chairman of the school’s pediatric dentistry department.

“There’s additional attention to this simply because there are greater numbers than there were before,” he said.

‘The child whisperer’

The approach has allowed Luedemann-Lazar to earn parents’ trust for her commitment to helping children with special needs learn the skills to be treated as mainstream patients are. “She’s gone the extra mile,” Reece said. “She’s like the child whisperer.”

Born and raised in Houston, Luedemann-Lazar never expected to be a pediatric dentist, much less one known for treating children with special needs, she said.

“I wasn’t going to be a pediatric dentist because I knew I loved dentistry but I loved kids too much,” Luedemann-Lazar said, explaining that she had seen too many unhappy, terrified children in the dental offices where she had worked.

However, she took an interest in children with autism after spending time with a friend whose older daughter has autism, which she said opened her eyes “to autism and the struggles of it.”

Waiting in the wings

After completing her residency and returning to the Houston area, Luedemann-Lazar began treating most of the patients with autism where she worked. When it came time to open her own practice, where she treats patients with and without special needs, Luedemann-Lazar had developed enough of a following that parents of children on the spectrum were already waiting in the wings for an appointment.

“The first seven out of 10 kids were autistic children that had been waiting for my practice to open,” Luedemann-Lazar said. “I was super scared.”

Exciting achievement

Two years after Kidstown Dental opened its doors, Luedemann-Lazar is seeing patients like Seth Skaggs, a 6-year-old with Down syndrome who had to be sedated the first time he got his teeth cleaned. Like children with autism, Seth has trouble adapting to new things; dentistry is no exception.

The morning of his fourth appointment with Luedemann-Lazar, who had yet to be able to complete his cleaning, Seth was so excited about his trip to the dentist that he practiced dentistry on his little brother, his mom Emily Skaggs said. “Seth put the gloves on and he practiced in Kyle’s mouth,” Skaggs said.

In Luedemann-Lazar’s office, the dental assistant asked Seth to sit in the chair to the count of 10, then to do so with the chair reclined, and so on until he was, for the first time, able to sit through a cleaning, fully alert. There were prizes at the end of each step, and the Disney movie “Frozen” played on the TV above Seth’s head.

“I’m really surprised that he did it,” Skaggs said when Seth hopped off the chair, his teeth cleaned. “I never thought we’d get here.”

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MOEBIUS SYNDROME IN THE NEWS; OR, AWARENESS WATCH: A SAD STORY

This is a very sad story.  And it deals directly with Moebius Syndrome, and the death of a child who had it.   I have to say that, based on the facts as I read them in this story, I hope the nurse in question is punished, and does receive jail time.  Read the story.  It certainly sounds like there was gross negligence there.  It led to a child's death.

And yes, young Kayla had Moebius Syndrome; she had medical issues.  But she deserved a life just as much as anyone else, and she could have had a great life.  So many of us with Moebius around today are living testimony to that.  She deserved better care on that fateful day; and she deserves to have people speaking up for her and fighting for her now.  Read on--see what you think.  No jail time for this?  Seriously?  No way, one hopes:

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A Tennessee nurse has pleaded guilty to the reckless homicide of a three-year-old with a rare genetic disorder, but she is asking that the court not only give her no jail time, but also let her return to nursing. The child’s mother tells a local news station that it feels like justice is slipping away.
Kayla Andrews was born with a rare genetic disorder known as Moebius Syndrome. The neurological disorder affects the sixth and seventh cranial nerves, leaving those some of those afflicted with Moebius with respiratory problems and assorted other disabilities.
Kayla, who was three years old, was hooked to life-support machines, requiring around the clock, in-home care, according to Fox 8 New Orleans. Her nurse at the time, Demequa Bonds, silenced an alarm on Kayla’s monitoring equipment. That act, prosecutors say, meant that Bonds was not alerted when Kayla’s condition took a turn for the worse and the three-year-old needed immediate, life-saving care.
A nearly year-long investigation followed Kayla’s death, and Bonds was indicted in 2013 on a reckless homicide charge. Bonds pleaded guilty to the charge, but she maintained throughout that she was innocent.
“Did you in any way cause this child to die?” Bonds’ defense attorney asked during the trial.
“No,” Bonds replied, “I did not.”

