Archived News Related to ADHD / Special Needs Issues and Education
Archived News Related to ADHD / Special Needs Issues and Education
ADHD children make poor decisions due to less differentiated learning processes
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"Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among school children. Pupils with ADHD often make poorer decisions than their unaffected classmates. Researchers have now discovered that different learning and decision-making mechanisms are responsible for these behaviors, and localized the underlying impairments in the brain.”
Aug 21, 2014 No Sign That ADHD Meds Raise Suicide Risk: Study
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"Drugs used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not increase the risk of suicide attempts or suicide, and may actually provide a protective effect, a new study suggests.”
June 20, 2014 MRI technique may help prevent ADHD misdiagnosis
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"Brain iron levels offer a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and may help physicians and parents make better informed treatment decisions, according to new research. ADHD is a common disorder in children and adolescents that can continue into adulthood. Symptoms include hyperactivity and difficulty staying focused, paying attention and controlling behavior, and affects 3 to 7 percent of school-age children.”
June 17, 2014 Brain imaging shows enhanced executive brain function in people with musical training
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"A controlled study using functional MRI brain imaging reveals a possible biological link between early musical training and improved executive functioning in both children and adults, report researchers. The study uses functional MRI of brain areas associated with executive function, adjusting for socioeconomic factors.”
June 17, 2014 Brain scans differentiate adults who have recovered from childhood ADHD and those whose difficulties linger
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"In the first study to compare patterns of brain activity in adults who recovered from childhood ADHD and those who did not, MIT neuroscientists have discovered key differences in a brain communication network that is active when the brain is at wakeful rest and not focused on a particular task. The findings offer evidence of a biological basis for adult ADHD and should help to validate the criteria used to diagnose the disorder, according to the researchers.”
June 14, 2014 Can 12 Minutes of Exercise Make a Difference for Students?
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"The recent study is a follow-up to one Tine published in 2012. That study found that brief aerobic exercise improved selective visual attention among children, with low-income participants experiencing the biggest improvement.”
June 14, 2014 Decoding how the brain miswires, possibly causing ADHD
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"Neuroscientists have shed light on why neurons in the brain’s reward system can be miswired, potentially contributing to disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).”
June 4, 2014 ADHD medicine’s long-term safety still a question
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"Scant research has been done on the long-term safety of drugs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new analysis shows, though millions of American children have been taking them for decades.”
May 2, 2014 Disrupted connections found in the brains of young people with ADHD
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"A new study has found that children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have disrupted connections between different areas of the brain that are evident on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI).”
May 2, 2014 In Children With ADHD, Language Problems, Not Distractions, Lead To Poor School Grades
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"The study was published online Monday and will appear in the May print issue of Pediatrics. For years, it has been common knowledge that children with ADHD perform worse in school and have poor social and language skills. This study, however, was designed to determine how these language problems, including difficulties in both speech and comprehension, affected the academic and social skills in ADHD children.”
Apr 22, 2014 ADHD: Scientists discover brain's anti-distraction system
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"Psychologists have made a brain-related discovery that could revolutionize doctors' perception and treatment of attention-deficit disorders. This discovery opens up the possibility that environmental and/or genetic factors may hinder or suppress a specific brain activity that the researchers have identified as helping us prevent distraction.”
Apr 18, 2014 Confirmation of neurobiological origin of attention-deficit disorder
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"The neurobiological origin of attention-deficit disorder (ADD), a syndrome whose causes are poorly understood, has just been confirmed by a study carried out on mice. Researchers have identified a cerebral structure, the superior colliculus, where hyperstimulation causes behavior modifications similar to those of some patients who suffer from ADD. Their work also shows noradrenaline accumulation in the affected area, shedding light on this chemical mediator having a role in attention disorders.”
Apr 11, 2014 A.D.H.D. Experts Re-evaluate Study’s Zeal for Drugs
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"Some authors of the study — widely considered the most influential study ever on A.D.H.D. — worry that the results oversold the benefits of drugs, discouraging important home- and school-focused therapy and ultimately distorting the debate over the most effective (and cost-effective) treatments.”
Jan 14, 2014 2-drug combo helps adolescents with ADHD, aggression
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"Prescribing both a stimulant and an antipsychotic drug to children with physical aggression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), along with teaching parents to use behavior management techniques, reduces aggressive and serious behavioral problems in the children, according to a study conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.”
