ADHD in the News 2017-01-26

6 Million Visits for ADHD by U.S. Kids Each Year

Office visits during 2012-2013 by children with a primary diagnosis of ADHD reached an annual average of 6.1 million, equating to a rate of 105 per 1,000 children ages 4 to 17, data from a large federal survey indicated. The majority of these visits were not with a psychiatrist: 48% were performed by pediatricians and 12% by family practitioners. Only slightly more than a third of visits (36%) were with psychiatrists.



Youngest children in class ‘more likely to be given ADHD drugs’

The results of an Australian study have caused concerns that, in some cases, immature behaviour may be misinterpreted as evidence of a behavioural disorder...The gap between the oldest and youngest children in the class had a small, but significant, association with the increased use of ADHD medications...But it would be a big assumption to say ADHD is being overdiagnosed and overtreated on the grounds of this study alone.



Special Education Enrollment Rose in 2015-16

The number of students ages 6 to 21 enrolled in special education rose in the most recent year for which the federal government has data, driven by increases in the number of students classified as having autism or "other health impairments." It was the fourth year in a row for such an increase. In fall 2015, about 5.9 million students enrolled in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Bureau of Indian Education Schools received services through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.



15 Questions to Ask When Looking For a Special Needs Tutor

There are a lot of things to consider when looking for a tutor for your child with special needs. A mom of six, including two with special needs, shares the 15 questions you should ask when looking for a special needs tutor...Fortunately, when I spoke with Carol Lovallo, an educational development supervisor from Huntington Learning Center, she was friendly and knowledgable about what Huntington's experts have to offer.



Is It ADHD or Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by periods of extreme highs and lows that usually begins to appear in the teen or young adult years. But some children develop it earlier, though it’s often difficult to diagnose in children. That’s because pediatric bipolar disorder looks significantly different from the adult version. And, to make it more confusing, it often looks a lot like ADHD.



The Link Between ADHD and Boredom Proneness

When someone with ADHD gets bored, their brain tends to check out of whatever its supposed to be focused on so it can go looking for something more stimulating. Low boredom tolerance makes ADHD symptoms like inattention, procrastination and disorganization that much worse. You don’t have to take my word for it, either. There’s plenty of hard evidence pointing to a relationship between ADHD symptoms and a tendency to get bored easily.



Ten Things To Remember If You Have A Child With ADHD

When you type ADHD into Google, a mere 58,100,000 results come back, and I can guarantee you that the majority of them will be negative, scary and gloomy...However, there are so many positives to this type of personality that aren’t always discussed or highlighted among stressed and overwhelmed parents.