Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder been linked to obesity

2009-03-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is likely found in people who are obese

An article in GlobeAndMail.com says:

The study of 242 obese patients found that 32 per cent had ADHD, compared with 4 to 7 per cent in the general population. When treated for ADHD, the patients were able to lose 12 per cent of their body weight within 14 months. These patients, who were given psycho-stimulants to increase the dopamine in their brains, had tried and failed to lose weight for at least a decade.

Obese people with ADHD cannot respond to the signals in their brains that tell them when they are hungry and when they are full.

Someone who weighs 420 pounds has to eat about 3,200 calories a day just to maintain that weight. They often suffer from other health issues, including depression, sleep disorders, chronic pain and gastrointestinal problems.

This type of ADHD can be treated by gradually loosing weight, stressing lifestyle and some dietary changes

You can read the whole article here and subscribe to health newsletters.

New Cause For Alarm Against Ritalin

2009-02-04T22:50:00.000-08:00

In our blog, we always try to give you the most natural means possible to help treat the condition and today, we have another reason why. Recently, it was suggested that the ADHD drug called Ritalin may actually change a person's brain similar to cocaine and may also cause addiction.

The physical brain changes noted by researchers were found in mice, not humans, and occurred in brain neurons in reward regions of mouse brains. In some cases, the researchers found that these effects overlapped with those of cocaine.

Both methylphenidate and cocaine are in the class of drugs known as psychostimulants.

“Further studies are needed to determine the behavioral implications of these changes and to understand the mechanisms by which these drugs affect synapse formation.”

Previous studies have shown that children treated with stimulants for ADHD early in life have no greater risk of drug addiction as adults.

Brain Development May Influence ADHD

2009-02-04T00:23:00.000-08:00

A new study has revealed that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly known as ADHD, may be due to a delay in brain development.Researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health performed brain scans on 223 children with ADHD and compared them with the same number of children without the disorder. They found that the part of the brain that controls thinking, attention, and planning developed more slowly in children with ADHD.

The researchers used thickness in different areas of the brain to measure kids' development. Results showed brains of typical kids reached maximum thickness around 7 years old, while brains of kids with ADHD peaked three years later, at 10 years .

The only area of the brain to develop earlier in children with ADHD was an area that controls movement. This may be why children with ADHD are fidgety and restless. But kids with ADHD did eventually catch up with their peers in brain maturity, which may explain why many children seem to grow out of the disorder.

Who To Turn To

2009-02-02T22:41:00.000-08:00

Health professionals who can diagnose and treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with medicine include:

Family medicine doctors.
Pediatricians (may specialize in developmental problems).
Psychiatrists (may specialize in adults or children and adolescents).
Neurologists (may specialize in child or adult nervous systems).
Nurse practitioners who specialize in psychiatry.

Health professionals who do not prescribe medicines but can provide behavioral therapy or family counseling include:

Psychologists. Psychologists also frequently diagnose ADHD.
Behavioral specialists.
Social workers.
Psychiatric nurse specialists.
Licensed professional counselors.
Family therapists.

Ask your health professional about his or her training and experience related to ADHD. Diagnosing and treating ADHD requires an ability to identify and distinguish behaviors that can be subtle and complicated. In addition, make sure your health professional has enough time to evaluate you or your child. Accurate diagnosis and successful treatment of ADHD takes repeated office visits and observations. It is also necessary that your health professional be able to coordinate between other health professionals, family members, teachers, and caregivers.

How To Keep A Watchful Eye For ADHD

2009-02-02T22:40:00.000-08:00

Preschool children

For young children who show signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, watchful waiting is appropriate. It is difficult to diagnose ADHD in children younger than age 5. Young children generally have short attention spans, and their normal range of behavior includes periods of high activity and impulsivity. If you notice any ADHD symptoms in your preschooler that do not seem age-appropriate, work with your child to improve behavior. Keep a record of your child's behavior for 6 months to see if it improves. If it continues or has consequences, such as being expelled from day care or preschool, talk with your doctor about having your child
evaluated.

School-age and teen years

Watchful waiting is not appropriate for school-age children and teens with ADHD symptoms. Children need attention from a doctor if they have behavior problems that occur in more than one setting, such as poor relationships with parents and poor academic performance.
Problems caused by inattention may not become significant until the teen years, when greater self-reliance is expected. A change in school (such as advancing to junior high or high school) or a new environment (such as moving to another city) can trigger problems with inattention. If you think your child may have an inattention problem, see a doctor to find out if ADHD is the cause.

Adults

Watchful waiting may not be appropriate if you are an adult and think that you may have ADHD. Consider how long you have experienced symptoms, and think about any major changes or difficult situations that are affecting your life. Your symptoms may improve when you have addressed and worked on those issues. But talk to a doctor if your symptoms concern you. If you have other symptoms, such as depression or anxiety, a doctor can help diagnose and treat your problems.

Suspecting ADHD

2009-02-02T22:36:00.000-08:00

If you've been diagnosed with ADHD yourself (or suspect that you might be affected), you're probably on heightened alert when it comes to spotting symptoms in your kids' behaviors. And in a way, you're in a better position than other adults who have gone through life undiagnosed and untreated: Many only realize that they themselves have ADHD when their children are finally diagnosed.

Because many adults pass this disorder on to their children, it's important to know when to talk to a doctor and consider early treatment, should symptoms arise elsewhere in your family. Use this guide from our A-Z Health Library to determine what's worth acting on right away.

Call a doctor if:

You notice that you or your child has symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that began before age 7.
Your child is showing signs of ADHD, such as inattention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity, that are causing problems at home or school. Parents and teachers often notice this behavior during the child's first few years in school.
Your child shows signs of other mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety, that last more than a few weeks or seem to be getting worse.
Your child is having academic or behavioral problems at school.

Tonsil Removal May Cure ADHD in Kids

2009-02-01T23:42:00.000-08:00

Recently, it seems that the removal of tonsils in kids are more than that. It seems that it can actually, in some cases, significantly improve, even cure, severe ADHD.

Now affecting more than 2 million U.S. children, ADHD most often is treated with controversial psychoactive drugs, sometimes taken for a lifetime.

But in a significant number of these children _ as many as half of those with an ADHD diagnosis, in one study _ simply removing the tonsils also has removed the diagnosis, by restoring normal behavior.

"Sometimes you get really great results, sometimes you see partial results in these children," said a psychiatrist, Dr. Damian Parkinson.

The key to making that connection is how the child sleeps. Snoring, restlessness, apnea, and gasping for breath during the night are clearly linked to hyperactive daytime behavior in very young children. And enlarged or infected tonsils and adenoids — immune-related tissue masses in the back and upper throat — most often are the cause of what's known as "sleep-disordered breathing."

Symptoms and Causes of ADHD

2009-01-29T21:32:00.000-08:00

In this post, we will be covering the symptoms and causes of ADHD. With the symptoms of ADHD, we find that they are generally grouped into three groups namely inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Inattention:

Is easily distracted
Does not follow directions or finish tasks
Does not appear to be listening when someone is speaking
Does not pay attention and makes careless mistakes
Is forgetful about daily activities
Has problems organizing daily tasks
Avoids or dislikes activities that require sitting still or a sustained effort
Often loses things, including personal items
Has a tendency to daydream

Hyperactivity:

Often squirms, fidgets or bounces when sitting
Does not stay seated as expected
Has difficulty playing quietly
Is always moving, such as running or climbing on things (In teens and adults, this is more commonly described as a sense of restlessness.)
Talks excessively

Impulsivity:

Has difficulty waiting for his or her turn
Blurts out answers before the question has been completed
Often interrupts others

The next part of this post is to find out what causes ADHD. Although we don't really know what exactly causes ADHD, we do have a few suspects.

Heredity: The fact that ADHD tends to run in families suggests that children may inherit a tendency to develop ADHD from their parents.
Chemical imbalance: Experts believe an imbalance of the chemicals that help nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other, called neurotransmitters, may be a factor in the development of symptoms.
Brain changes: Areas of the brain that control attention are less active in children with ADHD than in children without the disorder.

The following are other factors that may contribute to the development of ADHD or that may trigger symptoms:

Poor nutrition, infections and substance abuse (including cigarette and alcohol use) during pregnancy be contributing factors, since they can affect the development of the baby's brain.
Exposure to toxins, such as lead, in early childhood can also affect brain development and may lead to ADHD symptoms.
Injury to the brain or a brain disorder may trigger ADHD symptoms.

It is important to note that eating too much sugar on the part of the child does not cause ADHD; however, a proper diet is essential for normal development in children. ADHD is also not caused by watching too much TV, a poor home life, poor schools or food allergies.

Treating ADHD With Pine Bark

2009-01-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

In a recent study, it was noted that the extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree reduced attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children. Pycnogenol, as mentioned by the researchers, seemed to balance stress hormones, lowering adrenaline and dopamine.

In the study, 41 patients took pycnogenol and 16 got a placebo, though a news release did not clarify if the subjects knew which group they were in. The study, testing urine for hormones, was developed after previous work showed relief of ADHD symptoms.

Children were tested before starting the extract, after one month of daily doses and again a month after stopping. Pycnogenol was found to lower adreline by 26.2 percent, though levels went back up after they stopped the treatment.

ADHD Drugs Cause Hallucinations

2009-01-27T23:12:00.000-08:00

US government researchers say drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can cause children to have hallucinations, even when taken as directed.

They say the possibility of this side effect is rare but parents need to be made aware of this.

The study in the journal Pediatrics found ADHD drugs can cause psychosis and mania in some patients, including some with no obvious risk factor.

In some cases, children hallucinated that worms, bugs or snakes were crawling on them.

The FDA is urging doctors to discuss the potential side effects with parents and children to help ease their anxiety if such symptoms should occur.

50 Conditions That Mimic ADHD (last part)

2009-01-26T23:11:00.000-08:00

We have finally come to the last part. Hopefully, these posts were helpful to each and everyone of our readers.

! - Conditions most over looked.
* - Other good possibilities to check for.
** - Definitely check if there is a family history of the condition.
*** - General problems you can think about yourself and check if you see fit.
Rare - Rare conditions but still good to check for and know about.

(***16.) Spirited children: When dealing with spirited children the problem usually does not lie with the child but with society's perception of what normal childhood behavior is. Many normal children, according to some people, display ADHD like symptoms not because they are hyperactive or lack sufficient attention spans but because the person forming the opinion has unrealistic standards of how a child should behave.

(***17.) Lack of understanding and communication skills: One of the main reasons why a child acts out and throws temper tantrums when they have a problem is because of their lack of understanding of a problem and lack of expressing how they feel. Children do not have the vocabulary or know how to express their emotions like adults do, that's why many act out when they are in a difficult situation. They are not able tell you something is wrong so they show you instead. This is one reason why any emotional or medical problem can cause acting out behavior in children.

(Rare 1.) Early stage brain tumors: Found rarely in children but should still be considered. Statistically, this diagnosis may not be important but to individual families, they assuredly are.

(Rare 2.) Brain cysts: Another rare cause of hyperactivity but should still be considered when searching for the reasons behind displayed ADHD like behavior.

(Rare 3.) Temporal lobe seizures: The Temporal lobe is a part of the brain. Any brain malfunction can cause inappropriate behavior. That's why conducting brain scans is a must when trying to figure out behavior problems.

(Rare 4.) Klinefelter syndrom: A Genetic disorder in which a male has an extra X chromosome (XXY). Many individuals experience learning, behavior, and social problems. A degree of subnormal intelligence appears in some affected individuals. Many affected individuals are skinny and taller than most of their peers. A simple blood test can rule this disorder out.

(Rare 5.) Genetic Disorder XYY: The extra Y chromosome has been associated with antisocial behavior.

(Rare 6.) Porphyria: A hereditary enzyme-deficiency disease. Enzymes are very important to our body's chemical reactions. Really nothing occurs in our body without enzymes. A lack of enzymes causes body malfunctioning which can cause ill behavior.

(Rare 7.) Candida Albicans infestation (Yeast Infection) : Candida infestations cause hyperactivity in children. Most children who do suffer from Candida infestations have some underlying problem frequently an immune disorder, or a disorder affecting carbohydrate metabolism and thus altering blood sugar levels. So immune disorders can cause other problems that also have the same symptoms of ADHD.

(Rare 8.) Intestinal parasites: Parasites rob the body of needed nutrients which in-turn affects behavior.

50 Conditions That Mimic ADHD (part 5)

2009-01-26T00:22:00.000-08:00

Part five of a very long list of conditions that mimic ADHD.

! - Conditions most over looked.
* - Other good possibilities to check for.
** - Definitely check if there is a family history of the condition.
*** - General problems you can think about yourself and check if you see fit.
Rare - Rare conditions but still good to check for and know about.

(***11.) :A beta-hemolytic streptococcus:(better known as "strep.") Although these bacteria are most commonly thought of as the cause of strep throat. Left untreated, strep can cause rheumatic fever and a movement disorder called Sydenham's chorea. Moreover, recurrent infections can lead, in susceptible children, to a group of symptoms collectively known as PANDAS (Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders) Some symptoms of PANDAS include obsessive-compulsive behavior, Tourette's syndrome, hyperactivity, cognitive problems, and fidgeting.

(***12.) Lack of exercise: "Hyper Couch Potatoes" are children who aren't moving enough. Some children because of lack of exercise may seem as though they are always in motion, but often that motion is in fits and spurts: leaping up from a chair, spinning around in the lunch line, bouncing in a chair while watching TV. Quite a few hyperactive children actually do not get enough sustained, strenuous exercise to stay healthy mentally and physically. Exercise can make people happier, less anxious, less hyperactive, and less depressed. One reason is that exercise increases serotonin levels in the brain exactly what Prozac, Elavil, and similar drugs do.

(***13.) Gifted Children: Gifted children often display ADHD like symptoms because most of the time they are bored with what other kids their age are doing. Behaviors associated with Giftedness are poor attention, boredom, daydreaming, low tolerance for persistence on tasks that seem irrelevant, their judgment often lags behind their development of intellect, their intensity may lead to power struggles with authorities, and they may have a high activity level. They may need less sleep compared to other children, and they may question rules, customs, and traditions. If your child scores above average on IQ tests, aces exams, has no trouble with homework, has no apparent learning disabilities, and primarily exhibits his or her problems mostly at school, maybe seeking a more challenging class or school would help.

(***14.) Emotional problems: Kids who are experiencing emotional problems most often display ADHD like symptoms. For example, kids who are constantly subjected to bullying at school can display ADHD like symptoms. These are normal kids that act out because they are scared. They experience sleeping problems, sadness, and they develop physical symptoms, especially if they think those symptoms will keep them home from school. Often they can't concentrate in class, partly because they are worried and partly because they are suffering from sleep deprivation. Really any emotional problem at school or home in which a child is having trouble coping with can result in ADHD like symptoms.

(***15.) Some kids are spoiled and undisciplined: A number of children labeled hyperactive are merely under-disciplined children. They tend to run their household and get away with anything. Dr Syndey Walker stated this problem best of why parents under-discipline their children. He stated that he blamed not the parents but on the psychological experts who have counseled parents for several decades that children are fragile, easily traumatized little flowers who could be ruined for life by a cross look or a scolding which is very untrue. Children need firm discipline and strict rules not abuse but setting rules and standards and demanding those standards be met, and giving consequences when your rules are broken. Labeling undisciplined kids as ADHD who are not gives them an excuse for their misbehavior, which will often make it worse.

50 Conditions that mimic ADHD (part 4)

2009-01-22T22:44:00.000-08:00

A continuation of the fifty conditions that mimic ADHD.

! - Conditions most over looked.
* - Other good possibilities to check for.
** - Definitely check if there is a family history of the condition.
*** - General problems you can think about yourself and check if you see fit.
Rare - Rare conditions but still good to check for and know about.

(***1.) CAPD (Central Auditory processing Disorder) will sometimes occur in children who have had a history of ear infections and/or PE tubes. Symptoms include distractibility, inability to follow a set of verbal instructions, "space out", etc.
(***2.) Worms: Such as Pinworms lay their eggs in the anal area, causing tickling and itching, which are most bothersome at night. The lack of sleep from this type of infestation can cause crankiness or bad behavior during the day. When asleep, nightmares may be present. This problem is mostly found in very young children preschool to kindergarten because of primitive toileting skills, they tend to put their fingers in their mouths, and they participate in a lot of hands-on activities with other kids and with pets. Roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms are other examples that can make a child display ADHD like symptoms. Worms cause hyperactive behavior, learning problems, depression, or attention deficits by making children miserable on the inside.
(***3.) Viral or bacterial infections: When a child is affected by an infection that might cause problem behavior.
(***4.) Malnutrition or improper diet: Many children in the United States do not eat a well balanced diet. A proper diet is necessary to growing children. An improper diet can affect a child's behavior in an ill way.
(***5.) Head injuries: Such as the postconcussion syndrome. Some of the symptoms include Irritability, emotionality, memory problems, depression, and sleep disturbances. A concussion can disrupt brain functioning causing ADHD like symptoms.
(***6.) Dietary Factors: (For example to much caffeine and sugar) At doses as low as 250 milligrams a day, a level many American children exceed- caffeine can cause rambling speech, attention and concentration problems, agitation, heart palpitations, insomnia, and hyperactive behavior. In a way, it is true we are what we eat.
(***7.) Some disorders such as anemias reduce oxygen to the brain causing disturbance in the brains chemistry causing ADHD like symptoms.
(***8.) Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or Fetal alcohol effects (FAE): FAS is a name that doctors use to describe the damage done to children's brains and bodies when their mother drink heavily during pregnancy. It is the leading form of mental retardation today. Prenatal alcohol impairment, however, also comes in a milder form called fetal alcohol effects (FAE). Children with FAE often don't look disabled, and they tend to score in the low-normal or even normal range of intelligence. But these kids arent normal. Their mal-developed brains cause them to exhibit a wide range of behavior problems, including hyperactivity, attention problems, learning disorders, and ethical problems such as stealing, lying, and cheating.
(***9.) Intentionally or unintentionally sniffing materials such as modeling glue or other house hold products.
(***10.) Some drugs:, (both prescription and illegal) can cause the brain to atrophy, leading to disturbed cognition and behavior. If your child routinely takes prescription or over-the-counter medications for asthma, hay fever, allergies, headaches, or any other condition, consider the possibility that the drugs are causing or contributing to behavior problems.

50 Conditions That Mimic ADHD (part 3)

2009-01-22T00:12:00.000-08:00

This is part 3 of a very long list. I really hope that this list can somehow help you.

! - Conditions most over looked.
* - Other good possibilities to check for.
** - Definitely check if there is a family history of the condition.
*** - General problems you can think about yourself and check if you see fit.
Rare - Rare conditions but still good to check for and know about.

(*10.) High manganese levels
(*11.) Iron deficiency: Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying pigment in the blood. Iron is normally obtained through the food in the diet and by the recycling of iron from old red blood cells. The causes of iron deficiency are too little iron in the diet, poor absorption of iron by the body, and loss of blood. It is also caused by lead poisoning in children.
(*12.) B vitamin deficiencies: Many experts believe that one of the main causes for inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, temper tantrums, sleep disorders, forgetfulness, and aggression are caused by faulty neurotransmissions a problem with the neurotransmitters in the brain. Vitamin B-6 is a necessary vitamin used in the making of neurotransmitters that affect behavior. A lack of this vitamin or really any other vitamin can cause a child to act inappropriately.
(*13.) Excessive amounts of Vitamins: Excessive amounts of vitamins can be toxic to the body and may cause the same ADHD like symptoms. It is possible to overdose when taking vitamins so make sure you contact a physician and check for vitamin deficiencies before taking extra vitamins.
(*14.) Tourette's syndrome: Tourette's syndrome is a rare but disruptive condition. It involves multiple tics (small, repetitive muscle movements), usually facial tics with grimacing and blinking. Tics may also occur in the shoulders and arms. This is usually accompanied by loud vocalizations, which may include grunts or noises, or uncontrollable (compulsive) use of obscenities or short phrases. The tics are worse during emotional stress and are absent during sleep. The cause is unknown. It occurs most often in boys, and may begin around age 7 or 8 or not until the child is in his or her late teens or early twenties. It may, at times, run in families. This disorder can be mistaken for not being able to sit still or impulsive behavior.
(*15.) Sensory Integration Dysfunction: Sensory Integration Dysfunction is the inefficient neurological processing of information received through the senses, causing problems with learning, development, and behavior. These children are over-sensitive or under-sensitive dealing in touch, taste, smell, sound, or sight. For example, some of these children crave fast and spinning movement, such as swinging, rocking, twirling, and riding the merry-go-round- without getting dizzy. These children may move constantly, fidget, enjoy getting into upside down positions and be a daredevil. These children may become overexcited when there is too much to look at words, toys, or other children. They may cover their eyes, have poor eye contact, be inattentive when drawing or doing desk work, or overreact to bright light. These children often act out in an attempt to cope with their inability to process sensory information such as acting out in crowded or loud places.
(**1.) Early-onset diabetes: Symptoms include aggression, depression, and anxiety. If you have a family history of diabetes checking for this is a must.
(**2.) Heart disease: It affects blood and oxygen flow to the brain affecting brain function that in-turn affects behavior.
(**3.) Cardiac conditions: It can reduce the supply of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Defective blood vessels between organs to the brain.
(**4.) Early-Onset Bi-Polar disorder: Also know as child-like Bi-polar. The experts state that 85% of children with child-like Bi-polar also meet the criteria for ADHD. The symptoms are extremely close. Most people when they think of Bi-polar disorder, think of Adult like Bipolar which mood swings happen over a somewhat long period of time. In child-like Bipolar, the mood swings can happen many times within a twenty-four hour day, known as rapid cycling. At one moment they're calm and the next minute they could be in a full fledge temper tantrum. Some of the symptoms are Distractibility, Hyperactivity, impulsivity, separation anxiety, restlessness, depressed mood, low self-esteem, and many more. Early-Onset Bi-polar should be ruled out before ADHD is considered mainly because they are treated with different medications if you choose medications that is. ADHD is treated with stimulant medications which will make a Bipolar child worse possibly psychotic.

50 Conditions That Mimic ADHD Part 2

2009-01-21T17:54:00.000-08:00

As a continuation of yesterday's post here are 10 more conditions that mimic ADHD, bringing the total to 15 so far.

! - Conditions most over looked.
* - Other good possibilities to check for.
** - Definitely check if there is a family history of the condition.
*** - General problems you can think about yourself and check if you see fit.
Rare - Rare conditions but still good to check for and know about.

(! 6.) Mild to high lead levels, even in the absence of clinical lead poisoning: research shows that children with even mildly elevated lead levels suffer from reduced IQs, attention deficits, and poor school performance. Lead is the leading culprit in toxin-caused hyperactivity..
(*1.) Spinal Problems: Some spinal problems can cause ADHD like symptoms because if the spine is not connected to the brain properly nerves from the spinal cord can give the brain all of signals at once making a child rambunctious and always on the go.
(*2.) Toxin exposures: Children are more vulnerable to toxins than adults. Such as pesticide-poisoning (Eating vegetables and fruit not washed thoroughly, they can be exposed to them by playing outside on the ground), also by gasoline fumes, and herbicides. Inside there are also many toxins. Disinfectants, furniture polishes and air fresheners are toxins that can affect some children's behaviors. Beds and carpets are one of the most dangerous places in the house because they are full of different types of dust, and other toxins. Toxins can cause hyperactivity, attention deficits, irritability, and learning problems.
(*3.) Carbon Monoxide poisoning : Thousands of children each year are exposed to toxic levels of this gas each year. Sources include gas heaters, and other gas appliances such as fireplaces, dryers, and water heaters.
(*4.) Seizure disorders: The most overlooked is the absence Seizures. During an absence seizure, the brain's normal activity shuts down. The child stares blankly, sometimes rotates his eyes upward, and occasionally blinks or jerks repetitively, he drops objects from his hand, and there may be some mild involuntary movements known as automatisms. The attack lasts for a few seconds and then it is over as rapidly as it begins. If these attacks occur dozens of times each day, they can interfere with a child's school performance and be confused by parents and teachers with daydreaming.
(*5.) Metabolic disorders: They reduce the brain's supply of glucose, the bodies fuel and can cause ADHD like symptoms.
(*6.) Genetic defects: Some mild forms of genetic disorders can go unnoticed in children and display some of the same symptoms of ADHD. Mild forms of Turner's syndrome, sickle-cell anemia, and Fragile X syndrome are some examples. Almost any genetic disorder can cause hyperactivity or other behavior problems, even if the disorder isn't normally linked to such problems. Many genetic diseases disrupt brain functions directly, through a variety of paths. A simple blood test can rule out genetic disorders.
(*7.) Sleeping disorders or other problems causing fatigue and crankiness during the day.
(*8.) Post-traumatic subclinical seizure disorder: It causes episodic temper explosions. These fits of temper come out of the blue for no reason. Some of these seizures can be too subtle to detect without a twenty-four-hour electroencephalogram (EEG).
(*9.) High mercury levels: One of the most interesting things regarding high mercury levels is that it can relate to dental fillings. Children who have mercury amalgam fillings in their mouth and grind their teeth are at risk of high mercury levels. American dental associations are defensive on the subject of mercury fillings but many European countries have discontinued the use of them because of side effects. There are also other causes of high mercury levels.

50 Conditions That Mimic ADHD

2009-01-20T22:45:00.000-08:00

ADHD is diagnosed by health professionals who form their opinion by observing a child's behavior. There are no brain scans, blood tests, or anything else definite that is used during diagnosis. The problem with this is there are many other problems that have the same symptoms of ADHD. Many parents, because of not knowing, settle for ADHD as a diagnosis before looking at everything. For example, any problem dealing with the fuels of the body: water, food, blood and air can cause behavior problems. Water, food, blood and air to the body are just like gas and oil to a car. If you put bad gas or have old or the wrong oil in your car, it will act up just like a child acts up when eating foods they are allergic to, drinking or breathing contaminated water or air or having blood disorders.

There are also many medical, biological, emotional and mental conditions that mimic ADHD also. For those who are searching for reasons behind their child's behavior, here are some possibilities. Only settle for the diagnosis of ADHD after checking out all of these problems and many more.

50 is a long list so we'll try to break it down for you so you won't tire from reading it.

Legend
! - Conditions most over looked.
* - Other good possibilities to check for.
** - Definitely check if there is a family history of the condition.
*** - General problems you can think about yourself and check if you see fit.
Rare - Rare conditions but still good to check for and know about.

1.

(! 1.) Hypoglycemia (Low Blood sugar) Low blood sugar can stem from thyroid disorders, liver or pancreatic problems, or adrenal gland abnormalities, or even an insufficient diet. Hypoglycemia can display the same ADHD like sypmtoms.
2.

(! 2.) Allergies: 15 to 20 percent of the world has some type of allergy. A person can be allergic to nearly anything so check for all forms. Food is one of the primary causes of allergic reactions. Just like the Car and human analogy stated above. If a child eats food they are allergic to, the body will not run properly and that may affect behavior. Everyone has different sensitivities to allergens so just because you aren't affected does not mean your child won't be also. (Some examples, Allergic reactions to food dye, milk, chocolate, and grains, ect)
3.

(! 3.) Learning disabilities: If the primary place of behavior problems is at school, learning disabilities may be the cause of ill behavior. One of the main things that affect a child's self-esteem is how well they do in school. If a child has an undiagnosed learning disorder that makes school much harder and sometimes impossible. Children with undiagnosed learning disabilities are labeled as lazy, stupid, and many other downgrading opinions that affect self-esteem. And many times when a child's self-esteem is at jeopardy they try to make up for it in other sometimes-nonproductive ways such as acting out, bullying, or becoming the class clown.
4.

(! 4.) Hyper or hypothyroidism: An imbalance in metabolism that occurs from an overproduction or underproduction of thyroid hormones. This imbalance may cause a variety of behaviors and may affect all body functions.
5.

(! 5.) Hearing and vision problems: If a child can't see or hear properly, school and daily things in life are nearly impossible and it may cause ADHD like symptoms especially in educational settings.

Diagnostic Criteria for ADHD in Children

2009-01-19T22:53:00.000-08:00

A. Either 1 or 2 should be present:

1. Should have 6 or more of the following symptoms of inattention, persisting for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level:

Often fails to give close attention to detail, makes careless mistakes

Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play

Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly

Often does not follow through and fails to finish tasks

Has difficulty organizing tasks and activities

Avoids or dislikes tasks requiring sustained mental effort

Often loses things necessary for tasks or activities

Is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli

Is often forgetful in daily activities

2. Should have 6 or more of the following symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity that lasts for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level:

Often fidgets or squirms when sitting

Has difficulty remaining seated when required to do so

Often runs about or climbs excessively in inappropriate situations

Has difficulty playing quietly

Is often "on the go"

Often talks excessively

Often blurts out answers to questions before they have been completed

Has difficulty waiting for his or her turn

Often interrupts or intrudes on others

Note: Patients with A1 symptoms are diagnosed with ADHD, predominantly inattentive type. Those with A2 are diagnosed with ADHD, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type. Those with both A1 and A2 are diagnosed as ADHD, combined-type.

B. Onset of some symptoms before the age of 7. However, children with the inattentive subtype are not often diagnosed until they are above 7 years of age.

C. Symptoms occur in two or more settings. For example, at home and at school.

D. Clear evidence of significant impairment in social or academic functioning.

E. Not caused by a pervasive developmental disorder, schizophrenia, or any other psychotic disorder, and is not better accounted for by another mental disorder, including anxiety or depression.

Symptoms of ADHD

2009-01-18T22:32:00.000-08:00

This is to give people with no idea or background a little info on ADHD.

Children with ADHD are unusually inattentive, hyperactive and show impulsive behaviour at home, school and in social settings – to a degree that is inappropriate for their age and development. They may:

* fidget and squirm in their seats
* have trouble concentrating on tasks or games
* not listen when they're spoken to
* talk excessively, run about, and seem to be always on the go
* get easily distracted
* act impulsively
* not wait their turn and blurt out answers.

This behaviour makes life difficult – often extremely difficult – for parents, siblings and teachers, and often for the child as well.

What causes this behaviour isn't known. It's thought that there may be a problem in those parts of the brain which normally inhibit impulsive behaviour – the cortex and the limbic system. This may be due to an imbalance in the brain's message-transmitting chemicals (neurotransmitters) in these areas. ADHD often runs in families – studies with twins have shown that ADHD is inherited – so these changes may be partly genetic.

There may also be social or environmental factors at work. In some cases children who have these symptoms haven't bonded well with their parents. In the case of boys, the father may sometimes be absent or emotionally distant.

There are two types of ADHD. The most common is 'Combined' type, where the child has poor attention and poor impulse control and is hyperactive. Less common is the 'Predominantly Inattentive' type, where the child is inattentive but not impulsive or hyperactive.

Boys are affected five times more often than girls. The symptoms usually start before the age of seven. It's been estimated that between three and five per cent of Australian primary school children are affected.

ADHD medication is also abused

2009-01-15T23:14:00.000-08:00

Investigators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined the records of 64 hospital emergency departments and found 188 visits involving ADHD medications from August 2003 to December 2005. The overwhelming majority of the patients were children, and in 60% of cases the cause was intentional ingestion or an overdose, usually of a medication prescribed for someone else. About 15% of the patients had cardiovascular symptoms such as chest pain and high blood pressure; other symptoms included stomach pain, muscle weakness, and rashes.

The stimulants used to treat ADHD have some potential for abuse, because crushing pills and snorting (snuffing) them can produce a cocaine-like high. Several studies indicate that nearly 10% of students in grades 7–12 have used nonprescribed stimulants; that as many as a third of young ADHD patients have been asked to sell or give away their medications; and that 7%–15% have done so. A 10-year study suggested that 11% of adolescent and adult ADHD patients had sold the drugs at some time; 22% had taken more than prescribed; and 10% had used the drugs to get high. Nearly a third had used alcohol or other drugs while taking the ADHD medication, but only 5% had experienced bad side effects as a result.

More than 80% of the abusers already had a diagnosis of conduct disorder or substance abuse, so they were at high risk for selling or using illicit drugs of any kind. The overwhelming majority of abusers were taking immediate-release preparations. These are increasingly being supplanted by extended-release formulas (and a skin patch), which are absorbed so gradually that they don’t cause a euphoric sensation and are therefore much less susceptible to misuse.

So, over all, new findings do not seriously challenge the consensus that most people who are properly diagnosed with ADHD will decide that the benefits of stimulant medications outweigh the risks.

Heart Alert for Some ADHD Drugs

2009-01-11T21:28:00.000-08:00

Amphetamine-based drugs for ADHD, such as Adderall and Dexedrine, now come with a new, expanded 'black box' warning for an increased risk of sudden death in patients with heart problems.

A black box warning is the most serious warning added to a drug's label information.

Warning information for all stimulant ADHD drugs includes the following:

Sudden death has been associated with stimulants at usual doses in children and teens with structural heart abnormalities or other serious heart problems.
Children, teens, or adults who are being considered for treatment with stimulant medicines should have a careful checkup (including family history and a physical exam) to check for heart disease.
Patients who develop symptoms such as chest pain during exertion, unexplained fainting, or other possible heart symptoms should promptly get a heart evaluation.
Sudden death, stroke, and heart attack have been reported in adults taking stimulant drugs at usual doses for ADHD.
Adults are more likely than kids to have serious structural heart abnormalities, cardiomyopathy(a disease of the heart muscle), serious heart rhythm abnormalities, coronary artery disease, or other serious heart problems.
Adults with such heart abnormalities should also generally not be treated with stimulant drugs.

Zinc Helps Ease ADHD

2009-01-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

Most notable among ADHD studies are the ones particularly examining the relation between zinc and ADHD. Indeed, zinc is basic for the production and modulation of melatonin, which helps regulate dopamine function, supposed to be an important factor in ADHD and its treatment.

In a study led by scientists with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, daily zinc supplements helped Chinese schoolchildren with very low body zinc levels to score better in perception, memory, reasoning and psychomotor skills such as eye-hand coordination.

Findings of the study with 372 Chinese schoolchildren - conducted in three poor, urban areas of China - support previous adult studies and have important implications for countries where low zinc intakes are common. They could also apply to the 10 percent of U.S. grade-school-age girls and 6 percent of boys who get less than half the Recommended Dietary Allowance of zinc through their diets. The RDA for this age group is 10 milligrams daily.

The Chinese children, age 6 to 9 years, were divided into three groups. One group took a 20-milligram zinc supplement daily for 10 weeks. A second group took the zinc supplement plus a micronutrient supplement containing all essential vitamins and minerals, except for zinc and four other minerals known to interfere with its absorption. A control group got only the micronutrients to alleviate any other deficiency that could affect performance on the psychological tests.

Before and after the supplement period, each child took a series of computer-administered tasks developed by the ARS psychologist. The tasks measured attention, perception, memory, reasoning and motor and spatial skills necessary for successful school performance.

Withdrawal Symptoms From Using ADHD Medications

2009-01-07T22:06:00.000-08:00

Just like other drugs, using ADHD medications can lead to you or your child having withdrawal symptoms. If your child wants to stop taking medication for ADHD, then call your doctor for guidance. You will need to gradually decrease the medicine dose. If you abruptly stop the medication, then it can lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as:

Headache
Depression
Fatigue
Irritability

Clinical Tests Evaluate Brain-Computer Interface In ADHD, Stroke And Paralysis

2009-01-07T00:32:00.001-08:00

The Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) research team at Singapore's Infocomm Research (I2R) has won first place in the worldwide BCI Competition IV, 2008, in all three electroencephalogram (EEG) based non-invasive BCI categories.

The Singapore scientists designed the non-invasive BCI technology to provide a direct communication channel between the human brain and the computer, so that physically handicapped individuals, such as "locked-in" patients who have lost effective communication and interactive abilities, would be able to communicate and interact with their environment through thoughts, rather than relying on normal, neuromuscular pathways.

The scientists at I2R, which is one of the research institutes under Singapore's A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) and which is headquartered at the Asian city-state's new R&D epicenter, Fusionopolis, have developed new algorithms and novel techniques that have dramatically improved the efficiency, accuracy and convenience of non-invasive BCI systems.

In Singapore, research work and clinical tests are currently being carried out on a variety of BCI applications such as a communication platform for paralyzed patients, rehabilitation for stroke patients and the treatment for children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

CDC: About 5% of Kids Have ADHD

2009-01-05T21:33:00.000-08:00

The CDC today reported that about 5% of U.S. children aged 6-17 have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to their parents.
Data came from the parents of almost 23,000 children aged 6-17. The parents were asked, in telephone interviews conducted from 2004 to 2006, if a doctor or other health professional had ever diagnosed their child with ADHD or attention deficit disorder (ADD). The CDC didn't check the children's medical records to confirm the parents' reports.
ADHD diagnoses were twice as common among boys as girls. ADHD was also more common among adolescents and teens than younger kids, among whites or African-American children than among Hispanic children, and among kids covered by Medicaid than uninsured or privately insured kids.
The CDC also reports a 3% average annual increase in childhood ADHD diagnoses from 1997 to 2006, and that children with ADHD diagnoses were more likely than other kids to have other chronic health conditions.
The CDC's latest ADHD statistics only capture diagnosed cases of ADHD. The true number of children with ADHD may be much higher, researchers from Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine reported.

Study Suggests Meditation May Ease ADHD

2009-01-05T00:10:00.000-08:00

Transcendental meditation may be an effective way to treat ADHD symptoms without using medication.

The pilot study followed a group of middle school students with ADHD who were meditating twice a day in school. After three months, researchers found over 50 percent reduction in stress and anxiety and improvements in ADHD symptoms.

The effect of the meditation was much greater than researchers expected, said Sarina J. Grosswald, the lead researcher on the study. The children also showed improvements in attention, working memory, organization, and behavior regulation, she said.

The study was conducted in a private K-12 school for children with language-based learning disabilities. Ten students ages 11-14 with diagnosed cases of ADHD took part. About half of them were on medication.

The students were taught the meditation technique and they meditated at school in a group for 10 minutes, morning and afternoon.

To measure the effectiveness of the meditation, parents, teachers and students completed standard ADHD assessment after three months that measured stress and anxiety, behavior and social competency, and functional abilities.

Child ADHD linked to mom's medical care

2008-12-28T21:52:00.000-08:00

A child's diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is linked to his or her mother's use of health services, U.S. researchers said.

"The diagnoses and health care utilization that a mother receives prior to having her child is predictive of having a child who is diagnosed with ADHD," lead author G. Thomas Ray of Kaiser Permanente in Northern California said in a statement.

Using records from a Northern California Kaiser Permanente database, the researchers identified three groups -- mothers of children with ADHD, mothers of children without ADHD and mothers of children with asthma.

"The mothers of children who are diagnosed with ADHD are more likely to be diagnosed with health conditions such as depression and anxiety disorder and use more health services in the year prior to, and the two years after, the birth of their child, than mothers of children without ADHD or the mothers of children with asthma," Ray said in a statement.

Mother's health predicts ADHD risk

2008-12-25T23:25:00.000-08:00

According to a new study, the probability of a child being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) might be tied to mother's health status prior to having a child.

According to Thomas Ray, lead author, the new study implies "that the diagnoses and health care utilization that a mother receives prior to having her child is predictive of having a child who is diagnosed with ADHD."

"Our study raises the possibility that certain types of mothers - those who get or seek diagnoses and who use more health services - may be more likely to seek ADHD diagnoses for their children," he added.

They found that mothers of children with ADHD spent about 1,000 dollars more on health care in the year before and in the two years following the birth of their child compared to mothers who did not have children with ADHD and they had more illnesses than mothers of children with asthma did.

However, according to the researchers, it is still not clear whether the effects are due to biological, environmental or psychosocial factors - or some combination of these.

Breastfeeding Associated With Decreased Childhood Behavioral Problems

2008-12-22T22:42:00.000-08:00

According to new research, children who are breastfed are less likely to suffer from behavioral or mental health issues than those who are not breastfed.

Using 2003 National Survey of Children's Health data from 102,353 interviews of parents and guardians on the health of their children, researchers found that parents of breastfed children were less likely to report concern for the child's behavior, and breastfed children were less likely to have been diagnosed by a health professional with behavioral or conduct problems and were less likely to have received mental health care. Additionally, parents of breastfed children were less likely to report concern about the child's ability to learn.

"These findings support current evidence that breastfeeding enhances childhood intellectual ability while providing new evidence that breastfeeding may contribute to childhood emotional development and protect against psychiatric illness and behavioral problems," said Katherine Hobbs Knutson, MD, lead researcher on the study.

Controversy about ADHD

2008-12-21T23:57:00.000-08:00

The psychiatric diagnosis of Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has attracted an assortment of critical positions that individually challenge the ontology or preconceptions of the diagnosis as it is defined in the DSM IV-TR.

Among the criticisms are disagreements over the cause of ADHD, differences over research methodologies, and skepticism toward its classification as a mental disorder.

Critics also express concerns over the effects of diagnosis on the mental state of patients and the effects of the medication available for the condition.

Further, some critics suspect ulterior motives of the medical industry, which both authorizes the psychiatric definitions of mental disorders and promotes the use of pharmaceutical drugs for their treatment.

The ADHD diagnosis identifies characteristics such as hyperactivity, forgetfulness, mood swings, poor impulse control, and distractibility, as symptoms of a neurological pathology.

But critics point out that the etiology of this mental disorder is not yet well defined by neurology, genetics, or biology..

Workers, employers make adjustments for ADHD

2008-12-18T23:17:00.000-08:00

The general public, including employers, is recognizing that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder isn't limited to children wriggling in their seats. Estimates suggest between 30 percent and 70 percent of children show some symptoms into adulthood.

Clearly, part of your workforce is affected by this neurobehavioral condition that affects problem-solving, planning and impulse control. To varying degrees, some of your employees may be poorly organized with weak time management skills, have difficulty "getting started" and procrastinate so that meeting timelines and goals is compromised.

In her article "Women with ADHD in the Workplace: Juggling the Dual Responsibilities of Home and Work," Kathleen Nadeau suggests that women with ADHD "have a much more daunting struggle in the workplace than the majority of men struggling with attentional issues." This stems from two factors. First, women in the workforce are likely to be the support system for other people — a spouse, children or aging parents — rather than having a support system for themselves. Second, they are expected to work a second shift at home. Even for working women with "normal" brain function, juggling is challenging.

The question becomes, who is responsible for working all of this out? Workers with ADHD are often the most creative problem-solvers and thinkers, are respected for their energy and enthusiasm, have the most inventive minds, and are often the visionaries of the company. The responsibility for taking the blessings of the ADHD worker and putting them to best use for the company falls to both the employee and the employer.

Types and Signs of ADHD

2008-12-07T23:45:00.000-08:00

1. Predominantly Inattentive Type
The person finds it very difficult to organize or finish a task. He/she finds it hard to pay attention to details. He/she also finds it difficult to follow instructions or conversations.

2. Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
This person finds it hard to keep still - he/she fidgets a lot. He/she also talks a lot. A smaller child may be continually jumping, running or climbing. He/she is restless and impulsive - interrupts others, grabs things from others, speaks at inappropriate times. He/she has difficulty waiting his/her turn. He finds it hard to listen to directions. A person with this type of ADHD will have more injuries and/or accidents than others.

3. Combined Type
A person whose symptoms include all those of 1 and 2, and whose symptoms are equally predominant. In other words, all the symptoms in 1 and 2 stand out equally.

What are the general signs of ADHD?

- the child is restless, overactive, fidgety
- the child is constantly chattering
- the child is continuously interrupting people
- the child cannot concentrate for long on specific tasks
- the child is inattentive
- the child finds it hard to wait his/her turn in play, conversations or standing in line (queue)

The above signs may be observed in children frequently and usually do not mean the child has ADHD. It is when these signs become significantly more pronounced in one child, compared to other children of the same age, and when his/her behavior undermines his/her school and social life, that the child may have ADHD.

Long-Term Academic Effects Of Child’s ADHD May Extend To Siblings

2008-12-04T23:47:00.000-08:00

The long-term academic problems that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience may affect their siblings as well.

Results did not initially indicate that ADHD had long-term negative influences on children. Rather, it appears that the academic performances of both the ADHD child and his or her siblings even out over the long term. But by using economic modeling techniques, Fletcher and Wolfe concluded that having a sibling with ADHD may indeed impact the academic productivity of a sibling without the disorder. They theorize that the ADHD child, who can be more disruptive, may receive more attention from parents, which may cause the academic performance of the non-ADHD sibling to suffer. The researchers suggest that other studies may underestimate the academic consequences of ADHD among other family members.

Overweight Mothers Run Greater Risk Of Having Hyperactive Children

2008-12-04T00:47:00.000-08:00

If a woman is overweight when she becomes pregnant, the probability is much greater that her child will evince ADHD-like symptoms when he/she reaches school age, according to a new Nordic study. The investigation was carried out by Alina Rodriguez at Uppsala University in collaboration with international colleagues.
The study, comprising more than 12,500 children in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, shows for the first time that there is a correlation between the mothers body mass index (BMI, weight in relation to height) at the time she becomes pregnant and symptoms like hyperactivity and concentration problems in the child.
“Many children are being diagnosed with ADHD and at the same time there is an epidemic of obesity in the world, with more and more women already overweight at the time they become pregnant. If it turns out that the mother’s weight is of significance and, together with other factors, can influence ADHD-like symptoms in the child, we have not only found a contributory cause but also a potential avenue for preventive work that can enhance the well-being of both mother and child,” says Alina Rodriguez at the Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, who is the lead author of the article.
The children were monitored from their time in the womb up to school age, when their teachers were asked to answer a questionnaire about the child’s behavior. Roughly one out of ten children had marked difficulties with their attention span and with hyperactivity.
“How many of them actually have ADHD cannot be determined solely on the basis of the questionnaire responses, however,” explains Alina Rodriguez.
The correlation between mothers’ body mass index and child symptoms was found not only in those cases where the mother suffered from pronounced obesity but also in cases where the women were moderately overweight. Expectant mothers who were already overweight and moreover gained a considerable amount of weight during the course of the pregnancy ran a greater risk of having a child who would later show signs of ADHD than did women of normal weight who experienced the same weight gain during pregnancy.
The next step for these scientists is to study whether there is a causal connection between the mothers’ obesity and symptoms in the child and, if so, what this is due to. One plausible explanation is that the risk of complications during pregnancy is greater among overweight women. The fetus can also be affected by stress hormones from the mother, or by hormones or environmental toxins that are stored in the mother’s fatty tissue. It is also possible that both the mother’s obesity and the child’s symptoms are the result of genetic factors.
“It is important that women start off pregnancy at an optimal body weight. It has been well documented in recent years that mothers overweight is associated with increase risk for a number of complications both to herself and to her child. Our results could be yet another problem to add to the list. But it is not good to be extremely thin either,” says Alina Rodriguez.

ADHD Definition

2008-12-02T23:03:00.000-08:00

Yes, there are still people out there who are clueless. This is for your information people.

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADD or ADHD) is defined as age-inappropriate impulsiveness, lack of concentration, and sometimes excessive physical activity.

ADHD has been associated with learning difficulties and lack of social skills. Obviously what constitutes “normal” in these areas covers a wide spectrum; thus it is unclear which child suffers true ADHD and which child is just more rambunctious or rebellious than another. No objective criteria exist to accurately confirm the presence of ADHD. ADHD often goes undiagnosed if not caught at an early age, and it affects many adults who may not be aware of their condition.

ADHD is generally recognized by a pattern of inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity estimated to affect 3 to 5% of school-aged children. Learning disabilities or emotional problems often accompany ADHD. Children with ADHD experience an inability to sit still and pay attention in class, and they often engage in disruptive behavior.

Learning About The Symptoms of Adult ADHD

2008-12-01T22:11:00.000-08:00

Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affects approximately 5 million American adults. These impacted individuals have trouble controlling their impulses or their ability to concentrate and focus.

Symptoms of attention deficit disorder are often harder to spot and diagnose among adults than among children.

The Symptoms of Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

-Constant fidgeting, moving, shifting or restlessness

-Inability to engage in a focused activity such as reading

-Extreme distractibility, forgetfulness, absent-mindedness

-Difficulty focusing on conversations or speeches, particularly at work

-Difficulty waiting, extreme irritation when stuck in traffic

-Daily or hourly mood swings, ranging from depression or discontent to cheerfulness and excitement

-Disorganization, inability to finish tasks

-Difficulty solving problems or managing time

-Aggressive or irritable personality reflected in a hot and easily flared temper

-Impulsiveness in decision making and in starting or ending relationships

-Easily frustrated and unable to handle stress and everyday hurdles

-Poor body image and low self esteem coupled with an inability to maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise

-Lack of Maturity

Instead of running around the room, breaking things and throwing toys on the floor like a child with ADHD may do, an adult with the disorder will simply constantly be in motion. They’ll often tap their feet, fidget with their hands or move around in their chair.

Ability To Quit Smoking May Depend On ADHD Symptoms

2008-11-26T21:29:00.000-08:00

Tobacco use is more prevalent and smoking cessation less likely among persons with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (A.D.H.D.). In a study of smokers with attention deficit and hyperactivity symptoms, those who exhibited elevated hyperactivity and impulsivity, with or without inattention, showed lower quit rates after 8 weeks than those with inattention symptoms alone or those without the A.D.H.D. Symptoms.

"Greater understanding of the divergent associations that exist between the different kinds of A.D.H.D. have important public health consequences for smoking cessation and decreased tobacco-related mortality in this population," said the study's lead author Lirio Covey, Ph.D., professor of clinical psychology (in psychiatry) at Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

"The effect of A.D.H.D. by itself on smoking cessation has rarely been examined; the effects of the individual A.D.H.D. symptoms on smoking cessation, even less so. To our knowledge, the effects of inattention or hyperactivity at baseline as separate domains of A.D.H.D. on cessation treatment outcome have never been examined," Dr. Covey reported.

The greater propensity to smoke and difficulty quitting among persons with mental illness is thought to play a role in the "hardening" phenomenon, or the increased resistance to smoking cessation among certain smokers.

Much evidence that nicotine improves attentiveness and performance deficits among persons with A.D.H.D. provides a "self-medicating" rationale for tobacco use among persons with A.D.H.D. Pre-clinical data showing that dopamine, a neurotransmitter relevant to attentional processes and impulse control, is released upon smoking, is consistent with the self-medication hypothesis.

ADHD smokers have harder time quitting

2008-11-25T22:59:00.000-08:00

Tobacco use is more prevalent and smoking cessation less likely among persons with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, U.S. researchers said.

The study, published online in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, found smokers with ADHD symptoms, those who exhibited elevated hyperactivity and impulsivity, with or without inattention, showed lower quit rates after eight weeks than those with inattention symptoms alone or those without the ADHD.

"Greater understanding of the divergent associations that exist between the different kinds of ADHD have important public health consequences for smoking cessation and decreased tobacco-related mortality in this population," lead author Lirio Covey of Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute said in a statement.

"The effect of ADHD by itself on smoking cessation has rarely been examined; the effects of the individual ADHD symptoms on smoking cessation, even less so."

During the initial, eight-week phase of a maintenance treatment study, 583 adult smokers, 43 of whom were identified with clinically significant ADHD were treated with buproprion, or Zyban, the nicotine patch and regular cessation counseling. Compared to smokers without ADHD smokers of both ADHD subtypes combined showed lower abstinence rates throughout the study.

Could ADHD be a blessing?

2008-11-24T22:01:00.000-08:00

When pediatricians diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, they often ask their patients whether they know anybody else with the problem.

These days, children are likely to reply with a household name: Michael Phelps, the Olympic superstar, who is emerging as an inspirational role model among parents and children whose lives are affected by attention problems.

The emergence of a major celebrity with attention deficit has revealed a schism in the community of patients, parents, doctors and educators who deal with the disorder. For years, these people have debated whether it means a lifetime of limitations or whether it can sometimes be a good thing.

Children with the disorder typically have trouble sitting still and paying attention. But they may also have boundless energy and a laser-like focus on favorite things -- qualities that could be very helpful in, say, an Olympic athlete.

Deborah Phelps, who is a school principal in Baltimore, says the qualities that often accompany the disorder are not always negative, although it may require extra effort and knowledge to help children harness their talents.

"You'll find they are creative children," she said. "They do have determination when you are able to work with them and be consistent. I want young parents to reach out and get assistance and not give up hope."

Brain Abnormalities That May Play Key Role In ADHD

2008-11-23T22:06:00.000-08:00

A study published in the online advance edition of The American Journal of Psychiatry for the first time reveals shape differences in the brains of children with ADHD, which could help pinpoint the specific neural circuits involved in the disorder. Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md. and the Johns Hopkins Center for Imaging Science used a new analysis tool, large deformation diffeomorphic mapping (LDDMM), which allowed them to examine the precise shape of the basal ganglia.

The study found boys with ADHD had significant shape differences and decreases in overall volume of the basal ganglia compared to their typically developing peers. Girls with ADHD did not have volume or shape differences, suggesting sex strongly influences the disorder's expression.

Previous studies examining the basal ganglia in children with ADHD were limited to volume analysis and had conflicting results, with some reporting a smaller volume and some reporting no difference in volume. LDDMM provides detailed analysis of the shape of specific brain regions, allowing for precise examination of brain structures well beyond what has been examined in previous MRI studies of ADHD. In this study, LDDMM was used to map the brains of typically developing children in order to generate a basal ganglia template. This is the first reported template of the basal ganglia. After creating LDDMM mappings of the basal ganglia of each child with ADHD, statistical analysis was conducted to compare them to the template.

In this study, the initial volume analysis revealed boys with ADHD had significantly smaller basal ganglia volumes compared with typically-developing boys. Moving beyond the standard volume analysis, the LDDMM revealed shape abnormalities in several regions of the basal ganglia. Comparison of the standard volume and LDDMM analysis of girls with ADHD and their typically developing peers failed to reveal any significant volume or shape differences.

The multiple shape differences found in boys with ADHD suggests that the disorder may not be associated with abnormalities in one specific neural circuit. Rather, it appears the disorder involves abnormalities in parallel circuits, including circuits important for the control of complex behavior and more basic motor responses, such as hitting the brake pedal when a traffic light turns yellow. Findings revealing abnormalities in circuits important for basic motor response control may be crucial to understanding why children with ADHD have difficulty suppressing impulsive actions.

"This study represents a major advancement in our ability to examine the neuroanatomic features of ADHD and other developmental disorders," said Dr. Stewart H. Mostofsky, senior study author and a pediatric neurologist in the Department of Developmental Cognitive Neurology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. "Using LDDMM, we can more accurately measure the impact of ADHD on brain development, which will not only bring us closer to unlocking the biological basis of the disorder, but help us better diagnose and treat patients."

Schools Can Help

2008-11-20T23:33:00.000-08:00

Schools can play a major role in helping a child with ADHD. Having the child sit in the first row can be very helpful for mild cases. Teachers can lend a hand by pointing out when a child isn't paying attention. Sometimes a little bit of gentle guidance can help children correct themselves.

For some kids, ADHD symptoms fade as they grow up, but others may face continuing problems. A recent study found that adults with ADHD have higher than average rates of divorce, unemployment, substance abuse and disability. Although many adults with ADHD receive treatment for other mental disorders or substance abuse, fewer receive treatment for their ADHD symptoms.

Scientists also continue to seek the root causes of ADHD. They're looking into many other aspects of ADHD as well, like how treatments in childhood affect long-term outcomes. Other researchers are trying to relate genetic differences to how the brain develops in ADHD. The ultimate goal, of course, is to find better ways to diagnose and treat the disorder.

But effective treatments are already available for ADHD. See your doctor if you suspect your child may have a problem.

Brain Abnormalities That May Play Key Role In ADHD

2008-11-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

Potential next steps include research that carefully examines whether the brain abnormalities found in this study can predict certain behavioral features of ADHD. Future studies will also examine structural features associated with the ability to compensate and respond to therapy. The researchers also plan to use LDDMM analysis on children in a wider age range to see if changes in the basal ganglia occur over time.

Difficulty in Identifying Smells Could Indicate ADHD in Children

2008-11-19T00:10:00.000-08:00

For a year, a team of scientists from the University of Melbourne and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute tracked 88 children aged 6-16, half of them with ADHD.

Their study involved using scratch and sniff tests of common smells such as orange, chocolate and pizza.

Lead author Felicity Karsz, of the University of Melbourne’s School of Behavioural Sciences and Department of Pediatrics, said a right nostril impairment appeared more evident among children with the disorder.

Similar problems of smell identification have been observed in neurodevelopment disorders such as Schizophrenia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, pointed out co-supervisor Professor Warrick Brewer of ORYGEN Youth Health Research Centre – Department of Psychiatry.

“The sense of smell is increasingly becoming a useful way to detect a vulnerability to a neuropsychiatric disorder,” he says.

Prof Brewer says the findings could lead to a smell test which would act as screening tool for children with ADHD but would not replace current treatments.

Co-supervisor, Professor Vicki Anderson from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and the Royal Children’s Hospital, says this information could supplement the well-established assessments for ADHD.

“There could be different reasons for exhibiting symptoms of hyperactivity and attention deficit and this area needs a range of strategies to confirm diagnosis and manage treatment,” Prof Anderson says.

Large Deformation Diffeomorphic Mapping Reveals Brain Abnormalities In ADHD

2008-11-17T21:34:00.000-08:00

Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md. and the Johns Hopkins Center for Imaging Science used a new analysis tool, large deformation diffeomorphic mapping (LDDMM), which allowed them to examine the precise shape of the basal ganglia. The study found boys with ADHD had significant shape differences and decreases in overall volume of the basal ganglia compared to their typically developing peers. Girls with ADHD did not have volume or shape differences, suggesting sex strongly influences the disorder's expression.

Cookies for ADHD

2008-11-16T21:31:00.000-08:00

Can a cookie really treat ADHD symptoms?

Yes it can!

They're not your regular Oreo or Chips Ahoy though. These are low-calorie cookies with the equivalent level of amino acids found in a 35 ounce portion of beef or 19 eggs! The cookies are loaded with amino acids and B-vitamins, similar to those found in supplement pills, but in an easier form for children to swallow.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein in the body, helping to build skin cells and neurotransmitters.

The latter is the crux of the study — to fix neurotransmitters that malfunction.

I think they made it look like a cookie to get the child's attention but hey, if it works, God bless them. But don't think the kids can eat this cookie just about anytime they want. These are regulated.

For more information on the study and on how you may enroll your child, please visit http://web3.unt.edu/adhdstudy, call (940) 369-6ADD or e-mail adhdstudy@unt.edu.

Meditation helps kids with ADHD

2008-11-13T23:53:00.000-08:00

In an international psychiatry conference, it was learned that meditation may help children with ADHD. A study with 48 children showed an average reduction of 35% from their symptom severity in a span of over six weeks using the Sahaja yoga meditation. The kids were also able to reduce their medication intake.

According to the children, they slept better and were less anxious at home. They also said they could better concentrate and had less conflict at school. Parents are also less stressed making them happier and more capable of managing their child's behavior.

Artificial food additives affect children’s behavior

2008-11-12T21:54:00.000-08:00

For years, parents have been saying that junk food is bad. Now, science has actually proven it correct. Although we knew that junk food was bad for our bodies, we didn't know that it can also affect the behavior of children.

Research from a study of 297 children published in The Lancet found a significant number of children became more inattentive, impulsive and hyperactive when given a test drink with artificial additives. (The subjects were from the general population, not diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.)

In England, where the study was conducted, people are calling for the additives to be banned from the food supply because the effects can lead to reading and other problems in school.

The connection between food additives and behavior was noted more than 30 years ago by an allergist, Ben Feingold. He also hypothesized certain children were sensitive to foods with salicylates, compounds similar to aspirin. He recommended trying an elimination diet and documented hundreds of case studies in which behavior improved.

Although rigorous research on the Feingold program is lacking, current research is substantiating many aspects of it. Fervent believers in Feingold’s methods support and manage the nonprofit Feingold Association. (www.feingold.org). In addition to salicylates, The Feingold Program recommends eliminating from the diet: all artificial (synthetic) colors, listed on the label as ``food coloring'', ``color added'' or by its FDA number, like FD&C Yellow #5 or FD&C Red #40 (both used in the Lancet study); artificial flavors listed as ``flavoring'' or ``artificial flavoring'' or artificial vanilla (vanillin); aspartame (an artificial sweetener); and three preservatives, BHA, BHT, and TBHQ – already removed from most food for children in the U.K.

Many children’s cereals contain BHT and artificial colors but Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Kashi, Barbara’s, and Trader Joe’s brands do not. Yogurts, like Stonyfield or Trader Joe’s, do not have artificial colors. Plain tortilla or potato chips trump artificially colored Doritos, barbeque potato chips or orange cheese curls. Choose clear Gatorade, Capri Sun Sport, or dilute natural juice (in half) with water for young athletes. Dye-free Motrin or Benadryl are also available now.