Jan 1, 2014 Broader definition of ADHD risks "unnecessary and possibly harmful treatment" warn experts
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"They argue that reducing the threshold for diagnosing ADHD "devalues the diagnosis in those with serious problems" and call for "a conservative stepped diagnostic approach" to help reduce the risk of overdiagnosis.”
Nov 6, 2013 EEG brainwave tests help diagnose ADHD symptoms
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"A new study, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, suggests that a test using electroencephalograms (EEG) may be able to provide objective information as to which type of ADHD a child has.”
Oct 15, 2013 Brain Test to Diagnose A.D.H.D. Is Approved
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"The test uses an electroencephalogram, or EEG, with sensors attached to a child’s head and hooked by wires to a computer to measure brain waves. It traces different types of electrical impulses given off by nerve cells in the brain and records how many times those impulses are given off each second. The test takes 15 to 20 minutes, and measures two kinds of brain waves — theta and beta. Certain combinations of those waves tend to be more prevalent in children with A.D.H.D., the Food and Drug Administration said in a news release.”
July 15, 2013 Excessive Cerebral Spinal Fluid and Enlarged Brain Size in Infancy Are Potential Biomarkers for Autism
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"Children who were later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder had excessive cerebrospinal fluid and enlarged brains in infancy, a study by a multidisciplinary team of researchers with the UC Davis MIND Institute has found, raising the possibility that those brain anomalies may serve as potential biomarkers for the early identification of the neurodevelopmental disorder.”
July 10, 2013 Researchers identify structural anomalies that may increase risk of ADHD in premature newborns
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"In the first study of its kind, Natasha Leporé, PhD, and colleagues have pinpointed structural anomalies in the developing brain that may increase the risk of cognitive disabilities, such as frontal executive dysfunction (FED) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in premature newborns. This study was published by the Public Library of Science, on July 3, in PLOS ONE.”
July 6, 2013 Are Schools Driving ADHD Diagnoses?
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"Changes in what we expect from children in school, and increased pressure to meet those expectations, can be expected to have consequences in who gets diagnosed.”
July 1, 2013 Is the autistic brain too wired or not wired enough?
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"A study of 20 children with high-functioning autism indicates that they have higher-than normal connectivity among five major brain networks.”
June 27, 2013 Children With ADHD More Likely to Be Moderately Disabled After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
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"Prevention of TBI in children with ADHD is important because outcomes can be more severe in these children than in children without ADHD. The authors suggest that perhaps children with ADHD should be steered away from engaging in sports or hobbies that carry increased risks of sustaining a TBI.”
June 25, 2013 Underdiagnosis of ADHD begins early for some groups
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"Prior research has shown that black, Hispanic and other minority children are less likely than comparable white children to be diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but a new study shows that this disparity starts as early as kindergarten and continues through middle school. Among those diagnosed with ADHD — the most common mental health condition among kids and teens — children who are ethnic or racial minorities are less likely to use prescription medication for the disorder, even when researchers account for such factors as health insurance coverage, socio-economic status and academic achievement.”
June 24, 2013 Methylphenidate improves theory of mind in children with ADHD
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"The stimulant drug methylphenidate (Ritalin) could enhance social functioning in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A study published online June 12 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found methylphenidate was associated with significant improvement in Theory of Mind performance.”
June 14, 2013 No Link Found Between ADHD Drugs, Future Substance Abuse
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"In the most comprehensive research ever on this topic, UCLA psychologists found that children with ADHD who take medications such as Ritalin and Adderall are at no greater risk of using alcohol, marijuana, nicotine or cocaine later in life than kids with ADHD who don’t take these medications.”
June 2, 2013 How Ritalin Affects Brains of Kids With ADHD
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"Analyzing data from earlier studies that looked at how children's brains were affected by doing certain tasks that are sometimes challenging for kids with ADHD, the researchers found that Ritalin (methylphenidate) was having a visible impact on three areas of the brain known to be associated with ADHD: the cortex, the cerebellum and the basal ganglia. The study could be helpful in diagnosing and treating children with ADHD, Moore said. "It may be helpful to know that in certain children, Ritalin is having a physiological effect in the areas of the brain involved with attention and impulse control.”
