Wednesday, May 5, 2010

I Forgive You Mama...You Growth Stunter You

Smoking While Pregnant May Raise Psychiatric Risks in Kids:
Study found the more cigarettes a woman smoked, the greater the chances of psychiatric problems.
TUESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- A woman who smokes while pregnant increases her baby's risk of developing psychiatric problems in childhood and young adulthood, a new Finnish study suggests.
While there's plenty of evidence that smoking during pregnancy puts unborn children at risk for long-term health problems such as asthma, ear infections and respiratory disease, this research is among the first to find a connection between prenatal smoking and an increased risk for mental illnesses, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression, in the mother's offspring. The risk was even higher in the offspring of women who smoked more than a pack a day while pregnant. Their kids were 44 percent more likely to use psychiatric drugs than children whose moms didn't smoke.
Now Mama, I know that you and your six sisters all had big babies. I also know that folk wisdom back then said that if you were prone to have big babies, a little sip and a little cig would assist in you having smaller but healthy ones. I also realize that Camel cigarettes had an ad campaign back then touting that "More Doctors smoked Camels than any other brand". I've often said that I could have gone on to greatness if you hadn't smoked and drank during your pregnancy with me. It's ok mom. I'm happy with how you treated me in utero and how I've turned out.

This photo of you-sooo pregnant with me and sooo not wanting your picture taken is one of my treasures. With Mother's Day on the cusp, I just wanted to say again that I never really wanted to be a member of Mensa anyway, that my gifts are modest but I've learned to amplify them in ways that sometimes still astonish me, that being tall dark and handsome is overrated and thanks be to God that some women enjoy spending time with elfin fellas that are funny.

Onward-Anyway. ADG  




14 comments:

TWJ said...

Beautiful. At my age my mother was at the height of influence by the MAD MEN advertising people. Not Camels but Virginia Slims were her choice. She quit before she had my brother. I am 5' 11" and he is 6' 2". No matter, I got the good looks and all he got was the red hair.

TWJ

PS - I'm glad mom does not know about blogs because I did manage to nab a picture of her kinda like this. Oh, she would so not be happy with me...

LPC said...

Did you have any siblings? I am not sure I, as a mother, could have survived more than one of you. JK. Happy Mother's Day to your mama.

K.S.Anthony said...

I think my mother smoked a lot more when she was pregnant with my older brother than she did when she was pregnant with me. He's an attorney.

Haw haw haw.

ADG said...

TWJ...I'm 5'9" and my brother is 6 even. Seems that most of my clan...excepting my father, lives forever regardless of how they behave.

LPC...I have a sister who's three years older and was the perfect child. I was incorrigible but not malicious or unkind. My rowdiness was driven by insatiable curiosity-still is. THEN...my mother decided to have another after I occupied the baby of the family slot for almost ten years. He's a superb brother.

K.S.A. Haw haw haw back at you.

ilovelimegreen said...

It never occurred to me why I am a bit shorter than my Amazonish mother (who I know smoked while she was pregnant with me).

Scott said...

Mama never has smoked, but Lord have mercy everybody else did in those days. I'm glad I'm a little stunted and not big and fat, anyway. I remember those ash trays. Kinda like a bean bag on the outside with an aluminum liner, right?

Say hey to your mama and 'em. (I actually heard somebody say those exact words last week. Made me think of ole ADG.)

Scott

NCJack said...

I suspect that stock options in the pharmaceutical industry have as much to do with the amount of ADD, etc., drugs prescribed as smoking does, and "modern child psychology" has more...but then that's just me

Patsy said...

My mom smoked and drank and my dad smoked and paced outside the delivery room in a hospital, those were the days!

Is your mom wearing seamed stockings in that photo?

Summer is a Verb said...

My Mama obviously didn't smoke enough with me cuz I'd kill to be "elfin". I'd even settle for "elfish"...XXOO

Anonymous English Female said...

ADG - don't take the non/smoking stuff too seriously. My mom never touched a drop of alcohol or a shred of tobacco and I was a 5lb premmie, been very unattractively underweight eversince and have an IQ in single figures...

ADG said...

LimeGreenGal….Now you know. That will be one hundred and eighty five dollars.

Scott ...SPOT ON… “Kinda like a bean bag on the outside with an aluminum liner, right?”

NCJack...I’d just add one more bit of seasoning to your presumptive broth…parents who would rather drug their kids than discipline them.

Patsy...My pediatrician used to roll into the exam room with a cig in his mouth.

AllievonElfin…Stop complaining or I’m gonna out you on the bikini spend.

AnonEngFem...Maybe she should have sucked a fag or two…it woulda made her long for a beer and some chips ergo you’d a been chubbier.

ilovelimegreen said...

It is bad enough I am taking fashion advice from you - ie, when to wear patch madras, but now you're my therapist - and ringing up a bill?

ADG said...

LimeGreenPatient....and your point is?

Belle (from Life of a...) said...

No smoking or drinking on the part of my mother. I'll always be scarred by the "madmen" children should always look adorable but should never be seen nor played with philosophy. i was like a little trained monkey brought out to entertain for a few minutes and then put back on the shelf. coukd be why I crave so much attention now. Gee...it is getting deep in here.