This is a reminder that we should always read the labels. It can't be too much of a hassle especially when our kids are at stake, right?

Adolescent Girls With ADHD Are At Increased Risk For Eating Disorders

2008-11-11T22:47:00.000-08:00

Recently, a new study has revealed that girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder stand a substantially greater risk of developing eating disorders in adolescence than girls without ADHD.

"Adolescent girls with ADHD frequently develop body-image dissatisfaction and may go through repeating cycles of binge eating and purging behaviors that are common in bulimia nervosa," said University of Virginia psychologist Amori Yee Mikami, who led the study.

ADHD is a disorder that affects about 5 percent of school-age children, and three times more boys than girls. Symptoms include a short attention span, poor organization, excessive talking, disruptive and aggressive behavior, restlessness and irritability. Many children with ADHD suffer through a range of problems, from poor grades to poor relations with parents and teachers, and more than half have serious problems making friends.

Because the disorder is far more common in boys, researchers are still learning its long-term effects on girls.

Heart Tests Before ADHD Treatment?

2008-11-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

This is an article from Harvard regarding heart tests before ADHD treatment for kids.

Stimulant medications like those often prescribed for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) raise blood pressure and heart rate, and some drugs carry warning labels for patients with heart problems. Two professional organizations are at odds over whether routine electrocardiogram (ECG) testing is necessary before a child starts taking a medication for ADHD, reports the October 2008 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter.

The controversy is about whether routine electrocardiogram (ECG) testing is necessary before a child starts taking ADHD medication. ECG measures the electrical activity of the heart. In April 2008, the American Heart Association (AHA) released a statement recommending that it was reasonable although not mandatory for clinicians to consider ordering an ECG in children diagnosed with ADHD before beginning treatments with stimulants or other medications.

In August, however, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a statement recommending against routine ECGs supporting earlier recommendations made by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry citing data that sudden cardiac deaths, while tragic, are rare. Such deaths occur in about two children for every million taking ADHD medications fewer than the eight to 62 sudden deaths per million that occur in the general pediatric population.

The discussion about the relationship between heart risk and ADHD medication is likely to continue. For now, Dr. Michael Miller, editor in chief of the Harvard Mental Health Letter, says the best advice is for doctors to assess heart disease risk by doing a physical exam and taking a careful medical history and to rely on a mental health professional to evaluate for ADHD.

Harvard Health Publications
Harvard Medical School 10 Shattuck St., Ste. 612
Cambridge, MA 02115
United States
http://www.health.harvard.edu

Seriously, I think they should just use natural treatment. I'm very sure it can help and that there are no side effects. Kids are not supposed to be treated this way because they are still young and whatever harm these drugs do to them now will be taken with them till they mature.

Curbing Impulsivity In Children With ADHD

2008-11-09T21:47:00.000-08:00

ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed chronic psychiatric conditions in today's school-aged children and is based on such behavioral criteria as mpulsivity, hyperactivity, inattention and learning disabilities.

CMU associate professor of psychology Mark Reilly, along with experimental psychology graduate students Andrew Fox and Dennis Hand, recently published a study that investigated impulsivity in two strains of rat. The spontaneously hypertensive rat has been proposed as a rodent model of ADHD because the rats have behavioral characteristics similar to those seen in humans diagnosed with ADHD. In the study, the impulsivity of spontaneously hypertensive rats was compared to their parent strain without hypertension, Wistar-Kyoto rats, using a self-control choice task that was originally developed in humans.

The study concluded that the spontaneously hypertensive rats were more impulsive than the Wistar-Kyoto rats by demonstrating greater preference for smaller, immediate food rewards over larger, delayed ones. The results suggest that, like humans, the spontaneously hypertensive rats are hypersensitive to delayed consequences; they do not wait for better outcomes.

Head Injuries in Children May Lead to ADHD Later

2008-11-06T22:39:00.000-08:00

In a recent study, it was noted that head injuries in children may lead to ADHD later on in life. Although head injuries are not the cause of ADHD, they can be an early sign of a later diagnosis of the condition. This may be because children who go on to develop ADHD take more risks as youngsters, and are therefore more likely to suffer head injuries.

For the latest study, experts from the US analysed data from 62,088 UK children, of which 2,782 (4.5%) had a head injury and 1,116 (1.8%) had a burn injury. They were trying to discover if suffering an injury as a child could lead to the development of ADHD.

But they found no evidence of a direct link between the two.

Writing in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), the experts concluded: "This study found that children with a head injury before age two were twice as likely to be diagnosed as having ADHD as a population based comparison group, but not more likely to be diagnosed as having ADHD than another medically attended injury group (burn injury).

"Thus, contrary to our hypothesis, the head injury itself does not seem to be causal in the development of ADHD. Rather, some other factor seems to be associated generally with early injury and the development of ADHD."

ADHD Tied To More Severe Nicotine Dependence

2008-11-06T00:53:00.000-08:00

If they start smoking, a new study suggests.

Past research has shown that kids with ADHD are more likely than their peers without the disorder to start smoking. These latest findings suggest that once they do take up the habit, they also tend to become more severely nicotine-dependent, researchers report in the Journal of Pediatrics.

"The nicotine dependence appears to be about twice as bad," said lead researcher Dr. Timothy E. Wilens of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The study, which included 166 15- to 25-year-olds with and without ADHD, found that those with the disorder scored significantly higher on a questionnaire that gauges physical dependence on nicotine.

Their average score was double that of smokers without

ADHD.

ADHD was not the only factor that influenced nicotine dependence, however. Young people who had a parent who smoked, friends who smoked or who lived with a smoker all tended to have more-severe nicotine addiction.

Importantly, Wilens told Reuters Health, these environmental factors all had a greater impact on study participants with ADHD. This suggests that a mix of biology and environment is at work, according to Wilens.

It's not clear why ADHD and smoking are linked, he explained, but there is evidence that nicotine affects brain systems believed to be involved in ADHD. One study, for example, found that nicotine and the ADHD drug Ritalin each had similar effects on a protein that regulates levels of the brain chemical dopamine.

Some recent studies have also suggested that nicotine can help alleviate ADHD symptoms.

It's possible, Wilens said, that some young people with ADHD are using cigarettes as a way to self-medicate.

The bottom line for parents of children with ADHD, he noted, is that they should discuss the importance of not smoking with their children, and make sure that their ADHD symptoms are minimized to the extent possible.

Parents should also be aware of the environmental factors that push some kids to smoke, Wilens pointed out. "If parents smoke, themselves," he said, "they should certainly stop."

Safety Program for ADHD Drivers Developed

2008-11-04T22:24:00.000-08:00

If your teen can't pass a driver's test, it might not mean more time in driver's ed is needed. It might be due to ADHD.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University caution that ADHD, an attention deficit disorder common in teens, is a serious driver's disability. To alleviate the problem, and to decrease ADHD-related road accidents and fatalities, Tel Aviv University has developed a new driver's training program in collaboration with occupational therapy departments in affiliated Israeli hospitals. Connecting their own clinical research to advances in occupational therapy, TAU researchers have merged the two disciplines in a novel approach to treat drivers, old and young, with ADHD.

Many cases of ADHD remain undiagnosed. If you suspect that your teen may be one of the hundreds of thousands of youngsters with the condition, Dr. Razton suggests you take your child for evaluation by a specialist at a driving rehabilitation center before you let him or her get behind the wheel.

Using customized state-of-the-art tools, Dr. Ratzon and her colleagues at the Tel Aviv University-affiliated Rabin Medical Center have developed therapeutic guidelines for occupational therapists to follow. One way the TAU specialists "re-train" ADHD drivers is by creating "a systematic screening of the visual field." Part of this screening includes a checklist of things every ADHD driver must do when driving. While these activities may come naturally to others, ADHD drivers need to remind themselves when to look at their mirrors or check for hazards on the road. This checklist helps keep the driver's mind on the road, says Dr. Ratzon.

While most teens outgrow ADHD by their early twenties, the disorder can persist into old age. "While there are very few articles on ADHD and driving," says Dr. Ratzon, "new research indicates that ADHD doesn't really go away. People continue to suffer from its symptoms. Even those old enough to be grandparents can benefit from our new driver's training program."

Is ADHD More Likely To Affect Movement In Boys Or Girls?

2008-11-03T17:22:00.000-08:00

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to affect movement in boys more than it does in girls, according to a new study. ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders found in children. Symptoms include impulsiveness, hyperactivity, such as not being able to sit still, and inattention or constant daydreaming. Few studies have been done that compare ADHD and movement in both boys and girls. The study found that girls with ADHD and the control group of children without ADHD were twice as likely to be able to control their movements for their age compared to boys with ADHD, who showed continued difficulties.

"Our findings suggest that the differences between boys and girls with ADHD show up not only in behavior and symptoms but also in development of movement control, likely because girls' brains mature earlier than boys' brains," said study author E. Mark Mahone, PhD, with the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD.

"More studies related to ADHD and movement are needed that look at boys and girls separately and at younger ages," said Mahone.

Adapted from materials provided by American Academy of Neurology.

Childhood Behavioral Problems Decreases with Breastfeeding

2008-11-02T21:55:00.000-08:00

According to a new study, it was found that children who were breastfed were less likely to suffer from mental or behavioral health issues as compared to children who were not breastfed.

Using 2003 National Survey of Children's Health data from 102,353 interviews of parents and guardians on the health of their children, researchers found that parents of breastfed children were less likely to report concern for the child's behavior, and breastfed children were less likely to have been diagnosed by a health professional with behavioral or conduct problems and were less likely to have received mental health care. Additionally, parents of breastfed children were less likely to report concern about the child's ability to learn.

This study has strengthened the long time belief that breastfeeding is very healthy for babies. According to Katherine Hobbs Knutson, MD, lead researcher on the study, "These findings support current evidence that breastfeeding enhances childhood intellectual ability while providing new evidence that breastfeeding may contribute to childhood emotional development and protect against psychiatric illness and behavioral problems."

Consider The Factors Before Getting Treatment For ADHD

2008-10-28T18:48:00.000-07:00

The quality of a child's relationships and their diet are now known to be minor risk factors implicated in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Biological factors, including genetics, remain the most significant factor, however, so they must all be considered before treatment can begin.

"ADHD is rarely encountered as a pure, discrete disorder," says Professor Alasdair Vance from the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. "That's why it is so important that children are properly assessed, so they can get the right support such as speech therapy, educational remediation and occupational therapy".

The first line treatment for ADHD continues to be psychosocial interventions alone, however, there is evidence that some children will do better when medicines are given in conjunction with comprehensive behavioural interventions. "Side effects also need to be well considered and understood," he says.

Also, consider that medicines are your last resort. Nothing beats natural healing and because our kids are the most important people in our lives, we should avoid drugging them.

Higher Divorce Rates and Shorter Marriages for Couples with Children with ADHD

2008-10-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

A recent study showed that parents of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are nearly twice as likely to divorce by the time the child is 8 years old than parents of children without ADHD. Also, among couples in the study who were divorced, marriages involving children with ADHD ended sooner than marriages with no ADHD-diagnosed children.

Of the characteristics that may contribute to risk of divorce, a father's antisocial behavior proved to be the largest factor. The rate of divorce also increased when mothers had substantially less education than fathers; children were diagnosed with ADHD at a younger age; families had racial or ethnic minority children and children had serious ODD or CD behavior problems. "With these findings in mind," Wymbs and Pelham said, "those who treat children with ADHD and disruptive behavior problems should take note if parents are having marriage problems and try to intervene to prevent the children from going through the trauma of divorce."

However, they also pointed out that for some couples who may have serious and frequent marital conflict and are raising difficult-to-manage children, divorce may be the best option for the children.

ADHD Appears To Increase Level Of Nicotine Dependence In Smokers

2008-10-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

Young people with ADHD are not only at increased risk of starting to smoke cigarettes, they also tend to become more seriously addicted to tobacco and more vulnerable to environmental factors such as having friends or parents who smoke, according to a study from Massachusetts General Hospital reseachers. The report in the Journal of Pediatrics also found that individuals with more ADHD-related symptoms, even those who don't have the full syndrome, are at greater risk of becoming dependent on nicotine than those with fewer symptoms.

"Knowing that ADHD increases the risk of more serious nicotine addiction stresses the importance of prevention efforts aimed at adolescents and their families," says Timothy Wilens, MD, director of the Substance Abuse Program in the MGH Pediatric Psychopharmacology Department, who led the study. "It also gives us clues about how the neurotransmitter systems involved in ADHD and tobacco use may be interacting."

Several studies have shown young people with ADHD are more likely to smoke and to start smoking at an early age. Participants were taken from two long-term studies - one in boys and the other in girls - that analyzed a variety of factors in children and adolescents with ADHD compared with a matched control group. Participants completed a standardized questionnaire evaluating smoking history and levels of tobacco dependence in current smokers.

The two larger studies in which participants enrolled had included assessments of psychiatric symptoms, including those associated with ADHD. For both participants with ADHD and the controls, the more ADHD-related symptoms such as prominent inattention, distraction, overactivity or impulsivity the smokers had, the more serious their dependence on nicotine. A similar increase in tobacco dependence was associated with living with a smoker or having a parent or friend who smoked in ADHD participants but not in controls, implying that the vulnerability to smoking bestowed by ADHD was amplified by environmental factors, Wilens explains.

Is ADHD An Advantage For Nomadic Tribesmen?

2008-10-16T23:20:00.000-07:00

A propensity for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might be beneficial to a group of Kenyan nomads, according to new research. Scientists have shown that an ADHD-associated version of the gene DRD4 is associated with better health in nomadic tribesmen, and yet may cause malnourishment in their settled cousins.

A study led by Dan Eisenberg, an anthropology graduate student from Northwestern University in the US, analyzed the correlates of body mass index (BMI) and height with two genetic polymorphisms in dopamine receptor genes, in particular the 48 base pair (bp) repeat polymorphism in the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene.

The DRD4 gene codes for a receptor for dopamine, one of the chemical messengers used in the brain. According to Eisenberg "this gene is likely to be involved in impulsivity, reward anticipation and addiction". One version of the DRD4 gene, the '7R allele', is believed to be associated with food craving as well as ADHD. By studying adult men of the Ariaal of Kenya, some of whom still live as nomads while others have recently settled, the research team investigated whether this association would have the same implications in different environments.

While those with the DRD4/7R allele were better nourished in the nomadic population, they were less well-nourished in the settled population. Although the effects of different versions of dopamine genes have already been studied in industrialized countries, very little research has been carried out in non-industrial, subsistence environments like the areas where the Ariaal live, despite the fact that such environments may be more similar to the environments where much of human genetic evolution took place.

Eisenberg explains, "The DRD4/7R allele has been linked to greater food and drug cravings, novelty-seeking, and ADHD symptoms. It is possible that in the nomadic setting, a boy with this allele might be able to more effectively defend livestock against raiders or locate food and water sources, but that the same tendencies might not be as beneficial in settled pursuits such as focusing in school, farming or selling goods".

These findings suggest that behavior differences previously associated with the DRD4 gene, such as ADHD, are more or less effective depending on the environment. Research into how this might occur in Ariaal children is planned in the near future.

