Fidget spinners were a fad for children for a short period. From the classroom to the kitchen table, they were everywhere. For many parents and teachers, they seem to be a distraction; however, as those with disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), they proved beneficial. So let’s explore how kids with ADHD can…

An online citizen science project is recruiting 30,000 volunteers to assess whether exercises to improve memory and attention are valid—and if so, for whom…The study will use a common set of assessment measures to evaluate potential training gains, and it will focus on individual differences. Anyone older than 18 can join our study and help…

To gain more insight, our parent company SHE Media conducted this survey…The most staggering statistic from the survey is in relation to the children’s age of diagnosis — our survey found that 88 percent of children are diagnosed by the age of 10.

Children diagnosed with the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often demonstrate heterogeneous writing skills that are generally lower than their typically developing peers, similar to children with attention difficulties such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recently, researchers have found children with ASD spend less time engaging in writing tasks compared to other children. However, previous studies have…

In the latest episode of DocTalk, Theresa Cerulli, MD, a psychiatrist in North Andover, Massachusetts and a lecturer at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, discusses just how difficult this school year might be for students suffering from ADHD. (Podcast)

Vuori et al (10.1542/peds.2019-4046) evaluated whether there is an association between birth month and initiation of ADHD medications in children enrolled in the Finnish school system…The authors conclude that age immaturity relative to the age cutoff for starting the school year increases the likelihood of ADHD medication use in those children with later birthdays—or does…

A combination of medication and behavioral treatments may benefit multiplex families where both children and their mothers have ADHD, according to study results published in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry…In the current study, the investigators sought to compare parental treatment with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX; Vyvanse, Shire Development) with behavioral parent training (BPT) among 35 mothers who…

Researchers have shown there may be key genetic differences in the causes of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between African Americans and people of European ancestry, which may play an important part in how patients of different ethnic backgrounds respond to treatments for this condition.

UC Berkeley psychologist Stephen Hinshaw has won the National Academy of Medicine’s 2020 Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health for his contributions to the understanding and treatment of mental health conditions in childhood and adolescence and for his efforts to reduce the stigma of mental illness. The prize, which comes with a…

Non-stimulant medications approved by the FDA for ADHD are Atomoxetine, Clonidine, and Guanfacine. Non-stimulant medications are used if someone does not respond to stimulant medication, has a history of drug abuse, or experiences severe side effects from stimulants. Other medications, like antiviral drugs and antidepressants, also do not have any stimulant effects and may be…

In this video, Psych Congress 2020 presenter Timothy Wilens, MD, discusses the ways in which early treatment can improve outcomes in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dr. Wilens is Chief, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Co-Director, Center for Addiction Medicine, at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

Research findings from Aarhus University and the Central Denmark Region’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Centre show that quality of life is poorer for preschool children with ADHD compared to children from the control population. But the children’s quality of life can be significantly improved using treatment without medication.