Most children with ADHD have mild symptoms and do not need medication, says Michael L. Goldstein, M.D., a child neurologist in Salt Lake City and a former vice president of the American Academy of Neurology. "Many children and families have developed good strategies on their own so that symptoms do not cause distress to the child," he says. (See our guide to ADHD and treatments.)

When implementing a nonmedication strategy, he says, "Parents should remember that ADHD is a disorder that decreases the child's ability to do what they want to do. Increasing punishment doesn't work for ADHD symptoms. Some behaviors may be deliberate misbehaviors that may require discipline, but most ADHD impulsiveness and inattention is not intentional and will not improve with discipline." What does work is "understanding what the child can do and changing the adults' expectations to closer align with the child's abilities. 'Now' is always the best time to initiate nonmedication strategies." (See more about ADHD treatments that work.)

Following are nonmedication strategies from child neurologist Martin L. Kutscher (see video above) that you can use anywhere to help you and your child cope with ADHD. (See more about parent support.) 

Keep it positive. Because people with ADHD cannot put brakes on distractions, they will always attend to whatever is most appealing in their environment. Like moths, they are attracted to the brightest light and will stay there until something else becomes more interesting. Positive re-enforcers will get their attention. Constant criticism rarely improves a person's attitude.

Keep it calm. No one (child or parent) can think clearly when stressed.

Keep it organized. Kids with ADHD often do their work and forget to hand it in the next morning. They need organizational support from parents and the school.

Keep doing all of the above. People with ADHD are born with a neurologically different brain that has difficulty executing a plan. Constantly provide a safety net: Continually monitor the situation from the sidelines, but step forward to help when needed.

Whether on vacation or at family gatherings, you're probably doing a lot of shooting this summer. But are you getting the most out of your digital camera? Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Using flash when you shouldn't. Flash can cause red-eye, wash out skin tones, and flatten scenes that ought to have depth. To avoid using flash, shoot with the sun or other light source to your back or move your subject closer to a window or other source of light. Using a slower shutter can also let you shoot in natural light, providing the subject and camera both remain quite still. When all else fails, turn up the ISO setting, but only as much as absolutely necessary. Never use flash on a subject more than a few feet away, as at a sporting event. All you'll get is a dim subject with a black background. (See more family and child photo tips.)

Trying to squeeze too many photos on the storage card. You can do this by lowering resolution or increasing compression, but both will reduce the quality of larger prints you make later, such as 5x7 or greater. Memory cards are cheap. It's better to bring along extra storage and not compromise what may turn out to be lifetime memories.

Not bringing a spare battery. Even if you charged the battery the same morning, reviewing shots on the LCD and using flash can deplete it by late in the day. Exposure to cold can also reduce battery life. To be sure you don't run out of gas just when some of your best photo ops present themselves, charge a spare and keep it on hand.

Get more great photo tips in the full post on our Electronics blog.

If you're like me, back-to-school shopping may include buying a first cell phone for a kid who's becoming more independent. And you may, like me, be receiving entreaties from your fledgling phone owner to think smart. That is, to consider buying them a smart phone, or at least one of the many regular cell phones that come with a host of features aimed at younger users, like easy access to social networks and multimedia services. (See more back-to-school news and advice.)

You're forgiven if you cave under the pressure?after all, a two-week family vacation can allow your kid ample, wearying opportunities to plead their pressing need for, say, a phone with the ability to shoot video. (I speak from recent experience.) But I recommend you hold the line, and do what I'm doing for my technology-obsessed 10-year-old daughter: Get a cheap, simple phone with a prepaid plan and see how things go. Here's why.

Read the full Electronics blog post to learn more.

With claims such as "100% juice," "lower sugar," "no sugar added," and "with vegetables," buying a kids' juice box or pouch isn't child's play. We recently chose 10 popular drinks, checked their nutrition facts, and asked 35 children ages 6 to 17 for their preferences after blind taste-tests. (See our fruit juice drink Ratings, available to subscribers.)