Want to Improve your Child's Attention? Take a Walk in the Park

2008-10-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

For children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) tasks that require concentration such as doing homework or taking a test can be very difficult. A simple, inexpensive remedy may be a "dose of nature."

A study conducted at the University of Illinois shows that children with ADHD demonstrate greater attention after a 20-minute walk in a park than after a similar walk in a downtown area or a residential neighborhood.

The study, conducted by child environment and behavior researchers Andrea Faber Taylor and Frances E. Kuo was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Attention Disorders.

"From our previous research, we knew there might be a link between spending time in nature and reduced ADHD symptoms," said Faber Taylor. "So to confirm that link we conducted a study in which we took children on walks in three different settings – one especially "green" and two less "green" – and kept everything about the walks as similar as possible."

Some children took the "green" walk first; others took it second or last. After each walk, an experimenter who didn't know which walk the child had been on tested their attention using a standard neurocognitive test called Digit Span Backwards, in which a series of numbers are said aloud and the child recites them backwards. It's a test in which practice doesn't improve your score.

"We compared each child's performance to their own performance on different walks," said Faber Taylor. "And when we compared the scores for the walks in different environments, we found that after the walk in the park children generally concentrated better than they did after a walk in the downtown area or the neighborhood area. The greenest space was best at improving attention after exposure."

"What this particular study tells us is that the physical environment matters," said Kuo. "We don't know what it is about the park, exactly – the greenness or lack of buildings – that seems to improve attention, but the study tells us that even though everything else was the same – who the child was with, the levels of noise, the length of time, the time of day, whether the child was on medication – if we kept everything else the same, we just changed the environment, we still saw a measurable difference in children's symptoms. And that's completely new. No one has done a study looking at a child in different environments, in a controlled comparison where everything else is the same."

The sample size was relatively small �� children – mostly because the logistics were a nightmare to coordinate. "Because we kept everything the same, the children all went to the same park and walked through the same neighborhood and downtown area. The testing location had to be close by so that there wasn't a lot of lag time between going for the walk and taking the post-test," said Faber Taylor. "And each child was always paired with the same adult guide for their walks, and all the children were tested by the same tester."

Kuo said that the variables of the study were very hard to control. "We started with a much larger sample size. But when we threw out all of the things that could go wrong – the weather wasn't good one day, the child came late, or came medicated—when we threw out all of those, it left us with this relatively pure, clean sample to work with."

Faber Taylor added that their confidence in the findings from this study is bolstered by findings from other studies. "Because we have results from a national study which looked at over 450 children, we can have more confidence that this relationship between natural settings and improved attention is true not just for the children in this study." She said that the larger study included children from all over the United States, representing a wide range of ages, different community sizes, and both with and without hyperactivity. "The findings from the national study give us some confidence that this relationship applies to all children with ADHD."

Kuo emphasized that this study involved an objective test of attention, not just on children's or parents' impressions.

During the walks, all of the children were unmedicated -- those of the participants who normally took medications to control their ADHD symptoms stayed off their medications on the days of the walks. Interestingly, Faber Taylor and Kuo found that a "dose of nature" may be as helpful -- at least for a while -- as a dose of stimulants. "We calculated the size of the effect in our study and compared it to the size of effects in a recent medication study," said Faber Taylor, "and we were surprised to see that the dose of nature had effects the same size or even larger than the dose of medication." What remains to be seen is how long the effects of a dose of nature last.

"Some of the previous survey research suggests a relationship between children who regularly play in green spaces and how severe their symptoms are. Children who have regular exposure to green spaces have milder symptoms overall. So that's hinting that there may be a persistent effect," said Kuo.

She said that while there are hints that the regular doses of nature work long term – that you can expose a child to the same green outdoor settings day after day and still get a benefit – the science isn't advanced enough to give parents a strict formula. "We can't say for sure, 'two hours of outdoor play will get you this many days of good behavior,' but we can say it's worth trying, and we can say that as little as 20 minutes of outdoor exposure could potentially buy you an afternoon or a couple of hours to get homework done," said Kuo. "One reason we believe this is that if the effect were short-lived, we don't think that parents would have so consistently observed it. But they do. They report it over and over. And they report it independently. So, in the larger study with over 450 kids, we asked 'what's your kid like after watching TV or after playing outside' and none of the parents know what any of the other parents are telling us, but they overwhelmingly agree."

Faber Taylor believes it would be easy to add a dose of nature to a child's routine. "I could imagine parents hearing about this research and immediately applying it – just trying it out – taking their child to the park either when their child's symptoms are exacerbated or as a regular routine. It's not that hard to incorporate, especially if they have a green backyard or if they can get to a neighborhood park. Again, we can't say for sure that it would work for any given child – but there's probably very little risk involved in encouraging your child to play outdoors and seeing if their symptoms improve."

She also says that the benefits of a dose of nature don't apply just to children with ADHD. "We're all on a continuum of attention so this study has implications for all of us," said Taylor. "ADHD is just at the far end of attention functioning, but there're plenty of us who fall somewhere close to that end of the continuum, and we all experience times when we're mentally fatigued – times when we're less able to focus and do tasks and get easily distracted. The evidence suggests that natural settings can benefit everyone, even children (and adults) who have not been diagnosed with ADHD."

A Very Incomplete Puzzle

2008-10-15T01:20:00.000-07:00

Teaching students with ADHD was always challenging for me. My usual methods of managing behavior, explaining assignments, and reviewing routines weren’t very effective for many of these kids. I’ve been lucky enough to know a handful of teachers who were knowledgeable about techniques that helped their ADHD students achieve. And although I often picked their brains in an attempt to beef up my arsenal of teaching wonders, the techniques weren’t always easy to execute amid a classroom of children needing various modifications.

Oftentimes I felt frustration. I knew that these students needed some minor adjustments to be as successful as they so desperately wanted to be. Usually their parents cried out for help too; they didn’t want school work and organization skills to be a daily, nightly struggle. Like many things in education, I wasn’t quite sure why more advanced training wasn’t provided, why ADHD children didn’t receive more outside support, why these children and their parents weren’t better educated about this condition.

There were many recommendations regarding the treatment and management of ADHD/ADD, but the section that grabbed my attention was suggestions for future research. It turns out there are basic (or at least what I consider to be basic) questions about these conditions that researchers still don’t have definitive answers to. See for yourself:

The criteria for diagnosis of ADHD in adult life? (There are no clear conclusions about the level of ADHD symptoms in adults that should be considered as grounds for intervention.)
The optimal duration of drug treatment? (Methylphenidate is often prescribed for years without good evidence on whether prolonged therapy is effective or safe.)
The effectiveness of group based parent training and education programs compared with medication in children of school age? (The evidence they do have is primarily based on studies of younger children.)
The effectiveness of non-pharmacological approaches for adults with ADHD? (There is insufficient evidence regarding this.)
The effect of providing training in behavioral management of ADHD for teachers?

These are the exact recommendations suggested by NICE. I took for granted that conclusions had been drawn regarding many of these issues. I was wrong.

I believe that love and care is still the best remedy to this seemingly incurable disorder. Hopefully, the day will come when our scientists will understant the reason behind this and then we can really start curing these kids as well as adults. Only time will tell.

Parenting a Child with ADHD

2008-10-13T23:15:00.000-07:00

We all know that having a child with ADHD can require special attention to help manage their behavior. The University of Michigan Health System offers these suggestions for parents of a child with ADHD:

Pay attention to the good qualities your child has, and tell him or her when you notice good behavior.
When offering praise, tell your child specifically what was done well and what you liked about it.
Offer direction in a positive way. Tell the child what you want done, instead of what shouldn't be done.
Offer immediate and constant feedback throughout the day, keeping it simple and clear.
Because medications for ADHD can affect appetite, make sure your child has plenty of healthy meals and snacks throughout the day.
Keep a close eye on your child during play and exercise to prevent injury caused by active, impulsive behavior.

It is truly hard to care for children with ADHD but it is well worth it. We must always show them that we care and that we truly love them.

ADHD Drugs May Pose Danger to Children with Heart Conditions

2008-10-13T00:15:00.000-07:00

According to the American Heart Association, Children should get a heart exam before they start any drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), because those drugs may raise the risk of sudden cardiac death in children with pre-existing heart conditions.

"There's been concern that these drugs might be associated in a very small number of individuals' sudden cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death," said panel leader Dr. Victoria Vetter of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

ADHD drugs such as methylphenidate, known more commonly by the brand name Ritalin, are central nervous system stimulants. In children with ADHD, they can have a calming and focusing effect. But such stimulants are also known to raise blood pressure and heart rate, which can be dangerous for people with preexisting heart conditions.

An electrocardiogram can detect the abnormalities in heart rhythm that can predispose people to sudden cardiac death.

"It won't pick up every one. There will be some false positives," Vetter said. "But it's a relatively inexpensive and simple test that doesn't hurt the children in any way and it will let us identify some of these children and know that they have heart conditions."

But really, we should just stick to natural methods. Because our kids are not guinea pigs!

Price of ADHD Drugs in UK to Increase

2008-10-09T23:40:00.000-07:00

The National Health Service in the UK is likely to face a 10-fold increase in the cost of drugs prescribed to children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the decade to 2012.

The cost of ADHD prescriptions to the NHS in England was £7 million in 2002 and the study predicted that this will rise to somewhere between £49 and £101 million per year by 2012. Prof Schlander stated: "The scenarios developed here strongly suggest that the trend of rising drug expenditures for ADHD may not abate in the near future."

At the same time Schlander emphasized that caution should be exercised when interpreting this data: "The mere focus of the present analysis is budgetary impact," and thus the data "illuminate just one half of the health economic equation; they do not provide information on 'value for money'."

I don't even get it. Why would they even bother buying those? Those are unsafe and have no guarantees. Seriously, it just shows how many of us are still uninformed of the dangers of those drugs. I really think that those drugs can just make things worse than it already is. You know what? Let's say that they do work, I'm sure it's temporary and you know what's going to happen next? Your child will be a drugged up kid with ADHD.

Young Children Can Develop Full-blown OCD

2008-10-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

A recent study has shown that young as four can develop full-blown obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and often exhibit many of the same OCD characteristics typically seen in older kids.

"There have been very few studies focusing on early childhood OCD, even though we know that OCD, if left untreated, can significantly disrupt a child's growth and development and can worsen as the child gets older," says lead author Abbe Garcia, PhD, director of the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center (BHCRC) Pediatric Anxiety Research Clinic. "That's why we need to understand more about OCD in very young children, since early diagnosis and intervention are critical to reducing the severity of symptoms and improving quality of life."

OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as handwashing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, as many as 1 in 200 children and adolescents struggle with OCD.

A data analysis revealed a number of parallels between young children with OCD and reported samples of their older peers in terms of symptoms and severity. For example, both groups appear to have similar types of obsessions and compulsions, multiple psychiatric diagnoses, and high rates of OCD family history.

"These similarities suggest this is a study sample involving full-blown OCD, as opposed to children who are either in the beginning phases of the illness or only have a partial OCD diagnosis," says Garcia, who is also an assistant professor of psychiatry (research) at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

However, Garcia says they also discovered some important differences between younger and older children with OCD. Although anxiety disorders seem to be a common comorbid diagnosis in both groups, younger children were less likely to have depression, compared to older children. Also, while many experts believe boys are more likely to present with juvenile OCD, the findings from the current study actually indicate a lower boy to girl ratio.

"Our findings offer the first glimpse at the features and variables that emerge during early childhood onset OCD and will hopefully lead to further studies focusing on assessment and treatment of this age group," Garcia says.

Story adapted from original press release

Premature Children are Four Times More Likely To Have Behavioral Disorders

2008-10-07T18:13:00.000-07:00

My third child was born prematurely and this really raises my concern for his health. Well, a team led by the University's Department of Psychology and Warwick Medical School examined the behavior of 200 six-year-old children who had been born below 26 weeks gestation, known as 'extremely pre-term'.

The team compared the behavior of these extremely pre-term children with a control group of a similar age. They used reports filed by parents and teachers to test whether extremely pre-term children had more pervasive behavior problems (described by both teachers and parents).

The researchers found 30.6% of pre-term children were hyperactive, compared to 8.8% in the full-term group, and 33.3% of pre-term children displayed attention problems, compared to 6.8%.

They highlighted a distinction between genders in the pre-term group. Boys born prematurely showed a higher degree of behavior problems, such as ADHD, and girls experienced more internalizing disorders such as anxiety and depression.

The study also showed that extremely pre-term boys were more vulnerable to behavioural problems, and they had a greater impact on parents and teachers than extremely pre-term girls.

Professor of Developmental Psychology at Warwick Medical School, Dr Dieter Wolke said: "In this cohort of pre-term children we found a considerable excess of behavior difficulties, including problems in a range of domains such as emotion, hyperactivity, attention and peer relationship problems. Parents and teachers agreed these behavior problems had a considerable impact on home and school life for 23% of the pre-term group."

Hopefully, with the help of current detection methods, we can know earlier if our children have a disorder so we can treat them earlier.

NICE Guidelines Are Set To Improve Care And Management Of Children, Young People And Adults With ADHD in the UK

2008-10-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

ADHD is a common behavioural disorder in children and young people estimated to affect up to 3% of school-age children and young people in the UK, and about 2% of adults worldwide. It usually starts in early childhood and some people will continue to have ADHD as adults. Severe ADHD is sometimes known as 'hyperkinetic disorder'. The symptoms of ADHD include: being inattentive (unable to concentrate for very long or finish a task); hyperactivity (fidgety and unable to sit still); and impulsive (speaking without thinking about the consequences). It is an extremely distressing disorder, affecting the person as well as their families and careers.

This is why the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health have published a guideline on the diagnosis and management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, young people and adults.

Key Recommendations:

Trusts should ensure that specialist ADHD teams for children, young people and adults jointly develop age-appropriate training programmes for the diagnosis and management of ADHD for professionals who have contact with people with ADHD.
Parent-training/education programmes should be offered as first line treatment of ADHD. Healthcare professionals should offer parents or carers of pre-school children with ADHD a referral to a parent-training/education programme as the first-line treatment.
Teachers who have received training about ADHD and its management should provide behavioural interventions in the classroom to help children and young people with ADHD.

If the child or young person with ADHD has moderate levels of impairment, the parents or carers should be offered referral to a group parent-training/education programme, either on its own or together with a group treatment programme (cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT] and/or social skills training) for the child or young person.
In school-age children and young people with severe ADHD, drug treatment should be offered as the first-line treatment. Parents should also be offered a group-based parent-training/education programme.
Drug treatment for children and young people with ADHD should always form part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes psychological, behavioural and educational advice and interventions.
Drug treatment for adults with ADHD should always form part of a comprehensive treatment programme that addresses psychological, behavioural and educational or occupational needs.

ADHD Brain Develops Slowly But is Bound to Catch Up

2008-10-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

ADHD kids have slowly developing brains as compared to kids without ADHD but in most cases they still follow a normal pattern of development. The scientists found that the outer mantle of the brain - the cortex - develops with an average delay of three years among ADHD children. The cortex plays an important role in our planning and attention, the researchers explain.

The researchers wanted to find out when the brain reaches peak thickness - a sign that it has matured. Half of the children with ADHD reached peak thickness when they were, on average 10.5 years old, compared to 7.5 years among children without ADHD.

Some experts say the idea of "catching up" is somewhat misleading. While an ADHD person is catching up, those without ADHD continue to develop further.

But this is still good news for parents of ADHD children because it gives hope. It doesn't matter if it takes longer as long as they are developing.

Suppressed Growth from ADHD Drugs

2008-10-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

A study has revealed that children taking ADHD drugs have had a suppressed growth. After three years on the ADHD drug Ritalin, kids are about an inch shorter and 4.4 pounds lighter than their peers. Worse, they can't say yet if these kids will eventually grow back to normal.

The finding appears to end decades of debate over whether stimulant medications affect children's growth. Less than 10 years ago, a National Institutes of Health panel concluded that the drugs carried no long-term growth risk.

That opinion was so widely accepted that the study authors -- who include most of the leading ADHD researchers in the U.S. -- did not warn parents that the study medication might carry this risk.

At the time, researchers thought that any short-term stunting of growth would be made up by a hypothesized "growth spurt" that would occur with continued treatment. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any evidence of such growth spurt so far.

Another widely accepted theory was that ADHD itself stunted kids' growth. But in a surprise finding, the study found that ADHD kids who do not take stimulant drugs are much larger than kids without ADHD. And these untreated kids continued to grow much faster than kids taking stimulant drugs.

There has to be something wrong here and that is why we hope that natural methods will be promoted more.

Drugs should not be first-line treatment for ADHD, doctors told

2008-10-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

A new clinical guideline has urged doctors to stop prescribing drugs as a first-line treatment for children with ADHD and instead, parents of ADHD-diagnosed children should be first trained to help manage their child’s behaviour, say new national guidelines by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and drugs should not be prescribed at all to pre-school children diagnosed with ADHD.

The new advice to doctors follows a surge in recent years of the prescribing of ADHD medication which almost doubled between 1998 and 2004. Around 420,000 prescriptions, mostly of Ritalin and Concerta, were made in 2004.

ADHD is a controversial diagnosis. Some practitioners argue it is not a valid medical concept, and has no established physiological cause.

The new guidelines - compiled by a selected group of psychiatrists, psychologists, carers and service users - recognise that no neurobiological, genetic or environmental measure is “sufficiently predictive” for ADHD

However, the guidelines assert that “there is evidence of genetic associations with specific genes, environmental risks and neurobiological changes”

The guidelines do advise that drugs should be the first-line treatment in children with severe ADHD. But parents should also be have training on how to manage and improve their child's behaviour. And teachers should provide behavioural interventions to help pupils with ADHD.

Drug treatment for young people with ADHD should always form part of a “comprehensive treatment plan” that includes psychological, behavioural and educational advice and interventions, say the guidelines issued last month.

Adult ADHD Survey Findings

2008-09-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of McNeil Pediatrics. Key survey findings included a variety of participant perspectives, including:

Most adults with ADHD agree that having the condition strongly affects their performance in multiple areas of their lives, including:
- Their responsibilities at home (65 percent)
- Their relationships with family and friends (57 percent)
- Their ability to succeed at work (56 percent of those employed)
Up to half (50 percent) of those employed worry ADHD symptoms affect opportunities for promotion, and the majority feel they have to work harder (65 percent) and/or longer (47 percent) than their co-workers to accomplish similar work.
Three-quarters of respondents said their ADHD symptoms strongly affect their ability to stay on task at work (75 percent), while others listed challenges such as:
- Concentrating on what others were saying (70 percent)
- Wrapping up projects (61 percent)
- Following through on tasks (61 percent)
- Sitting still in meetings (60 percent)
- Organizing projects (59 percent)
Just as their needs differ, adults with ADHD report divergent goals in managing ADHD symptoms. In selecting their top three goals for managing the condition, half cited being able to finish projects and tasks (51 percent), and getting their household more organized (51 percent). Other top-three goals included:
- Feeling less irritable and upset (38 percent)
- Getting personal finances more organized (28 percent) - Improving personal relationships (26 percent)
- Feeling calmer and to feel less need to always be moving (22 percent)
- Getting along better with others in social situations (20 percent)
One-third (36 percent) feel their ADHD symptoms are not under control, and many more (58 percent) are not satisfied with their ability to handle stress.
- Of those whom symptoms are not under control, 54 percent feel like a failure for it.
One-third (37 percent) get depressed thinking about how hard ADHD is to deal with.

Adults with ADHD who participated in the survey also reported utilizing a variety of techniques to help manage their symptoms. Four out of five have used visual reminders, such as post-it notes, to help manage their ADHD symptoms. Those in the survey also reported:

-- Taking prescription medication (82 percent)
-- Listening to music (75 percent)
-- Using a planner or organizer (71 percent)
-- Exercising (69 percent)

Of those adults on medication, four out of five (81 percent) reported that not taking medication negatively impacts their work or home performance. Patients on medication said they are focused primarily on goals of symptom control and improving performance at work (74 percent), at home (69 percent) and in relationships (62 percent).

Carriers of Fragile X Likely To Have Additional Conditions

2008-09-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

A recent study has indicated that people who have the Fragile X syndrome are more likely to have additional symptoms that include ADHD. In this first large-scale assessment of conditions associated with fragile X syndrome, researchers found that most boys and many girls with the syndrome experience attention problems, anxiety and hyperactivity, in addition to developmental delay, 85 percent of males and 44 percent of females experienced two or more additional conditions.

Additionally, the study showed that carriers, those who have the altered gene but generally do not show signs of the disease, also had an increased prevalence of co-occurring conditions. Boys who carried the gene were more likely than typical children to have been diagnosed or treated for developmental delay, attention problems, aggression, seizures, autism, and anxiety.

For those unfamiliar to Fragile X, it is a disruption of a single gene that leads to a protein needed for normal brain development. It is then passed down from one generation to the next, often silently. During the passing down from generations, the risk of having an affected child increases.

Nature, A Natural ADHD Treatment

2008-09-25T23:15:00.001-07:00

In the time of medical advancements and scientific achievements, we seem to have been used to the easy way. Can't find your friends? No problem, use text messaging. Hate snail mail? Use e-mail! Get my point? In the case of ADHD, we just let the kids "pop a pill." Don't get me wrong, I love technology but popping a pill is not right, especially for kids. There are other means. Other natural means of helping them.

What other mean? Nature! Yes, everything green around us. There is actually a study about this and it seemed to really help. Researchers of this nationwide recruited the parents of 322 boys and 84 girls, all diagnosed with ADHD, through ads in major newspapers and the Internet. Participants, ages 5 to18, spent time in a variety of settings which varied from big cities to rural settings. Some activities were conducted indoors, others in outdoor places without much greenery such as parking lots and downtown areas and other activities were in "green" areas such as a tree-lined street, back yards or parks. The parents were interviewed and asked to report how their children performed after participating in a wide range of activities.

The researchers found that symptoms were reduced most in green outdoor settings, even when the same activities were compared across different settings. Researchers believe that simply incorporating nature into a child’s day could be widely effective in reducing ADHD symptoms.

Based on the results of this ADHD natural treatment study, researchers recommend that children with ADHD spend quality after-school hours and weekend time outdoors enjoying nature.

Researchers said that exposing ADHD children to nature is an affordable, healthy method of controlling symptoms. Researchers also suggested that daily doses of "green time" can supplement medications and other traditional treatments of ADHD.

Simply using nature may offer a way to help manage ADHD symptoms that is readily available, doesn't have any stigma associated with it, doesn't cost anything, and doesn't have any side effects.

ADHD natural "green" treatment has endless possibilities, many of which might closely resemble childhoods from years long past.

Here are just a few ideas for increasing "green time":

Play in a green yard or ball field at recess and after school.
Take after-dinner walks.
Make a scarecrow.
Doing class work or homework outside or at a window with a relatively green view.
Build a birdhouse.
Grow an outdoor garden.
Bike, ski, sled, inline skate...
Visit a nature center

Tips for Parents at Home

2008-09-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

Having a child with ADHD can be very difficult for parents. Sometimes, we may not understand directions or instructions. They are usually in a constant state of activity that only they understand. Whatever it may be, the bottomline is, we should adjust to them. It will be quite difficult at first but it will be well worth it. Here is a list of things you can do at home for your child.

Make a schedule - Set specific times for waking up, eating, playing, doing homework, doing chores, watching TV or playing video games, and going to bed. Post the schedule where your child will always see it. Explain any changes to the routine in advance.
Make simple house rules - It's important to explain what will happen when the rules are obeyed and when they are broken. Write down the rules and the results of not following them.
Make sure your directions are understood - Get your child's attention and look directly into his or her eyes. Then tell your child in a clear, calm voice specifically what you want. Keep directions simple and short. Ask your child to repeat the directions back to you.
Reward good behavior - Congratulate your child when he or she completes each step of a task.
Make sure your child is supervised all the time - Because they are impulsive, children who have ADHD may need more adult supervision than other children their age.
Watch your child around his or her friends - It's sometimes hard for children who have ADHD to learn social skills. Reward good play behaviors.
Set a homework routine - Pick a regular place for doing homework, away from distractions such as other people, TV and video games. Break homework time into small parts and have breaks.
Focus on effort, not grades - Reward your child when he or she tries to finish school work, not just for good grades. You can give extra rewards for earning better grades.
Talk with your child's teachers - Find out how your child is doing at school--in class, at playtime, at lunchtime. Ask for daily or weekly progress notes from the teacher.

Increased Risk of Eating Disorder for Adolescent Girls with ADHD

2008-09-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

A new study has found that girls with ADHD stand a substantially greater risk of developing eating disorders in adolescence than girls without ADHD.

"Adolescent girls with ADHD frequently develop body-image dissatisfaction and may go through repeating cycles of binge eating and purging behaviors that are common in bulimia nervosa," said University of Virginia psychologist Amori Yee Mikami, who led the study.

"Our finding suggests that girls may develop a broader range of problems in adolescence than their male counterparts," Mikami said. "They may be at risk for eating problems, which are a female-relevant domain of impairment. We know that eating disorders occur 10 times more often in girls than boys."

It was noted that since ADHD is more common with boys that the disorder might go undiagnosed and untreated.

"Girls with ADHD may be more at risk of developing eating problems as adolescents because they already have impulsive behaviors that can set them apart from their peers," Mikami said. "As they get older, their impulsivity may make it difficult for them to maintain healthy eating and a healthy weight, resulting in self-consciousness about their body image and the binging and purging symptoms."

"An additional concern is that stimulant medications used to treat ADHD have a side effect of appetite suppression, creating a risk that overweight girls could abuse these medicines to encourage weight loss, though we have not yet investigated that possibility," Mikami said.

She warned parents and teachers to be aware that adolescent girls with ADHD may develop an array of female-relevant symptoms beyond the standard ADHD symptoms, to include eating disorders, depression and anxiety.

Blue-blocking Glasses Developed for ADHD Patients

2008-09-22T18:52:00.000-07:00

Blue-blocking glasses were recently developed to help improve sleep as well as ADHD symptoms. It is said that by blocking blue light, it alters the person's carcadian rhythm which may lead to a sound sleep and help ease the symptoms of ADHD.

How to use the glasses

The user is supposed to wear the glasses a few hours ahead of bedtime thereby advancing the carcadian rhythm. The special glasses block the blue rays that cause a delay in the start of the flow of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Normally, melatonin flow doesn't begin until after the individual goes into darkness. Studies have also indicated that promoting the earlier release of melatonin results in a marked decline of ADHD symptoms.

Major uses

Better sleep
Avoiding postpartum depression
Preventing Seasonal Affective Disorder
Reducing the risk of cancer

Alternatives

There are also bulbs that are able to block out blue light. Instead of wearing the glasses, a user may opt to just turn the light on. The night light is a convenient "plug-in" device. The cost of the items ranges from approximately $5 for light bulbs and night lights to $40-$60 for glasses.

ADHD Expo

2008-09-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

If you're in the vicinity of McHenry County, llinois, you're in luck. They will be having an ADHD expo on Saturday, September 20, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m at the Family Service & Community Mental Health Center, 4100 Veterans Parkway, McHenry.

This event will be hosted by Northern Illinois’ CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder. This is also going to be free.... I say again, free!

It will include guest speakers Robert Kohn, a behavior neurology and neuropsychiatry specialist; Mary Reuter, an educator; Lisa Alvarez, an acupuncture and traditional oriental medicine specialist; and Debra Hanlon, an educator.

It's great when you have people helping out one another and this is a very classic example of that. Hopefully we can have more of these around the nation.

People With ADHD Do One Month's Less Work Per Year

2008-09-15T23:45:00.000-07:00

A new research recently found out that workers with ADHD do 22 days less work than people without the disorder. It has been recommended by researchers that companies screen their workers for possible ADHD and giving them treatment because it would be more cost-effective for their businesses as well as getting more work done.

People affected by ADHD find it very hard to concentrate because they may be hyperactive, easily distracted, forgetful or impulsive.Unfortunately, adults who have the disorder are usually unaware that they have it.

More than 7,000 employed and self-employed workers aged 18-44 years were screened for ADHD as part of the World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative. They were also asked about their performance at work in the last month. It was found that an average of 3.5% had ADHD.

The people studied came from Belgium, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain and the USA.

ADHD Community in First Ever Virtual Conference

2008-09-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

Twenty-two of the most celebrated doctors, therapists, and coaches in the field of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) are coming together for the first time in a virtual setting. From September 22-24, 2008, people affected by AD/HD, including parents, service professionals, and AD/HD adults, will hear live presentations from experts including:

- Dr. Edward Hallowell, author of "Driven to Distraction"
- Dr. Daniel Amen, author of "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life"
- Sari Solden, MS, LMFT, author of "Journeys Through ADDulthood"

This is a very unique opportunity for everyone around the world affected by ADHD either directly or indirectly.

Jennifer Koretsky of the ADD Management Group, is hosting the conference along with Terry Matlen of ADD Contults. Adds Matlen, "Everyone can participate at their own pace and attend only the presentations that most interest them. This conference has all the benefits of an in-person conference without the travel expense and hassle."

Topics to be discussed are:

- Medication and Alternative Treatments
- Addictions and Eating Disorders
- Success Strategies for Kids, Teens & College Students
- Time Management and Organization
- Career Management
- And much more

In addition, the conference will host networking sessions in live chat rooms where attendees can connect with one another. There will also be a virtual exhibit hall of AD/HD products and services. Plus, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase an audio CD set with printed transcripts of all the presentations.

The conference is open to the public. Registrations are being taken online at http://www.ADHDconference.com.

Middle School can Disrupt Age-related Decline of ADHD Symptoms

2008-09-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

ADHD symptoms usually last until adulthood but they tend to decline as the child gets older. In a recent study, it was seen that ADHD symptoms, especially hyperactivity and impulsivity, tend to decline during a child’s adolescent years although they may not completely disappear. Simplifying and structuring a child's environment and routine can have a positive impact on the ADHD symptoms.

The problem is when the child gets to middle school. There is a stark contrast of the environment at home compared to the one in school and the stress of having multiple classes, multiple teachers, more homework, planning, organizational demands and a lot of classmates begin to take its toll on the child. Not surprising that mostly parents are complaining of greater disruption in symptoms than teachers since the effect may be more evident at home than in school. Medication for ADHD symptoms also did not not fare better than those who don't take them.

Comparisons between children with ADHD symptoms and those without showed that children without ADHD symptoms are less likely to experience the level of difficulty and stress in middle school as compared to those with ADHD symptoms. The study provides the first research data to support the assertion that the environmental changes associated with the transition to middle school can worsen a child’s ADHD symptoms or disrupt the typical pattern of decline.