May 31, 2013 Brain Activity in Sleep May Impact Emotional Disturbances in Children With ADHD
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"Sleep consolidates emotional memories in healthy children but not in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to research published May 29 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Alexander Prehn-Kristensen and colleagues from University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein. The study suggests these deficits in sleep-related emotional processing may exacerbate emotional problems experienced in the daytime by children with ADHD.”
May 29, 2013 In Children With ADHD Methylphenidate 'Normalizes' Activation In Key Brain Areas
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"The studies "may provide evidence that methylphenidate facilitates the return of brain function in ADHD patients to, or close to, a typically functioning state," Dr Moore and colleagues write.”
May 14, 2013 Children with Autism Hypersensitive to Motion
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"This heightened sensory perception may help explain why some people with autism are painfully sensitive to noise and bright lights. It also may be connected to some of the complex social and behavioral deficits found in the disorder, said Duje Tadin, Ph.D., one of the lead authors on the study and an assistant professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester.”
May 9, 2013 Methylphenidate 'Normalizes' Activation in Key Brain Areas in Kids With ADHD, Study Suggests
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"Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) show increased activation of key brain areas after a dose of methylphenidate in young patients with ADHD, according to the systematic review by Constance A. Moore, PhD, and colleagues of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. They write, "In most cases, this increase 'normalized' activation of at least some brain areas to levels seen in typically developing children.”
May 9, 2013 Clinical Guidelines When Treating Preschoolers With ADHD Not Followed By 90 Percent Of Pediatric Specialists
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"A recent study by pediatricians from the Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York examined to what extent pediatric physicians adhere to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) clinical guidelines regarding pharmacotherapy in treating young patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The results showed that more than 90 percent of medical specialists who diagnose and manage ADHD in preschoolers do not follow treatment guidelines recently published by the AAP.”
May 7, 2013 Autistic Kids May Be Prone to Compulsive Video Gaming
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"A University of Missouri researcher found kids with ASD use screen-based media, such as television and video games, more often than their typically developing peers.”
April 22, 2013 Analyzing Brain Activity May Help Detect Autism
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"The researchers said they found significantly stronger connections between rear and frontal areas of the brain in the children with autism. They noted there was an asymmetrical flow of information to the frontal region, but not vice versa. Insight into the directionality of the connections may help identify anatomical abnormalities in brains of children with autism, the researchers theorized.”
April 21, 2013 Possible Link Between ADHD in Children & Cell Phone Use
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"The findings offer further evidence that lead exposure and RF exposure seem to increase dramatically with cell phone use. The full effect of these exposures on ADHD and other cognitive and behavioral outcomes has yet to be confirmed and further research may reveal the answers.”
April 20, 2013 More Diagnoses of Hyperactivity in New C.D.C. Data
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"These rates reflect a marked rise over the last decade and could fuel growing concern among many doctors that the A.D.H.D. diagnosis and its medication are overused in American children.”
Mar. 31, 2013 More Sunshine Tied to Fewer Cases of ADHD
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"Fewer children have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) where sunshine is plentiful, according to new research published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.”
Mar. 31, 2013 Latest Figures: One in 50 U.S. Children Has Autism
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"Autism spectrum disorders, or ASDs, affect 1 in 50 American children, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The newest statistics are markedly higher than the CDC’s previous report on the disorder, which last year put prevalence at 1 in 88 children. However, these figures can’t be compared, the CDC says.”
Mar. 30, 2013 Children With Sleep Apnea Have Higher Risk of Behavioral, Adaptive and Learning Problems
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"A new study found that obstructive sleep apnea, a common form of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), is associated with increased rates of ADHD-like behavioral problems in children as well as other adaptive and learning problems.”
Mar. 29, 2013 New government estimate finds autism more common than before; 1 in 50 school kids diagnosed
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"Health officials say the new number doesn’t mean autism is occurring more often. But it does suggest that doctors are diagnosing autism more frequently, especially in children with milder problems.”
Mar. 20, 2013 Do Not Prescribe ADHD Drugs To Mentally Healthy Children, Doctors Told
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"It is wrong for doctors to prescribe attention-boosting drugs for mentally healthy kids who misuse them as a means of achieving better grades at school, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) announced in a public statement.”
Mar. 14, 2013 Childhood ADHD may lead to troubles later on: study
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"Nearly a third of people diagnosed as children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) still have the condition in adulthood, according to a large new study that also found they're more likely to develop other mental disorders and to commit suicide.”
