ADHD in the News 2022-07-07

White children are especially likely to be overdiagnosed and overtreated for ADHD, according to a new study

The big idea: White children are especially likely to be overdiagnosed and overtreated for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during elementary school. That is the key finding from our recent peer-reviewed study. We analyzed data from 1,070 U.S. elementary school children who had displayed above-average behavioral, academic or executive functioning the year before their initial ADHD diagnoses.



ADHD Drugs May Treat Alzheimer’s Cognitive Symptoms Effectively — Positive effect on global cognition, apathy in meta-analysis

Drugs with principally noradrenergic action -- including ones prescribed for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or to treat hypertension or depression -- may effectively treat cognitive symptoms and apathy in Alzheimer's disease, a systematic review and meta-analysis suggested.



New Study Shows Racial, Gender Discrepancies in Special Education Services

White students in Wisconsin public schools are more likely to receive special education for higher-status disabilities than are Black, Latinx, and Asian students, shows a new study of more than 2,000 schools in the state. Conversely, Black and Indigenous students are more likely to receive special education services for lower-status disabilities compared to white students.



Early Childhood Allergies Linked With ADHD and ASD

Young children with allergies may be more likely to develop attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by the time they're 18, according to a large retrospective study.



Know the symptoms of ADHD in toddlers, tweens and teens

Most kids struggle to sit still, pay attention and wait for their turn at times, but if your child has a lot of difficulties remaining focused on a regular basis, it could be a sign of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This is not just typical toddler behavior. This issue can even affect teens and adults. Recognizing ADHD in toddlers is not always easy since children of this age tend to have a hard time paying attention.



Identifying Patients with ADHD and Psychiatric Comorbidities Using an EHR Phenotype Algorithm

In more than half of pediatric instances, comorbid conditions coexisted with ADHD, and it was difficult to determine if the symptoms impairing function were caused by the comorbid condition or the underlying ADHD. In addition, comorbid illnesses raise the risk of a more severe and protracted course and make treatment choices more difficult. To enhance research on ADHD using biorepository and other electronic record data, it was crucial to creating an algorithm that recognized ADHD and comorbidities.



Dexedrine vs. Vyvanse: Comparing ADHD Meds

Get the facts on Dexedrine and Vyvanse and find out which one may be best for ADHD treatment. Both Vyvanse and Dexedrine are central nervous system stimulants. Experts aren’t sure exactly how they work but know they improve the rate at which messages are sent between the brain and the body.



ADHD Considerations for Clinical Practice

In this installment of Tales From the Clinic: The Art of Psychiatry, we visit a bread-and-butter case of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from a child psychiatry clinic. While very common, this disorder is still surrounded by multiple questions that research is just beginning to unravel. It is subject to gender-norming and differential referral and diagnosis rates in girls versus boys, and, while highly heritable, is still stigmatized and labeled as “bad behavior” in many families.



Understanding ADHD and Autistic Burnout Within the Workplace

KEY POINTS: Burnout is the consequence of chronic stress, causing disturbance to our physical (autonomic nervous system) and mental functioning. Autistic burnout occurs when an employee feels out of sync with the work environment. Flexibility allows people to minimize the negative and leverage the positive.



ADHD and borderline personality disorder: Is there a link?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition that causes intense and unstable emotions. People with BPD may have issues regulating emotions, leading to impulsive actions and chaotic relationships. Individuals with the condition may also have other mental health conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).



Eisenhower Box Offers Prioritization Help for Adults With ADHD

A simple organizational tool called the Eisenhower matrix can help people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) prioritize tasks on their daily to-do lists, advised psychologist Rob Rosenthal, PsyD, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in The Conversation.