According to Bonds, she silenced the alarm on Kayla’s equipment in order to keep it from waking up Kayla’s twin sister, who slept in the same room. Bonds says that she was distracted when the alarm went off because she was busy cleaning “a filthy room” in the house.
“There were a couple issues,” Bonds said, “but I worked through them because this wasn’t just my patient; this was my baby too.”
Bonds, currently free on $10,000 bail, is asking that she be allowed to forego jail time. She also requests that her record be expunged, which would allow her to eventually return to nursing.
Kayla’s mother, Christina Andrews, says that she is “extremely disappointed that our legal system allows for something like that.”
“She’s fighting for [her] freedom and for her family,” Andrews told Fox 8, “and I understand that; we didn’t get the opportunity to fight for Kayla. She took that away from us.”
The judge in Bonds’ case has not yet made a ruling on whether the nurse will be sentenced to jail or not. The sentencing hearing in the case will resume on November 25.


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MOEBIUS SYNDROME IN THE NEWS: UK EDITION

This is a recent story that appeared in the UK, concerning yet another young Moebius heroine, three-year-old Isabella Seddon.  No--as her parents say in the article, they may never get to see her smile.  But I do hope they come to know--Isabella's smiles will be there on the inside; they will come from the heart; and as is already happening, she will continue to amaze them.  Read on:

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It's a magical moment for any parent, when their child looks into their eyes and beams the biggest, brightest smile.
But, for Carla Seddon and husband, Ged, that heart-melting moment will never happen.
Three-year-old daughter Isabella was born with a rare condition which means her facial muscles are paralysed.
“We will never see her smile,” says Carla. “And that is heartbreaking.
“To see that would be fantastic.”
But she says: “We will do everything we can to help her lead a normal, happy life.
“And we take joy in every milestone she achieves.
“She just amazes us.”
Carla and Ged were among those attending the first-ever conference for Moebius Syndrome, held at Alder Hey Hospital recently. Their aim, along with that of the Moebius Research Trust, is to raise awareness of the rare congenital disorder with which only one or two people are born in the UK every year.
“It is extremely rare,” says Dr Adel Fattah, consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon at the Liverpool children’s hospital.
“And to have such a rare condition can be quite isolating,” adds Dionne Read, trustee of the Moebius Research Trust, which was set up to fund research and try to find a cause.
“The event was to allow those affected, and their families, to hear from experts and share information between themselves.”
There are thought to be only 200 cases of Moebius Syndrome - also known as Frozen Face Syndrome - in the UK and only 2,000 people worldwide.
The main features of the condition are determined by the absence of the sixth and seventh cranial nerves which control facial expression. These nerves allow us to blink and move the eyes laterally and, effectively, give us the ability to smile.
Other nerves and muscles can also be affected by the condition, causing difficulty in chewing and swallowing, speech impediments and limited use and/or deformity of the tongue, cleft or high arched palate and hearing difficulties and sensitivity to loud noises.
Eyes can be sensitive, due to the inability to blink or squint; missing limbs, finger or toes and club feet or small limbs.
Isabella was born on August 23, after IVF treatment for Carla, 40, and Ged, 47. But neither had any clue that anything was wrong until after their beautiful baby was born.
“It soon became clear she wasn’t breathing properly,” says Carla, “so she was taken to the special care baby unit.
“She just didn’t do much, she just lay there and was quite floppy.
“I noticed all the other babies were crying and looking around, but Isabella wasn’t. She just had a fixed stare.
“The doctors at the hospital didn’t know what was wrong with her.”
Because Isabella didn’t have a sucking reflex, she was fed via a tube through the nose, before a peg was fitted and, latterly, a Mic-Key button.
“She was transferred to Alder Hey at about six to eight weeks old,” says Carla, “and she made progress.”
Isabella went home from hospital at three months, but it was clear to Carla that, while she didn’t know what was the matter, something was wrong.
“I realised that she had a small tongue and a high arched palate and, because she wasn’t using the muscles in her face, I worried about her losing them.
“I went on to a search engine on my computer and, when I put in her symptoms, Moebius Syndrome came up.
“I took what I had found to the doctors and they said ‘congratulations, you have diagnosed your own child’s disability’.”
A brain scan at two revealed Isabella had fluid on the brain and a shunt was fitted to release the pressure and drain the fluid, a procedure which seems to have been successful.
Carla and Ged are still trying to find out as much as they can about the condition and making plans for the future.
“We are trying to get funding after finding out about a facial machine at a Cheshire Clinic which stimulates the muscles.
“This will stop them from dropping, which can happen if they are not used, and is better if we go ahead with surgery when Isabella is older.
“There is an operation which transplants thigh muscles into the face so that when someone then clenches their teeth, it creates a smile. They operate on children in America but, here, they wait until the child is old enough to consent, which I understand.”
Isabella can eat solids herself but has liquids fed directly into her stomach because her inability to swallow means they go into her lungs.
“There are times when it gets to you,” says Carla, “and, awful though it sounds, you just want a ‘normal’ child.
“But it’s a miracle Isabella is here at all and I count my blessings every day.
“She is a little behind her targets for development and she can’t talk properly, but we manage to communicate in our own little way. And she just amazes us every day.
“When she does manage to crawl, or walk as she did in April, it is a huge thing to us. And those milestones mean more than ever and we are overjoyed.”
Carla and Ged are trying to raise funds or get funding for talk tools – specific speech therapy for Moebius Syndrome children is specialised and very costly. Meanwhile, Carla is already working on a tried and tested system with Isabella, putting her fingers up to her mouth to create a smile.
“At the moment, it’s just a scary face,” says Carla, “but I’m happy with that.
“Then we will work on a sad face and a happy face.
“I just want our little girl to have as normal a life as possible, and we will do everything to help that happen.”