Mar. 4, 2013 Shared Genes May Link ADHD, Autism and Depression
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"Autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may all share common genetic risk factors, a new study says.”
Feb. 28, 2013 70 percent increase in ADHD among black children, study finds
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"Dr. Richard Gallagher of the Institute for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Behavior Disorders at NYU Child Study Center cautions to not be alarmed that there has been a huge jump in the use of the diagnosis of ADHD. In fact, several studies show youth of color have previously been under-diagnosed for ADHD.”
Feb. 15, 2013 Substance Abuse Problems Among Kids with ADHD
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"Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and six other health centers across the U.S. found that in addition to the elevated risk for substance abuse among adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, current medications for ADHD did not counter the risk for substance abuse and substance use disorder (SUD).”
Feb. 12, 2013 ADHD Subtypes: Researchers Find Functional Brain Differences
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"The different subtypes of ADHD are distinct but also with real basis in the biological functioning of the brain. And our imaging tools are beginning to let us discern between them—and one day perhaps diagnose the underlying illness.”
Feb. 12, 2013 ADHD SYMPTOMS PERSIST FOR MOST YOUNG CHILDREN DESPITE TREATMENT
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"Results spell need for more effective therapies, earlier intervention. Nine out of 10 young children with moderate to severe attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) continue to experience serious, often severe symptoms and impairment long after their original diagnoses and, in many cases, despite treatment, according to a federally funded multi-center study led by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.”
Feb. 11, 2013 Genetic Sampling to Confirm ADHD?
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"Alaitz Molano, a graduate in biochemistry with a Ph.D. in pharmacology studied how genetic polymorphisms (variations in the DNA sequence between different individuals) are associated with ADHD.”
Jan. 22, 2013 Childhood Diagnosis of ADHD Increased Dramatically Over 9-Year Period
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"The rate of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder rose dramatically between 2001 and 2010, with non-Hispanic white children having the highest diagnosis rates, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics (formerly Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine). The study also showed there was a 90 percent increase in the diagnosis of ADHD among non-Hispanic black girls during the same nine-year period.”
Jan. 21, 2013 DNA Chip to Diagnose Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
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"In her thesis entitled "Development of a genotyping system to be applied in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and its Pharmacogenetics," the researcher Alaitz Molano, a graduate in biochemistry and PhD holder in Pharmacology from the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country, presents a tool that could improve not only the diagnosis of but also the therapeutics for this disorder.”
Jan. 21, 2013 Researchers Explore Why Some Kids Seem to Outgrow Autism
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"Although rare, new research confirms that there are some children who just seem to “outgrow” autism and shed all remnants of the disorder. Cases like these have long perplexed researchers.”
Jan. 19, 2013 Pfizer’s Quillivant XR now available in the U.S. for treatment of ADHD
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"Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced that Quillivant XR™ (methylphenidate hydrochloride) CII for extended-release oral suspension is now available in the U.S. for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Quillivant XR is the first once-daily, extended-release liquid methylphenidate for ADHD and is now available by prescription.”
Jan. 17, 2013 Study Documents that Some Children Lose Autism Diagnosis
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"The report is the first of a series that will probe more deeply into the nature of the change in these children’s status. Having been diagnosed at one time with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), these young people now appear to be on par with typically developing peers. The study team is continuing to analyze data on changes in brain function in these children and whether they have subtle residual social deficits. The team is also reviewing records on the types of interventions the children received, and to what extent they may have played a role in the transition.”
Jan. 15, 2013 Oxygen Deficit In Utero Ups Risk of ADHD
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"A new study discovers a difficult pregnancy and childbirth that limit the amount of oxygen to the brain of a fetus or infant may lead to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Historically, ADHD has been linked to familial and genetic influences.”
Jan. 15, 2013 CES 2013: Mind-controlled helicopters, games for kids with ADHD
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"NeuroSky...showcased Focus Pocus, a $199.95 game designed to help children with concentration problems improve their impulse control, attention span and memory.”
Jan. 14, 2013 ADHD Drugs Impact The Brain's Reward System
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"University of Copenhagen researchers are gathering new information about the impact of ADHD medicine by utilizing a new mathematical reconstruction of a small part of a particular brain region which processes reward and punishment, which always involves the chemical dopamine.”
