ADHD in the News 2019-04-11
Good Sleep a Must for Teens With ADHD
Teenagers tend to shortchange themselves on sleep, but when they have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), that can really hamper their thinking skills, researchers say. The new study included teen volunteers with ADHD who spent a week in which their sleep was restricted to 6.5 hours per night. That was followed by a week in which they were allowed to sleep up to 9.5 hours each night.
ADHD With and Without Emotion Dysregulation
According to a recent study from researchers in Germany, all ADHDers tend to have impaired emotion regulation abilities, but a subgroup of between one-third and two-thirds of ADHDers has more severe deficits in this regard. For those people, emotion regulation impairments come with a cost: higher rates of depression, more negative emotions, and more psychological distress.
Ritalin vs. Adderall: What’s the difference?
According to the authors of a 2018 meta-analysis, methylphenidate — the drug in Ritalin — is usually best for children or adolescents with ADHD. For adults with ADHD, the researchers concluded that amphetamines, such as Adderall, are generally best.
Concerta vs. Adderall: What’s the difference?
Concerta is a brand name for the drug methylphenidate in an extended-release formulation. This is the same drug in Ritalin, but Concerta releases the drug evenly over a prolonged period. The slow release is what sets it apart from other ADHD medications.
No Clinically Relevant ADHD Risk With Prenatal Benzodiazepine, Z-Hypnotic Exposure
There is no substantial detrimental risk on child fine motor and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms after prenatal benzodiazepine/z-hypnotic exposure alone or in combination with opioids or antidepressants, according to study results published in JAMA Network Open.1
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 cost of raising a child with ADHD.
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 had, the greater the ability he or she had to control his or her attention.
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 children.
Medication Isn’t the Only Answer for ADHD Treatment: 6 Alternatives to Consider
Before defaulting to medication as an ADHD treatment for you or your children, talk to your doctor. Decide together whether any of the following non-pharmaceutical treatments might work: