Parents cautious of new FDA-approved device for kids with ADHD

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the first medical device of its kind to treat ADHD in children between the ages of 7 and 12 years-old is being met with “cautious optimism” by parents and advocates. The new device known as the Monarch eTNS system will cost parents about $1,000 and isn’t yet…

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Antipsychotics and Unexpected Death in Children

The off-label use of high-dose antipsychotics for conditions such as attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to significantly increase the risk of unexpected death in children and young adults, according to a recent retrospective study.

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A Media Avalanche is Burying Our Attention Spans

The vast and growing volume of diversions that pepper our modern world appears to be taking a toll on our attention spans as people hop to the next trending topic faster and faster, European researchers report this week…The findings, published Monday in the research journal Nature Communications, were the result of nearly 2 years of…

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Choosing Medications for ADHD: Q&A with Anne Buchanan, DO

Dr. Buchanan: Most child psychiatrists, including myself, consider stimulants first-line. I view alpha-agonists as second-line, or sometimes I use them as augmenters to a stimulant, such as when we see only a partial response from a stimulant or when we are limited in dosing due to side effects. Agents such as Strattera (atomoxetine) and Wellbutrin…

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Does sugar make kids hyper? That’s largely a myth

“If you look at the peer-reviewed evidence, we cannot say sugar absolutely makes kids hyper; however, you can’t discount that sugar may have a slight effect” on behavior, said Kristi L. King, senior pediatric dietitian at Texas Children’s Hospital and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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The Simple Accommodation Many Students With ADHD Aren’t Getting

I know many ADHD students are allowed movement breaks as per their 504 or IEP. These students should be allowed to sit on exercise balls or fidget cushions, and use pedal desks, rubber bands on their chairs or fidget stools. There are a variety of options out there. Classrooms need to offer more for these…

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Finding focus: Musical training may improve attentiveness

A team of Chilean academics has produced a study, published by the journal Heliyon, that suggests “musical training produces lasting improvements to a cognitive mechanism that helps individuals be more attentive and less likely to be distracted by irrelevant stimuli while performing demanding tasks.” The study asserts that the more years of training a subject…

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Raising a child with ADHD costs five times more than raising a child without ADHD, study finds

Raising a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) costs American families an estimated $5.8 billion every year—five times more than raising a child without ADHD—according to a new study by researchers at FIU’s Center for Children and Families. This is the first study to calculate children’s social, behavioral and academic difficulties into a family’s…

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