Nov. 10, 2012 Food, Toxics and ADHD: Old Fears, Ever Stronger Science
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"A Harvard study just published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine journal, associates a mother's low level exposure to mercury while pregnant with greater risk of her child later developing ADHD-related behavior.”
Nov. 9, 2012 Music May Help Children with ADHD Concentrate Better
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"During the study, Pelham found that while a few children were distracted by music, most of them were not.
"And in some cases," Pelham noted, "we found listening to music helped the kids with ADHD to complete their work. Actually for this subgroup, the effect of music on them was nearly as effective as medication.”
Nov. 6, 2012 ADHD May Have Genetic Ties to Smoking
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"A new study shows that children who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to start smoking early and to smoke twice as much as those without the condition. Researchers discovered a variation of a particular gene that links the behaviors typical of ADHD with those associated with smoking.”
Oct. 30, 2012 New rules allow joint diagnosis of autism, attention deficit
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"About 30 percent of children with autism have symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but under current diagnostic guidelines they can only be diagnosed with one or the other1. That’s about to change.
The next version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which lays out guidelines for diagnosing psychiatric disorders, is expected in May 2013.”
Oct. 26, 2012 New Tools Developed to Better Treat ADHD Patients in Early Stages
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"Mayo Clinic researchers are presenting new findings on the early treatment of child and adolescent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder this week at the American Academy of Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatry annual meeting in San Francisco. They include a method to get better input from parents and teachers of children who are being diagnosed with ADHD for the first time -- allowing for more effective treatment upon the first consultation. Researchers also showed how a tool can help clinicians better diagnose and treat children who have both ADHD and oppositional defiance disorder.”
Oct. 26, 2012 Involved Parents Encourage Better Treatments In Kids With ADHD
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"A first-of-its kind tool has been developed geared towards helping families and children with ADHD to make better choices for their treatment by using a "shared decision-making" approach. The new three-part survey guides doctors and families in their quest for the most comprehensive treatment available for their unique ADHD cases.”
Oct. 24, 2012 Link Between Schizophrenia, Bipolar Illness and Autism?
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"New research suggests autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may share origins with other mental illnesses — including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.”
Oct. 24, 2012 New Research Offers Insight Into Cause Of Impulsivity in ADHD
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"The research provides new insights into how the brain controls movements, which helps explain the impulsivity of people with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder," according to study co-author Jeffrey Schall, E. Bronson Professor of Neuroscience. "It also shows how mathematical models can be used to discover how the brain produces thought and action.”
Oct. 24, 2012 Can Treating Moms with ADHD Help Their Kids?
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"Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are conducting a study to see whether treating moms with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — either with parent training or medication — will help their children who are at risk for the disorder.”
Oct. 18, 2012 Discontinued Treatment of ADHD Could Impact Emotional, Social Well-Being, Study Finds
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"The study, published Monday in the Archives of General Psychiatry, followed nearly 300 boys living in New York City for 33 years. Half of the participants were diagnosed with ADHD during childhood but stopped taking medications for their treatment by the time they were enrolled. The men with ADHD were recruited for the study during childhood by a teacher and either a parent or psychiatrist. The men without ADHD were selected because medical records showed no signs of behavioral problems.”
Oct. 16, 2012 Exercise May Lead to Better School Performance for Kids With ADHD
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"The study, published in the current issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, shows for the first time that kids with ADHD can better drown out distractions and focus on a task after a single bout of exercise. Scientists say such "inhibitory control" is the main challenge faced by people with the disorder.”
Oct. 16, 2012 Prenatal Mercury Exposure May Be Linked to Risk of ADHD-Related Behaviors; Fish Consumption May Be Linked to Lower Risk
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"A study of children in the New Bedford, Mass., area suggests that low-level prenatal mercury exposure may be associated with a greater risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related behaviors and that fish consumption during pregnancy may be associated with a lower risk of these behaviors, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.”
Oct. 8, 2012 FDA OKs Extended Release Liquid ADHD Medication, Quillivant
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"Quillivant XR significantly improved ADHD symptoms compared to placebo at the primary endpoint of four hours post-dose, and in a secondary analysis, showed significant improvement at every time point measured, from 45 minutes to 12 hours after dosing.”