Meditation: a positive response to ADHD

2008-04-15T06:40:00.000-07:00

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the many developmental disorders that affect the areas of social skills, behavior and communication. It is estimated that ADHD affects approximately 4.5 million children in the US. The main characteristics of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. ADHD could be a result of simply social factors or child-rearing factors, other factors such as environmental agents like heavy metals and organohalides, traumatic brain injury, food additives and sugar, neurobiology and genetics have also been implicated in the etiology of this condition.

Nutrient deficiencies are common in ADHD; supplementation with minerals, the B vitamins (added in singly), omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, flavonoids, and the essential phospholipid phosphatidylserine (PS) can improve ADHD symptoms. But according to a study made by Dr. Sarina Grosswald, an educator and William Stixrud, expert in cognitive learning and clinical neuropsychologist, kids with ADHD who meditates 10 minutes twice a day showed a 45 to 50 percent reduction in stress, anxiety and depression. These kids showed significant improvements in areas of organizational skills, memory, strategizing, mental flexibility, attention and impulsivity. According to Stixrud, teaching a child to regulate his own body and mind in response to anxiety should be the first response rather than putting them on medication.

ADHD linked to sleep problems

2008-04-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine demonstrated that 73% of Australian children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had mild to severe sleep disturbances. Most often, the children had difficulty falling asleep, resisted going to bed, and were tired on awakening.

Compared with children with no sleep problems, those with sleep problems had a poorer quality of life and were more likely be late for or miss school, which leads to numerous other issues later in life.This issue affects both parents and children: Compared with caregivers of children without sleep disorders, those with children who had moderate or severe sleep disorders were more likely to be clinically depressed, stressed, anxious, or often late for work.

Parents who have children with ADHD should be sure to address sleep issues and work with a qualified health care provider to cover all angles before using medication.

For more information, read the full article.

Genius & Creativity often mistaken for ADHD?

2008-04-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

In this video featured on ted.com, Sir Ken Robinson demonstrates how our educational systems may be killing creativity in young kids.

He relates the story of a young Gillian Lynne. In the 1930's, when she was in school, she was disruptive in class and couldn't pay attention. She was told that she had a learning disorder (ADHD?) and sent to the doctor. The brilliant doctor, noticing that there may have been something more to the story, replied to her mother "Mrs. Lynne, Gillian isn't sick, she is a dancer. Take her to a dance school."

After tapping into her talents, she became one of the most celebrated artists & choreographers in history, working on the musical Cats, and other projects with Andrew Lloyd Webber. She has touched the lives of others and is a multi-millionaire.

Robinson suggests that another doctor may have put her on medication and told her to calm down.

Are we killing the creativity of our gifted children? Let's learn to foster their talents and tap into their greatness before we medicate them and try to force them to conform to a potentially-broken system.

See the video here: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/66

ADHD hard to diagnose in very young children

2008-04-04T10:10:00.000-07:00

ADHD is the most common behavior disorder diagnosed in children and teens. It can begin very early in childhood and continue throughout adulthood. If it is not diagnosed and treated, ADHD can cause problems at home, school, and work.

However, many problems can arise when there is a rush to diagnose a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. In fact, many behaviours which can be associated with ADHD are often a normal part of childhood development.

Marcie Handler, Ph.D, a May Institute psychologist who specializes in child behavior disorders recently commented: "It is more difficult to diagnose in children younger than six because the symptoms exhibited may be part of normal development or reflect lack of exposure to highly structured situations such as those in classroom environments.”

Handler continues to offer suggestion by saying "...behavior management strategies and social skills training teach children how to change their behaviors. Schools can work with parents to develop educational or behavioral support plans to address school-related problems. In all cases, parents who receive education and training about how to support their children will be able to help those with ADHD learn how to behave appropriately inside and outside the home.”

ADHD increases risk for bulimia among adolescent girls

2008-03-18T06:15:00.001-07:00

Clinicians may need to be more aware of the gender-relevant symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to address the specific issues adolescent girls with ADHD often deal with. According to a study conducted by the University of Virginia, the impulsivity associated with ADHD places adolescent girls with the disorder at a substantially greater risk of developing body image dissatisfaction and bulimia nervosa symptoms than their peers.

From studying a diverse sample of 140 girls with ADHD and 88 girls without ADHD through a 5-year longitudinal study, researchers found that girls suffering from the “combined-type” of ADHD (those with both the “inattentive” and “hyperactive/impulsive” type) were more likely to develop symptoms of bulimia nervosa than those without ADHD and those with the “inattentive” type alone. They were also more likely to be overweight, have poor parental relationships, and experience rejection from their peers.

Furthermore, according to the study’s lead researcher Amori Yee Mikami, adolescent girls with ADHD also tend to develop a broader range of problems – eating disorders, depression, and anxiety – than their male counterparts because their impulsive behaviors from can “set them apart from peers” and “make it difficult to maintain healthy eating and a healthy weight, resulting in self-consciousness about their body image and the binging and purging symptoms.” Thus, parents, teachers and clinicians alike must be more attentive of these female-relevant symptoms to better diagnose and treat girls with ADHD and prevent these gender-specific issues from going undetected.

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ADHD stimulant treatment has no effect on subsequent substance abuse

2008-03-11T09:37:00.001-07:00

Parents of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients may no longer have to worry about the adverse effects of stimulant medication on children. In a recent article published on ScienceDaily.org, researchers from the Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD at the Massachusetts General Hospital have found no evidence linking stimulant treatment with either increased or decreased risk for subsequent substance use disorders (SUD), challenging previous findings that associate stimulant medication with substance abuse.

The report, described as the most methodologically rigorous analysis of ADHD stimulant treatments and substance abuse, was designed to address the shortcomings of previous studies, which researchers say were inundated with several procedural limitations. Its findings show no association between stimulant treatment and risks of subsequent alcohol, tobacco, or drug use among ADHD patients – regardless of the age and length of time that stimulant therapy was administered. Furthermore, it also rejects earlier findings of the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychopharmacology group, which suggested a protective effect of stimulant treatment for children with ADHD, arguing that stimulant medications only delayed the onset of substance abuse among these previously studied individuals.

The researchers therefore hope that these findings can help alleviate parental concerns over using stimulant medication to manage ADHD-related symptoms.

Be the first to hear about the most up-to-date news on Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder by signing-up for our site updates.

Doctor say ADHD may often be Sleep Apnea

2008-02-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

Dr. Qanta Ahmed, an assistant professor of medicine at MUSC, indicates that some children diagnosed with ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, could actually have a condition called sleep apnea.
Dr. Ahmed explains that if a child snores (which often goes undetected by parents) that it can be a sign of sleep apnea. Research clearly shows that if this is happening at night, the child's behavior the next day is often similar to the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, such as being impulsive, hyper-active, or unable to concentrate, all due to a lack of rest.
Sleep apnea is a condition which can be cured in children, much easier than in adults. Parents with children who are diagnosed ADHD are encouraged to ask their pediatrician for a sleep test.
For more information, view Dr.Ahmed's interview on Live 5 News.

Physician recommends Marijuana over Ritalin for ADD/ADHD

2008-02-05T15:43:00.000-08:00

According to USC Consultant Pediatrician, Dr Claudia Jenson, marijuana is a more effective approach to treating ADHD than ritalin.

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2007-03-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

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Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder can be successfully treated with natural methods

2006-07-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

ADHD is a condition with several different causes. It is very likely that no one treatment will be effective for any given group of ADHD sufferers. However by utilizing several of the approaches listed in this website, you greatly enhance your chances of dramatically reducing the symptoms of ADHD. At the very least, by utilizing more stringent dietary measures and supplements, you will improve the overall health of your child; after all that is the goal for every responsible parent.
Good luck and good health.

Vitamin B deficiency related to Attention Deficit

2006-07-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

Vitamin B deficiency related to Attention Deficit Disorders
It has long been known that it B vitamin deficiency especially of vitamin B 6 can cause neurological problems included impaired brain function and low levels of B 6 has been noted in some ADHD patients. One study reported that high levels of vitamin B 6 supplementation (15 to 30 mg per kilo of body weight) were more effective than Ritalin in treating ADHD. However lower levels of B 6 were not effective. 22-25
One caution using high doses of vitamin B 6; just as deficiency can cause neurological damage so can high doses of B 6 cause neurological damage.

Bhagavan HN, Coleman M, Coursin DB. The effect of pyridoxine hydrochloride on blood serotonin and pyridoxal phosphate contents in hyperactive children. Pediatrics 1975;55:437–41.
Coleman M, Steinberg G, Tippett J, et al. A preliminary study of the effect of pyridoxine administration in a subgroup of hyperkinetic children: a double-blind crossover comparison with methylphenidate. Biol Psychiatry 1979;14:741–51.
Brenner A. The effects of megadoses of selected B complex vitamins on children with hyperkinesis: controlled studies with long term followup. J Learning Dis 1982;15:258–64.
Haslam RHA. Is there a role for megavitamin therapy in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Adv Neurol 1992;58:303–10.

Essential fatty acids in brain development & function of youth (ADHD)

2006-07-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

Essential fatty acids
There has been considerable research done on essential fatty acids and the role it plays in brain development and function especially in the young. As a result there been several formulas for treatment of ADHD which is based primarily on the use of essential fatty acids.
Evening primrose oil was given to children with ADHD. Although some benefit was noted the results weren't as dramatic as when Omega 3 essential fatty acids with substantial levels of EPA, DHA, GLA, LA along with arachidonic acid were given. 16, 17
Good effects on ADHD were also reported with the use of flaxseed oil, 400mg and vitamin C, 25 mg. 18
Some of the effects may be laid directly at the door of nutritional deficiency during pregnancy. One Italian study of pregnant women with iodine deficiency to the degree that it caused hypothyroidism reported an increased risk of ADHD in their children. 21

Richardson AJ, Puri BK. A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids on ADHD-related symptoms in children with specific learning difficulties. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2002;26:233–9.
Joshi K, Lad S, Kale M, et al. Supplementation with flax oil and vitamin C improves the outcome of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2006;74:17–21.
Joshi K, Lad S, Kale M, et al. Supplementation with flax oil and vitamin C improves the outcome of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2006;74:17–21.
Vermiglio F, Lo Presti VP, Moleti M, et al. Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in the offspring of mothers exposed to mild-moderate iodine deficiency: a possible novel iodine deficiency disorder in developed countries. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004;89:6054–60.

Amino Acid (L-Carnitine) deficiency linked to ADHD

2006-07-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

L- Carnitine
The amino acid L- carnitine has been the subject of human double blind studies and the role its deficiency plays in ADHD.
54% of a group of boys reported substantial improvement in ADHD symptoms after only eight weeks administration of L carnitine with a maximum dosage of 4 grams per day.

Iron supplement improves ADHD symptoms, behaviour

2006-07-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

Iron
It was been noted that iron as measured by ferritin concentration in the blood is much lower in one group of children with ADHD. 84% of the ADHD children had iron levels below normal as compared to 18% in the control group. 19 In one individual case, a young boy and with both ADHD and iron deficiency reported substantial improvement in behaviour and symptoms after receiving an iron supplement. 20

Konofal E, Lecendreux M, Arnulf I, Mouren MC. Iron deficiency in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2004;158:1113–5.
Konofal E, Cortese S, Lecendreux M, et al. Effectiveness of iron supplementation in a young child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Pediatrics 2005;116:e732–4.

Zinc reduced Hyperactive behaviour in ADHD children.

2006-07-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Zinc
The same result as a previous study with magnesium for ADHD children was noted when the same sort of study was conducted using zinc. 14

Akhondzadeh S, Mohammadi MR, Khademi M. Zinc sulfate as an adjunct to methylphenidate for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children: a double blind and randomized trial [ISRCTN64132371]. BMC Psychiatry 2004;4:9.

Magnesium for ADHD & hyperactive behaviour

2006-07-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

Magnesium
Mineral deficiency as a result of soil depletion is a much more common issue than most authorities are willing to admit. It has been noted in the past that children with ADHD have lower levels of magnesium on average. In one controlled human trial, ADHD children with low magnesium levels were given 200 mg daily for six months. In comparison to the placebo group that received no magnesium, a significant reduction in hyperactive behaviour was noted in the treated group. 13

Starobrat-Hermelin B, Kozielec T. The effects of magnesium physiological supplementation on hyperactivity in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Positive response to magnesium oral loading test. Magnes Res 1997;10:149–56.

Nutritional or supplement strategies for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

2006-07-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

Nutritional Strategies for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Nutritional supplements that may be beneficial for ADD/ADHD

Heavy Metal Toxicity & ADD/ADHD

2006-07-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

Heavy Metal Toxicity
Lead and other heavy metal toxicities such as cadmium have also been associated with ADHD. Explore this aspect with your health practitioner. One possible test would be hair analysis. 11, 12

Tuthill RW. Hair lead levels related to children’s classroom attention-deficit behaviour. Arch Environ Health 1996;51:214–20.
Krigman MR, Bouldin TW, Mushak P. Metal toxicity in the nervous system. Monogr Pathol 1985;(26):58–100.

The link between candida yeast and ADHD

2006-07-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

The link between candida yeast and ADHD
One surprising statistic is that the vast majority of all children with ADHD have had a previous history of ear infection with subsequent antibiotic use. On the surface, there seems to be no connection; but when you look deeper there is a most definite link.

When antibiotics are used to kill a bacterial infection, all bacteria are destroyed not just the ones causing the immediate infection. As a result a condition called dysbiosis occurs in the intestinal gut with far reaching effects throughout the entire body.

The integrity of the intestinal gut wall is compromised resulting in a condition called permeable
gut syndrome. This condition creates the opportunity for partially digested foods and other waste materials to be allowed through the intestinal gut wall from microscopic holes that under normal circumstances are not there. These holes are created due to lack of from bacterium that is needed to maintain the integrity and repair of the mucosal layer of the inside of the bowel. As a result of this influx of inappropriate material into the bloodstream, food allergies start to occur.
This may not be the most important factor in the link between ADHD and candida. Whenever candida yeast either grows or dies, a series of chemicals called acetylaldehydes are released. These chemicals interfere with proper brain function; one of the major symptoms of candida infection is poor memory, lack of concentration, almost like living in a fog as it has been described.

A partial inventory of claimed candida-related symptoms includes: difficulty concentrating (“brain fog”), slowed reflexes, depression, lethargy and apathy, decreased mental energy, anxiety, fatigue, obsessive-compulsive disorder, PMS and breast swelling/tenderness in women, headaches, memory loss, hives, seborrhoea, psoriasis, skin rashes, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, nasal congestion, sinusitis, infertility, ocular “floaters,” prostatitis, pelvic pain, loss of libido, neuritis, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, hypoglycemia, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, lupus, hyperactivity, behaviour and learning problems and autism.

While mainstream medical doctors for the most part deny the existence of this condition, the fact remains that in cases of unexplained symptoms with no discernible cause, often by adopting a candida diet and/or other protocols individuals can reverse these trends.

Yeast infection to the medical world typically means thrush-a yeast infection of the throat and vaginal candidiasis in women. Many physicians are told in medical school that Candidiasis affects only the severely immunosuppressed. If that is the case, why is yeast infection the fourth most common cause of hospital deaths according to a study of 49 US hospitals? This is an indication that this condition is much more prevalent than it was previously thought.

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