The best medicine for ADHD might not be medicine, at least at first

Steve and Michelle were desperate. Their 6-year-old son, Sam, was diagnosed with ADHD soon after entering first grade. Sam’s behavior seemed outright defiant: He ignored adults when his name was called and was in constant motion. Sam let out bloodcurdling screams when forced to stop playing a game on the iPad…But despite the relentless advertising…

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Brains of those with ADHD show smaller structures related to emotion

Story highlights: Brain volume was smaller in people with ADHD compared to others, research finds; The biggest difference occurred in the amygdala, a region involved in emotional processing…according to a study published Wednesday in the medical journal The Lancet Psychiatry. The differences in brain volume were identified by researchers who reviewed brain scans comparing those…

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Study: Brain differences found in children with ADHD

As many as five brain regions may not be fully developed in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new imaging study. “The results from our study confirm that people with ADHD have differences in their brain structure and therefore suggest that ADHD is a disorder of the brain,” lead author Martine Hoogman, Ph.D.,…

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ADHD, Asthma Prevalence Tied to Poverty, National Study Shows

The national prevalence of parent-reported asthma, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is on the rise in the United States, as are accompanying comorbid disorders, but poverty influences the prevalence of each of these conditions differently, according to a longitudinal analysis of the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). The study was…

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Students with special needs get special help behind the wheel

A senior at St. Charles East High School, Christopher, 18, has autism and an attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. He was able to pass the written exam for his permit, but struggled behind the wheel in the school’s driver’s education program. Experts say students with such disorders are challenged in their ability to pay attention, switch focus…

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Tiny Babies May Face Mental Health Problems Later

Researchers examined 41 studies conducted from 1990 to 2016. The studies included more than 2,700 extremely low birth weight babies (less than 1,000 grams, or just over 2 pounds) and more than 11,000 normal birth weight babies in the United States, Canada and 10 other countries. The extremely low birth weight babies had a higher…

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Stimulant Meds for ADHD: What are the Risks for Bone Disease?

This well-done retrospective cross-sectional study delivers just what we want from such a study design: a clear path forward to develop a prospective trial to answer a specific question…Investigators looked at data from 6489 children and adolescents in the NHANES database who completed questionnaires and also underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. Of those, 159…

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Controversial ADHD prescription rule scrapped from Georgia bill

The proposed changes were presented before the Georgia Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday afternoon. State Sen. Renee Unterman, the committee’s chairwoman, had created a bill aimed at curbing the abuse of prescription opioids in Georgia. But controversy erupted as word spread of the provision that would have imposed restrictions on attention deficit…

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A Big Oops for Major Journal

Did the rate of autism diagnoses increase 400% between 2007 and 2011? No, they did not. But you might not agree with me if you read this article, appearing early Monday in the journal Pediatrics…The lifetime prevalence of ASD rose almost 400%. This is an error. How this error occurred should be a lesson to…

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Georgia bill would require new ADHD prescriptions every 5 days

A bill meant to curb the abuse of prescription opioids in Georgia has stirred outrage in the ADHD community because a provision requires adults and children on medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to get new prescriptions every five days. “It’s clearly a cause for concern,” said state Sen. Nan Orrock, an Atlanta Democrat who…

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ADHD and the Transition to Adulthood (Part 1)

If I had to come up with a list of words that described transitioning to adulthood with ADHD, “smooth” and “seamless” probably wouldn’t make the cut. “Perilous” and “unpredictable,” however, would be top contenders.

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ADHD Symptoms: 10 Signs You Have Adult ADHD

It’s not uncommon for ADHD to be misdiagnosed, or even ignored altogether, in adults as some symptoms may be attributed to other common issues such as stress at work…If you weren’t diagnosed as a child, but often struggle with the following challenges, it’s time to have a discussion with your doctor. Here are 10 signs…

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