Oct. 3, 2012 Infant Communications Linked to Autism Outcomes
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"'For children at risk of developing an ASD, specific communication-oriented interventions during the first years of life can lessen the severity of autism’s impact,' says Daniel Messinger, professor of Psychology and principal investigator of the study.”
Oct. 2, 2012 Cogmed Working Memory Training: Does It Actually Work? The Debate Continues…
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"A target article in the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition concludes that evidence does not support the claims of Cogmed Working Memory Training. Additional experts weigh in with commentary papers in response.”
Sept. 27, 2012 Tech Tools Aid In Assessing Kids’ Behavioral Disorders
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"These results are very promising in leading the way toward more accurate and reliable measurement of problem behavior, which is important in determining whether treatments targeting these behaviors are working.”
Sept. 26, 2012 Study Finds Little Proof Medications Help Young People with Autism
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"According to Vanderbilt University researchers, there is little evidence backing up the use of medical interventions such as drug treatment to help teens and young adults with autism.”
Sept. 26, 2012 Autism Often Comes with Anxiety, GI Problems
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"Many children who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) also experience anxiety, chronic gastrointestinal (GI) problems and atypical sensory responses (more severe reactions to light, sound or textures), according to a researcher at the University of Missouri.”
Sept. 22, 2012 Kids Exposed to Mercury, Lead at Risk for ADHD
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"Children with the highest concentrations of mercury in their cord blood had more trouble paying attention than those with lower levels. They were also about three times more likely to be flagged by their teachers as having these symptoms of ADHD.”
Sept. 21, 2012 Video Games May Enhance Social Skills for Autistic Youth
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"Video games offer opportunities for successful learning, motivation to improve skills such as planning, organization, and self-monitoring, and reinforcement of desired behaviors without the need for direct human-to-human interaction.”
Sept. 6, 2012 Studying Everyday Eye Movements Could Aid in Diagnosis of Neurological Disorders
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"In a study published August 30 in the Journal of Neurology, researchers claim that because Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Parkinson's Disease each involve ocular control and attention dysfunctions, they can be easily identified through an evaluation of how patients move their eyes while they watch television.”
Aug 30, 2012 Stress Hampers Kids’ Learning Ability
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"According to Clancy Blair, Ph.D., of New York University, high levels of stress hormones influence the developing circuitry of children’s brains, inhibiting higher cognitive functions such as planning, impulse and emotional control, and attention. Known collectively as executive functions, these mental abilities are important for academic success, he notes.”
Aug 30, 2012 Girls With ADHD More Prone to Self-Injury, Suicide as They Enter Adulthood
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"The study is published August 14 in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Its results are consistent with earlier findings by the UC Berkeley team that, as girls with ADHD grow older, they show fewer visible symptoms of the disorder, but continue to suffer in hidden ways. The findings challenge assumptions that girls can "outgrow" ADHD, and underscore the need for long-term monitoring and treatment of the disorder.”
Aug 14, 2012 Smooth Transition: Researchers Helping Freshmen With ADHD Succeed in College
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"Kristy Morgan, recent Kansas State University doctoral graduate in student affairs and higher education, Leavenworth, Kan., has studied ways to help college students with ADHD plan a successful transition to college. Research shows that college students with ADHD have a tangible struggle with a medical condition that cannot be dismissed as an everyday struggle.”
Aug 2, 2012 Defiance, Not Hyperactivity, Linked to Drug Dependence
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"Researchers from the University of Montreal say that inattention symptoms are associated with a specific additional risk of nicotine addiction. But contrary to some earlier findings, hyperactivity in itself does not seem to be associated with any specific risk of substance abuse or dependence.”
Aug 2, 2012 Signs of ADHD evident by preschool, expert says
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"One out of 11 school-aged children is diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and up to 40 percent of those kids may display symptoms in preschool, an expert says.”
Aug 1, 2012 Delay in Brain Development Associated with ADHD
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"A new NIH study suggests a delay in brain development, rather than a total alteration in normal development, is the instigating factor for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.”
July 31, 2012 Do Video Games Cause ADHD?
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"There is no evidence whatsoever that TV or video games cause ADHD," explains Dr. Natalie Weder, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Child Mind Institute who has treated many kids with the disorder.
That said, super-fast-paced TV shows and video games do have a special appeal for kids who have ADHD.”