Children aged 3 to 5 years whose mothers used methamphetamine during pregnancy have a higher risk of suffering from behavioral problems, researchers from Brown University in Providence reported in the journal Pediatrics. The authors wrote that the risk of developing depression or suffering from heightened anxiety was found to be greater among kids whose mothers used methamphetami... (read more)
Gluten-free products are all the rage these days, but many health-conscious eaters who buy them may be wasting their money, the authors of a new commentary in Annals of Internal Medicine suggest. Going gluten-free is necessary for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. The disease causes inflammation in the small intestine and can lead ... (read more)
Children exposed to general anesthesia multiple times during the first two years of life have an increased likelihood of later developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a retrospective cohort study found. In adjusted analyses, children who underwent two or more surgeries or procedures requiring general anesthesia had more than double the risk for later ADHD (HR 2.49, 95% CI 1.32 to 4.71), according ... (read more)
Autism tends to go hand in hand with a variety of other mental and behavioral conditions in kids, suggests a new study that highlights the fuzzy nature of autism diagnoses themselves. Researchers said that other disorders that often go along with autism -- such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or learning disabilities -- may complicate the diagnosis, or slow down any improvement in kids who ... (read more)
Ritalin, Adderall and other drugs widely used to treat attention disorders didn't increase the risk of serious heart problems in a major study published Monday that could help ease concerns about the heart-related safety of the medicines. The findings, from an analysis involving nearly 500,000 adults, come on the heels of a separate study that reached a similar conclusion about the medications' effect in 1.2... (read more)
Stimulants used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder do not increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes or sudden death, U.S. researchers said on Monday, in a finding that should reassure millions of parents whose children take the drugs. Researchers studied the medical records of more than 1 million children and young adults aged 2 to 24 who were taking or had taken stimulants such ... (read more)
Children who wet themselves are more than four times as likely as other kids to also have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the results of a new German study. "I think a lot of us have known this for a long time," that children with ADHD also struggle with bladder control, said Dr. Peter Jensen, a professor of psychiatry and psychology and the vice chair for research at t... (read more)
The American Academy of Pediatrics this weekend expanded its guidelines for diagnosing and treating kids with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, recommending that doctors evaluate all patients aged four to 18 who show signs of the condition. The new guidelines update decade-old recommendations that focused on diagnosing and managing ADHD in kids aged six to 12. But behavior problems, over-activity an... (read more)
A Reuters health report found that children, as young as four years old, are showing signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at earlier ages. The American Academy of Pediatrics changed their guidelines for diagnosing ADHD in children, which led to broadening the spectrum of ages diagnosed. Initially, the ages of six years old to 12 years old were focused upon for ADHD diagnosis, but recent... (read more)
The use of stimulant medications among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) continues to rise, particularly among adolescents, a nationally representative survey showed. In 2008, these medications were used by 3.5% (95% CI 3.0 to 4.1) of children ages 18 and younger compared with 2.4% (95% CI 1.8 to 2.9) in 1996, according to Samuel H. Zuvekas, PhD, of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Qualit... (read more)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a developmental disorder. It is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone" and symptoms starting before seven years of age.
ADHD is the most commonly studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children, affecting about 3 to 5 percent of children globally and diagnosed in about 2 to 16 percent of school aged children. It is a chronic disorder with 30 to 50 percent of those individuals diagnosed in childhood continuing to have symptoms into adulthood. Adolescents and adults with ADHD tend to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for some or all of their impairments. It is estimated that 4.7 percent of American adults live with ADHD. Standardized rating scales such as WHO's Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale can be used for ADHD screening and assessment of the disorder’s symptoms severity.
ADHD is diagnosed two to four times more frequently in boys than in girls, though studies suggest this discrepancy may be partially due to subjective bias of referring teachers. ADHD management usually involves some combination of medications, behavior modifications, lifestyle changes, and counseling. Its symptoms can be difficult to differentiate from other disorders, increasing the likelihood that the diagnosis of ADHD will be missed. Additionally, most clinicians have not received formal training in the assessment and treatment of ADHD, particularly in adult patients.
ADHD and its diagnosis and treatment have been considered controversial since the 1970s. The controversies have involved clinicians, teachers, policymakers, parents and the media. Topics include the actuality of the disorder, its causes, and the use of stimulant medications in its treatment. Most healthcare providers accept that ADHD is a genuine disorder with debate in the scientific community centering mainly around how it is diagnosed and treated. The American Medical Association concluded in 1998 that the diagnostic criteria for ADHD are based on extensive research and, if applied appropriately, lead to the diagnosis with high reliability.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhd
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