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FOR MOEBIUS MOMS AND DADS: 10 FRIENDS EVERY MOM NEEDS

And dads can use friends like these, too!  But more specifically--look, it can be difficult being a new parent.  It's a big adjustment.  It can be more difficult to get out.  It can seem lonely at times.  You have so many questions.  And so you need friends!  And of course this is true for any parent.  It's especially true for parents of Moebius children.  So the advice you will see below is valuable for any parent.  But it's especially true for Moebius parents--and of course you will want to think specifically about networking with other parents of Moebius children.  Thank goodness that Facebook and other social media outlets are so good for that.  Read on:

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It’s a lonely journey through play dates, potty training, and preschool without a mom friend to listen to your complaints. Er, I mean, your stories. These 10 types of friends comprise an ideal support network for every mom of small kids.
1. The Mom With a Kid A Year Older Than Your Oldest Kid.
This demi-goddess knows everything there is to know. She can be counted on to tell you how to deal with lice, when you’re supposed to start research summer camps, and which lunchbox works best for kindergarten. And she even gives your kid hand-me-downs! She would have to be convicted of first degree murder for you to stop being her friend. I mean, unless they let her call you from prison to tell you which gymnastics place is best for birthday parties. Then it would be like, whatever, she was framed.
2. The Friend With a Kid a Year Younger Than Your Kid.
Wow, you’re smart and competent. At least you feel that way after talking to this friend. Can you believe she doesn’t even know which gymnastics place does the best birthday parties? Thankfully, you’re around to give her advice, which makes her so grateful that it really bolsters your self-esteem. (Note: talk to this friend immediately after you talk to Friend #1.)
3. The Friend Without Kids.
Hey, you know what you don’t feel like talking about today? People who call you mom. Ideal time to call your friend without kids! She may politely inquire about your children for the first few minutes, but you can turn the conversation to something more interesting by asking what she thinks about some issue in the newspaper. (Note: to prep for this call, put your kids in front of the TV for a half hour so you can read a newspaper).
4. The Mom Whose Kid Your Kid Likes
It’s easy-peasy to get together with her, because your kids actually get along. So what if she’s an extreme couponer while you avoid the sale rack because that stuff is all picked over? So what if you drive a Prius and are vegan and she drives an SUV to McDonald’s? If your kids ask to hang out with each other, and get so involved in playing that they don’t keep asking you for snacks, band-aids, or to play on the iPad, this woman is your new best friend.
5. The Friend That Your Kids Like Better Than They Like You
Whether she has kids or not, this veritable Mary Poppins has a gift for making kids smile and laugh. More power to her. While she plays elaborate pretend games and actually remembers the words in all the Frozen scenes, you can hang out on Facebook on your phone. I mean, watch and participate.
6. The friend whose in-laws are worse than yours
Your husband asks what you have in common with this friend, and you say, “Oh, stuff.” Stuff like that she’s the only one whose crazy mother-in-law stories trump yours. I mean, dropping by unannounced with a new puppy for the kids even though your friend is allergic to dogs? What a riot! Unreal! When you catch your breath from laughing, you feel better about your life. And your MIL seems tolerable in comparison.
7. The friend who knew you from before you were a mom
Remember that hot guy you hooked up with in college who turned out to be an actual model? And then he kept calling long after you weren’t interested anymore? Well, this friend remembers. And she knows just when to bring that story up. She also knows what you like to drink, and orders it for you before you even arrive on those rare nights that you can escape the house after bedtime.
8. The friend who is just really nice
Did you lose weight? This friend thinks so. She also thinks your kids are really well behaved. And what a cute outfit! Do you need her to watch the baby while you go to the bathroom? It is likely you were originally intimidated by this woman when you first met her, because she was so well put together and confident. And then she turned out to be nice, too. Isn’t that always the way it goes.
9. The friend who is not that nice
This friend always has hilarious stories about the mom at playgroup who was sanctimonious and rude. She doesn’t sugarcoat her own opinions either, and she openly complains about her kids. She makes you feel like Mother Teresa, and she’s also a lot of fun to spend time with. (Note: She’s a good friend to spend time with after you hang out with Friend #8. Then you won’t feel like you’re secretly the most negative and self-centered person in the world.)
10. The friend who just gets it
This friend, whether she’s been in your exact situation herself, makes you feel understood. She gets your jokes and is always there when you need her (even if it’s just via text, since, let’s face it, she’s as busy as you are). If you met her earlier in life, you would call her your best friend, but if it’s later, you just call her your close friend. Either way, she is always in your corner.
If you’re not lucky enough to have all of these types of friends already, send this article to someone you want to woo as a potential mom friend. (But don’t use the word “woo” anywhere in your email or else you’re #11, the Weird Friend.) And remember, a stranger mom is just a mom friend that you haven’t had a play date with yet.
Dr. Samantha Rodman is a clinical psychologist in private practice, a dating coach, and a married mom of three. Visit her at Dr. Psych Mom.
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FRIDAY FOOTBALL PICKS!

Last week I went 10-4.
I am not 88-53-1 for the year.
Let's go!

COLLEGE PICKS

Oregon at Utah.  My pick:  DUCKS    31-14.  Utah has surprised this year and has a great defense, but I think Oregon has too much firepower.

Alabama at LSU.  My pick:  CRIMSON TIDE   24-7.  It's very hard to pick against Nick Saban; it looks like his team might be rounding into shape.

Kansas State at TCU. My pick:  HORNED FROGS   28-27.  The West Virginia game suggests:  this Frogs team might be a charmed team of destiny.

Ohio State at Michigan State.  My pick:  SPARTANS  24-21.  Look for Michigan State's defense to, just enough times, confuse the young Ohio State QB in this big game.  And it doesn't hurt that MSU is at home.

Notre Dame at Arizona State.  My pick:  IRISH  31-27.  Against Florida State, the Irish got unlucky and let one get away.  I say this time the odds are in their favor; the breaks will go their way.

Baylor at Oklahoma.  My pick:  BEARS  38-35.  Oklahoma's defense has shown it can be scored on.  Baylor will do so and out-gun the Sooners on the road, though not by much.

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NFL PICKS

Kansas City at Buffalo.  My pick:  CHIEFS   20-17.  I just like Andy Reid and Alex Smith's patient, few-mistakes approach to things; and I think the KC defense will get Kyle Orton to make a mistake or two.

Miami at Detroit.  My pick:  DOLPHINS  24-20.  I worry that the Lions will be rusty, coming off a bye; and that Miami is playing well right now.

Dallas vs Jacksonville (in London).  My pick:  COWBOYS  27-14.  I expect Tony Romo will play, but the majority of the time he'll be handing the ball off to DeMarco Murray and letting the O-line do its work.

San Francisco at New Orleans.  My pick:  SAINTS  27-23.  I just think the 49ers have lost their mojo; and the Saints are very, very tough at home.

Tennessee at Baltimore.  My pick:  RAVENS  21-16.  I look for this game to be a little closer than you might think; and this is because Baltimore is coming off a tough divisional loss last week to the Steelers, and might be flat.  But in the end the Ravens pull it out.

Pittsburgh at NY Jets.  My pick:  STEELERS   31-24.  Again, I think Pittsburgh and Big Ben will pull this one out; but look for this to be a closer game than you might think.  Again, this is because the Steelers had a big divisional home game last Sunday night, and thus might be flat.

Atlanta at Tampa Bay.  My pick:  FALCONS  34-28.  Both teams are having tough years, and have many issues; I just think Matt Ryan and the Falcons are due for a win, and here is where they'll find it.

Denver at Oakland.  My pick:  BRONCOS   34-17.  Again, it wouldn't surprise me if we see a flat, favored team here--this time the Broncos, coming off that loss in New England.  But they simply have too much firepower to lose here.

St. Louis at Arizona.  My pick:  CARDINALS  21-13.  Look for the Cardinals and that tough defense to not exactly wow folks with dazzling offensive displays, but...in the end...to win.

NY Giants at Seattle.  My pick:  SEAHAWKS  27-10.  Look for the Seahawks to start ramping things up; being at home will as always help.

Chicago at Green Bay.  My pick:  UPSET ALERT   BEARS  30-28.  Just a feeling here, but:  both teams are coming off a bye.  Everybody is ripping the Bears, their defense, Jay Cutler, etc; everyone assumes they have no chance in Green Bay, the Packers always beat them, etc etc.  But the Bears and Cutler are capable.  When they lost to the Packers in Chicago a few weeks ago, they still moved the ball for over 400 yards of total offense and lost only due to untimely turnovers.  So often in the NFL games like this, where everyone assumes a certain thing, are where the upsets come.  Let's see if this is it.

Carolina at Philadelphia (Monday night).  My pick:  UPSET ALERT #2:  PANTHERS   35-31.  Again--the Panthers with Cam Newton and co. are capable--of moving the ball, of scoring points.  They are due.  The Eagles meanwhile have to go with Mark Sanchez, who is not as terrible as some make him out to be, but...still.  He's a backup for a reason.  Look for an upset on Monday night.

BRAIN TALK: ON WORKING TOO HARD...AND THINKING

Here on this blog we're always interested in news about the brain.  For Moebius Syndrome has, partly, to do with the brain; for those with Moebius, two of the nerves connecting the brain to the face don't work quite right, thus leading to our partial facial paralysis.  So we want to know as much as we can about the brain, and thinking.  So, today, we learn that one should perhaps beware of working too hard and of working too long of a shift.  For it can harm one's ability to think:

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It's not the news that any shift worker wants to hear. Not only is working irregular hours bad for your social life and likely your health, but it has a chronic effect on your ability to think, a new study has found.

The study, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, looked at the long-term impact on people's cognitive abilities of working at odd hours or with frequently changing shifts.

Researchers in France and the United Kingdom followed employed and retired workers in southern France -- some of whom had never worked shifts, while others had worked them for years -- over the course of a decade.

They found that shift work was associated with impaired cognition, and the impairment was worse in those who had done it for longer.

The impact was particularly marked in those who had worked abnormal hours for more than 10 years -- with a loss in intellectual abilities equivalent to the brain having aged 6.5 years.

The only encouraging finding for shift workers is that the decline can be reversed by a switch to regular hours. The bad news? It takes at least five years, the findings suggest, except for processing speeds.

Rotating hours

The authors say their research is the first published study into the reversibility of the chronic impact of shift work on the brain after the shift work finishes.

For the study, the participants were asked to carry out cognitive tests intended to assess long- and short-term memory, processing speeds and overall cognitive ability on three occasions, in 1996, 2001 and 2006.

Just under half of the sample, 1,484 people, had worked shifts for at least 50 days of the year.

Participants were aged exactly 32, 42, 52 and 62 at the time of the first set of tests. In all, just under 2,000 people were assessed at all three time points.

Around a fifth of those in work and a similar proportion of those who had retired had worked a shift pattern that rotated between mornings, afternoons, and nights.

Daylight may improve office workers' health

Normal sleep a 'privilege' for night workers

Circadian rhythms

The researchers, from the University of Swansea and the University of Toulouse, say this is an observational study so no definitive conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect.

However, they suggest that disruption to the body clock could "generate physiological stressors, which may in turn affect the functioning of the brain."

Humans are wired to sleep at night by their circadian rhythm, a 24-hour cycle that brings about physical, mental and behavioral changes in the body. The circadian rhythm affects sleep cycles, hormone releases, body temperature and various processes. Besides the intellectual impact, disrupting it has been associated with health problems including ulcers, heart disease and breast cancer.

Other research has also linked vitamin D deficiency caused by reduced exposure to daylight to poorer thinking skills, the researchers say.

"The cognitive impairment observed in the present study may have important safety consequences not only for the individuals concerned, but also for society as a whole, given the increasing number of jobs in high hazard situations that are performed at night," the researchers warn.