What we found. All products aren't the same. The amount of actual juice ranged from less than 10 percent to 100 percent; calories from fewer than 50 to more than 100; and sugar content from about 10 grams to 25. About those "100% juice" claims: Although the tested products with that label don't have added sugars, all are higher in calories and sugar than those with lower juice percentages. (See One in five children have risk factors for heart disease.)

As for taste, Capri Sun Original Fruit Punch, with 10 percent juice, was rated highest: 79 percent of the kids said they'd drink it again. At 30 cents per pouch, it's also among the cheapest, and it has just 60 calories. The Ratings (available to subscribers) list all the tested options. Our children's panel was least enthused about Vruit Orange Veggie Blend, a "blend of 100% pure fruit and vegetable juices" with a carrot/veggie flavor.

Did you know? The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests limiting fruit juice to 4 to 6 ounces per day for kids 1 to 6 years old and 8 to 12 ounces for older children. That could help kids avoid calories and cavities. (See Extra phys ed equals fitter, leaner kids.)

What I thought would be a relaxing summer vacation at my mother?s turned out to be my worst trip ever. That?s because I had to navigate the never-before-traveled path of getting medical treatment for my very sick 19-month-old son, while far away from home.

The morning after we arrived at my mother?s house, my son woke up with a fever, threw up, and refused to drink just about everything. I knew I had to get him medical attention, but where? Family friends and neighbors referred us to their pediatricians, but they were either out of the office, too busy, or unable to handle a one-time visit with a new patient. Throughout the ordeal, I was in touch with my son?s pediatrician, especially since I knew he might get dehydrated.

One doctor?s office recommended an urgent-care clinic. These clinics are for patients who need treatment right away but don?t necessarily need to go to an emergency room. Urgent-care clinics take walk-ins, and don?t schedule appointments. Consumer Reports? medical consultants say it may be best to choose an urgent-care clinic affiliated with a hospital, if you can find one, which is what I did. 

I was prepared for a health emergency in one key way: I?d packed our health insurance cards. Everyone?adult and child alike?should have their health insurance information with them when they travel, in case of emergency. (In fact, you should have this with you at all times, even when you?re not far from home. You should also have key medical information with you?including a list of conditions if you have a chronic disease or any allergies, drugs you?re taking, and family contact information.)

My son was diagnosed with a viral infection. As directed by the health professionals at the clinic, I gave him infant acetaminophen to keep the fever down. But when he continued to refuse fluids the next day, I became very concerned. I called our pediatrician back home and at his direction, brought my son to the ER at the nearest hospital, which didn?t have a children?s unit. (While all acute-care hospital emergency rooms should be able to handle a pediatric emergency, you can always inquire whether pediatric services are available if you have a choice of hospitals. You can also find organizations of pediatric hospitals online: the National Association of Children?s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) is one such source. (See their hospital directory search.)

At the hospital, he received intravenous saline to treat his dehydration. That finally started him on the road to recovery, and he was allowed to come home with me. But he still has nightmares about the hospital visit?I think he was traumatized by going to a strange place and having strange people do strange things to him, most of which were painful?and I?m still reeling as well. (See Helping Your Child With Medical Experiences: A Practical Parent Guide (this is a PDF file) from Children?s Hospital Boston.

Some tips for travel with children:

• Check with your pediatrician for steps on handling dehydration if it strikes your child before leaving for vacation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the greatest risk to an infant with diarrhea and vomiting is dehydration, and a fever or increased air temperature (at a tropical locale, for example) can increase fluid losses and speed dehydration.
• Research the availability of doctors and healthcare facilities at your destination, in the (not unlikely) event that anyone in your family becomes ill.
• Check with your health insurance policy to see what is and isn?t covered at your destination, especially if you leave the United States. In addition, it?s a good idea to pack some basic medications for all travelers, as well as a first aid kit, and any prescription medications that family members take regularly or intermittently.

?Sandra Temko, CRTV producer