ADHD in the News 2015-10-13

1 in 3 children with mental health needs only see a pediatrician

According to the study by scientists at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston, close to 35 percent of children who go for mental health care in an outpatient setting are treated by a primary care physician only, while 26 percent saw a psychiatrist, and 15 percent saw a psychologist or social worker.



How secondhand smoke makes children act out

Researchers analysed data from more than 5,200 primary school students in France and found that those exposed to secondhand smoke while in the womb and/or at a young age were at higher risk for behavioural problems, particularly emotional and conduct disorders.



Meta-Review Clears Stimulants of Anxiety Charge in ADHD Treatment

A meta-review of studies involving nearly 3,000 children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) finds that psychostimulant treatment significantly reduces the risk of anxiety. Thus patient reports of new-onset or worsening anxiety with the use of psychostimulants are not likely due to the medication and should not necessarily preclude stimulant use in ADHD.



Young Adults With Disabilities: Moving from ‘Struggler’ to ‘Navigator’

When it comes to feeling happy and fulfilled, what really matters to young adults with learning and attention issues? It turns out to have little direct correlation with traditional school work, and everything to do with connections—to a supportive and nurturing family, to friends and the community, and even to themselves, in the form of self-confidence and ease at dealing with emotional problems and making friends.



Teen Smoking May Cause Enduring Attention Problems

Smoking in adolescence contributes to attention problems that persist into adulthood, a new study of identical twins suggests. ""Since our results imply that smoking causally increases attention problems, the most important implication of this study is that the initiation of smoking should be prevented or delayed as much as possible,"" Jorien Treur, doctoral candidate, Department of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands, told Medscape Medical News.



Sleep and Executive Function in ADHD

A recent study has found that induction of slow waves during early non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep may improve executive function in children with ADHD .1 Pointing to emerging data regarding deficits in the prefrontal cortex and non-REM slow-wave sleep in the brains of children with ADHD, Munz and colleagues1 surmised that the quality of slow oscillations during sleep may impact ADHD symptomology, particularly behavioral inhibition, an aspect of executive function.



ADHD & Adults: 4 Things that Cause Overwhelm and What You Can Do

When you have ADHD, many things can cause you to feel overwhelmed. In fact, you might feel like you’re constantly behind and playing catch-up. You might run around all day long and yet not get much done...The good news is that you can do something — a lot of things — to help you navigate and reduce your overwhelm. First, Shulem stressed the importance of getting enough sleep, eating nutrient-rich foods and exercising.



The 11 Biggest Myths And Misconceptions About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Perhaps what makes it even more difficult to live with ADHD is the amount of misinformation and negative stereotypes that surround the diagnosis. ADHD patients are often written off as over-diagnosed, undisciplined, or simply lazy. The list below examines some of these myths.



Study examines concussion-like symptom reporting in uninjured athletes

Uninjured athletes reported concussion-like symptoms in a new study that suggests symptom reporting in the absence of recent concussion is related to male or female sex and preexisting conditions, which can include prior treatment for a psychiatric condition or substance abuse, according to a new article.