At the very least, the findings suggest that monitoring the health of people who have worked shift patterns for 10 years would be worthwhile, they say.

It's a message that merits attention.

It has been remarked that accidents tend to happen late in the night or in the early morning -- as with the Three Mile Island disaster in 1979 and the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

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FOR MOEBIUS MOMS AND DADS: ON BEING CONNECTED...BUT NOT BEING DISTRACTED

A very interesting article by a parent who believes that you have to be connected to the world through technology, that smartphones are not necessarily evil...but who also wants to avoid potentially dangerous distractions.  Read on--and read the whole thing, it's interesting:

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It’s been exactly one year since I wrote Distracted Living. In that piece, I described a night when I left my daughter alone in the tub while I went to start the shower for her brother. I stopped to look at an e-mail. It was just two minutes, but it could have been a lifetime. She had fallen asleep in the bathtub. I could have lost her.
I had no idea that my story of that night would resonate with so many. What was it that we were responding to? How it is that so many men and women across the country saw themselves in that moment? What was taking over all of us?
I have revisited this question many times over a long, wonderful, and exhausting year. I believe there were two parts to my story that night. The first was a feeling that I believe resonates with many of us — we feel frustration or boredom in the day-to-day minutiae of parenting, and we use our phones as an escape from these hard feelings. The other piece of it was a desire to operate much like our phones, to try to do multiple things at once with increasing efficiency. Perhaps it’s not just that we’re glued to our phones, but rather that we’re becoming them.
I regret that after all this time, I still have more questions than answers. Are our lives supposed to have a headline, a main story that we could, in effect, be distracted from? Or are we supposed to be living in multiple places, spaces, and stories at all times? Were we designed that way? Or are we adapting, literally evolving, from an evolutionary place in terms of how we operate, based on these little devices we almost always have in our hands, next to us, in our back pocket, in front of our faces, on our nightstands, never more than two inches from us.
I have come to realize that my desire to multi-task stems from a very human place, not just an overly aggressive attachment or dependency on technology. You see, what I missed in my post one year ago was that I pinned the source of this inability to single task, this feeling of chronic distractedness, as directly correlated with the rise of smartphones and tablets. It was easy to blame this feeling on technology, which felt like the likely candidate.
Sure, I think there is some truth to that – that there is some sinister underpinning to the increasing scope of this stuff in our lives. But what I undervalued is what drives that increasing scope: you and me. Human desires, struggles, boredom, frustration. I wasn’t just externally distracted by other people and places and things that needed me, I was equally seeking distractions in a very human quest to evade tricky feelings through enough apps and clicks.
Over the past several months, I have taken some steps to increase my comfort level with the role of technology in my life, and to minimize distractions. I have specific moments in my day when phones and tablets are far away. These include: meals, driving, bathing, and bedtime rituals with our children. I have deleted all social media apps from my phone. If I want to check something I need to do so through Internet Explorer which is more cumbersome and less user-friendly on a mobile device. This is good because it discourages me from doing so too often throughout the day. Perhaps most importantly, all of my notifications have been disabled. It doesn’t hum or rattle or beep or anything. It just lies there and does nothing, the way a piece of plastic should.
But this feeling of struggling to single task, I would be lying if I said it didn’t still persist. It is hard to be okay with letting things drop: being late, or messy or uncomfortable or letting little ones feel impatient. It is hard to feel that you cannot help them all or do it all. It is a hard truth borne from a slowly evolving realization that doing less can, in fact, mean more.
I recently read an article detailing a scientific study that people who read books, or who engage in “slow reading,” are more able to retain information than if the same thing is read on an e-reader. The authors write: “As we increasingly read on screens, our reading habits have adapted to skim text rather than really absorb the meaning.” This perfectly sums up this feeling that I continue to struggle with: this feeling of trying to do too much at any one time; this feeling of skimming through life, rather than absorbing the meaning.
Do you know this feeling? It is the difference between sitting at the table versus being at it, or putting them to bed versus tucking them in. It is the difference between eating your food versus tasting it or raising your kids versus enjoying them. Are you truly there in mind and body, or are you skimming?
Honestly, it’s harder than it looks. One year later, I still fight the impulse to avoid hard feelings by looking down, or to just multitask my way through the hours. Each day, I am at war with myself over the misguided and culturally reinforced notion that having it all, in fact, means doing it all. It is a hard fight. But I continue to wage my own daily struggle with intention.
I fight knowing that this life and the people I love are worth it; knowing how much better and brighter it will be to put down a world filled with mindless to-dos and distractions that glow at me from within my phone, to truly stay present in the world I am blessed enough to be in.
Meer, a mother of three, lives in New England, where she writes her blog, My Jenn-eration. You can also find her on twitter @JennMeer. 

