ADHD

Computer-based cognitive training programs that claim to improve things such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and academic and social success in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) probably don’t live up to those promises.

An investigation of the combined risks of adolescence, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and driving while engaged in texting or cell phone conversation found that while distractions significantly impair the driving performance of all adolescents, the negative effects of texting are especially prominent in youngsters with ADHD.

With the prevalence of, and prescriptions for, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rising steeply in the past decade, experts are looking at whether current diagnostic practices and definitions are helping or hindering the situation.

Adolescents evolve from child to young adult without the maturity of adulthood to help them navigate the transition, particularly when it comes to the perils of substance use and addiction. Pediatricians who care for transitional-aged youth with substance use disorders have new paradigms that have shown promise for treating addiction and its accompanying comorbidities and for sustaining recovery over time.

For children with ADHD, assessing parents’ preferences and goals is useful for clinicians in understanding which treatment parents are likely to initiate for their children.

Some criminal activity can be eliminated by pharmacotherapy for ADHD. Should this information influence clinical practice? The short answer is an unequivocal yes.

In this expert Q&A, Julie Sherman, PhD and Jay Tarnow, MD briefly discuss the latest research findings on ADHD.

To help you stay abreast of research findings about widely used complementary and alternative approaches to the treatment of ADHD, you'll find results from several pivotal studies summarized here.

Before adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) head off to college and away from home, many for the first time, their pediatricians need to initiate frank discussions about how ADHD will affect them both academically and in their daily living and to help them plan a successful transition to what lies ahead.

The first brain wave test to diagnose attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will be hitting the market following recent approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Racial and ethnic disparities concerning the diagnosis and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appear as early as kindergarten and persist through 8th grade, according to a new study.

New research shows that almost one-third of children aged between 4 and 8 years who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) also have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

A recent investigation found that compared with healthy-weight children, those who are obese show significantly less brain activation in regions associated with cognitive control after viewing familiar food logos, such as McDonald’s “golden arches.” This suggests that obese children may be more responsive to food advertising than their normal-weight peers.

More than 90% of pediatric subspecialists who diagnose and manage attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young children deviate from current recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry regarding treatment of pediatric ADHD.

About 17% of children and teenagers in the United States suffer from a mental disorder, according to a first-of-its-kind federal report.

Just 20 minutes of aerobic exercise provides significant benefits for kids with ADHD.

Investigators studied the relationship of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescence and adult physical and mental health, work performance, and financial stress.

Children exposed to ischemic-hypoxic events in utero are at increased risk of developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), especially those born prematurely. The findings add to growing evidence that both prenatal and postnatal factors affect neurodevelopment.

One of the most feared outcomes in children and adolescents with ADHD is the development of alcohol or drug abuse or dependence, referred to here as substance use disorders (SUD).

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved extended-release methylphenidate hydrochloride oral suspension for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Efficacy was determined in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study that showed improvement for both attention and behavior metrics for up to 12 hours in children aged 6 to 12 years diagnosed with ADHD compared with placebo. The once-daily treatment will be available in January 2013.

Mind-enhancement medications usually enhance everyone who uses them, not just those experiencing the most problems.

Earlier treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with stimulant drugs may reduce the risk of academic decline, especially in mathematics, a new study suggests. What are the relative benefits for girls and boys? More >>

Childhood absence epilepsy is distinct from partial epilepsy and is often misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD. It is one of the most common types of pediatric seizure.

A study of Canadian children found that the youngest children in the class are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and prescribed medication than their peers in the same grade. Find out why overdiagnosis and overprescribing are a concern.

Results of a survey of AAP members show that most US pediatricians bypass an ECG before starting children on stimulant medication for ADHD, opting for a routine cardiac history and physical examination instead. Find out how perceived barriers to cardiac screening influence clinical practice.

A 2-year-old girl has been followed for developmental delays and slow weight gain by her pediatrician and early childhood intervention therapists. The 17-year-old, first-time mother was also a runaway and had avoided early prenatal care. More details and questions for you, here.

Evaluations for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should begin in children at 4 years and continue until 18 years, which significantly expands the age range for recommended screening. Released at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, the clinical practice guidelines recommend behavioral interventions as the first-line treatment in preschool children. The guidelines also have some new suggestions related to methylphenidate treatment for children younger than 6 years.

Despite its caveats and good intentions, the AAP guideline will surely invite an inappropriate glut of medication for preschoolers . . .

Here?s some new information that can help when you?re determining whom to screen for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: ADHD prevalence has increased to 10% for children with family income less than 100% of the poverty level and to 11% for those with family income between 100% and 199% of the poverty level compared with a 7% to 9% overall increase, according to a National Center for Health Statistics report. Read more to find out what other indicators were linked with above-average increases in the disorder?s prevalence.