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CULTURE AND AWARENESS WATCH

At school, too often children with disabilities still face obstacles--some of them man-made.  Read on, and don't let your child be treated unfairly:

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Despite many states making policy updates in recent years, a new analysis suggests that students with disabilities continue to experience high rates of restraint and seclusion at school.

The practices were employed at similar levels during both the 2011-2012 school year and the 2009-2010 year, according to a review of federal education data conducted by researchers at the University of New Hampshire.

Between those time periods, the report indicates that about half of states revised their policies on restraint and seclusion.

The analysis found that 69 percent of school districts reported no use of restraint and 87 percent did not use seclusion, but a small percentage of districts had “exceedingly high rates.” School districts at both the high and low ends were found in nearly every state.

“Although restraint and seclusion rates across states continue to range considerably, between-state variation is overshadowed by the tremendous within-state variation,” the researchers said. “These findings suggest that local policy decisions and other factors related to school culture, rather than state policy, seem to be the greatest determinants of restraint and seclusion rates.”

During the 2011-2012 school year, the U.S. Department of Education found that kids with disabilities accounted for three-quarters of those who were physically restrained and 58 percent of students who were placed in seclusion or some other form of involuntary confinement at schools across the country. (Read all of Disability Scoop’s coverage of restraint and seclusion »)

Efforts to enact federal legislation to regulate restraint and seclusion in schools have been unsuccessful, leaving a patchwork of state and local policies.

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AUTISM UPDATE

Some of the latest scientific studies are out on autism's genetic basis, and here's what they've found:

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Researchers have found dozens of new genes that may play a role in causing autism, according to two studies published Wednesday in the medical journal Nature.

Scientists identified 60 genes with a greater than 90% chance of increasing a child's autism risk. Previous research has yielded only 11 genes that had been confirmed with this level of certainty.

Though other studies have shown the importance of genetics in the development of autism, experts say these new studies zero in on the exact nature of the genetic mutations that cause the disorder.

The researchers say these genes appear to be clustering around three sets of key biological functions.

The first set focuses on the development of synapses in the brain, which are responsible for all kinds of communication between nerves. The second set is responsible for the creation of genetic instructions, and the third is responsible for DNA packaging within cells.

Each of these functions could have an effect on the individual that would cause the traits commonly associated with autism, according to one of the studies.

Dr. Matthew State, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and co-author of both studies, believes that the most important thing to take away from the studies is a new knowledge base. Instead of focusing on environmental factors, he says, these studies are focusing on what happens inside of the brain.

This kind of genetic research has been used to treat all kinds of disorders and diseases, State says, but before now had not been applied to psychiatric disorders. Similar genetic studies for childhood leukemia took it from nearly always fatal to a treatable, often curable disease.

"It's the understanding of biology at that level that's helped treatments for cancer. It's something we've been missing in psychiatric disorders in general," State said. "They lay the groundwork for a transformed understanding of the disorder and hopefully a transformation in how we're able to diagnose and treat it."

Autism is a complex disorder, one that has been difficult to treat because it is so poorly understood. By tapping into the genetic foundation of the disorder, scientists theorize, it may be possible to provide more personalized treatment based on a person's own unique gene set.

"I think that if everybody were to be genotyped when they're diagnosed, the more this is studied, the more we'll be able to say what the biological causes are ... and we can target your symptoms with more personalized medicine," said Dan Smith, senior director of neuroscience at the advocacy organization Autism Speaks.

In addition to developing treatments based on a better understanding of the disorder, the study provides hope for the prevention of autism as well. A portion of the genes studied were de novo genes: not passed down from either parent but developed in the egg or sperm shortly before conception. Further studies could determine what environmental factors cause those genes to mutate.

"This is going to begin to give us an opportunity to study the interactions between genes and environment," State said. "The rate of new mutation increases with age, specifically fathers, because a lot of these mutations are in sperm."

State is optimistic about the future and what these two studies will contribute.

"The big difference is that five years ago, we had no idea. When you have no idea, you have no opportunity to think in a systematic or rational way to develop treatment," he said. "We can finally say something really concretely about a large number of genes that contribute to risk."

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