Publications - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Understanding Girls with ADHD, Updated and Revised: How They Feel and Why They Do What They Do, by Kathleen Nadeau, 2015.

Music Training May Improve Attention, Cut Kids’ Anxiety, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central , Dec 25 2014.

“Musical training may help children focus their attention, control their emotions, and lower their anxiety, according to a new study by psychiatrists at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. The study is the largest investigation of the link between playing a musical instrument and brain development, according to the authors. Using a database from the National Institutes of Health Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Study of Normal Brain Development, the team was able to analyze the brain scans of 232 children aged six to 18. ”

Growing Up with ADHD, by Denise Foley, Time , Nov 12 2014.

“Being fidgety and easily distracted are two of the most common and recognized symptoms of ADHD, often leading to poor performance in school, the most recognized fallout of the condition. But the 5% to 11% of American children 4 to 17 years of age who are diagnosed with the disorder-the numbers are up for debate depending on whom you talk to-also face a lifetime of increased risk for accidents, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, and even dying prematurely. Overall, boys (13.2%) are more likely than girls (5.6%) to be given an ADHD diagnosis. ”

Childhood mental health disabilities on the rise, by Val Wadas-Willingham, CNN, Aug 18 2014.

“Over the past half century, the prevalence of childhood disabilities in the United States has been on the rise, possibly due to an increased awareness about these issues. Now a study published in this week’s online issue of Pediatrics suggests the nature of those newly diagnosed disabilities is changing. The report, “Changing Trends of Childhood Disability, 2001-2011" found the number of American children with disabilities rose 16% over a 10-year period. While there was a noted decline in physical problems, there was a large increase in disabilities classified as neurodevelopmental conditions or mental health issues, such as ADHD and autism. ”

How Childhood Trauma Could Be Mistaken for ADHD, by Rebecca Ruiz, The Atlantic , Jul 7 2014.

“Considered a heritable brain disorder, one in nine U.S. children-or 6.4 million youth-currently have a diagnosis of ADHD. In recent years, parents and experts have questioned whether the growing prevalence of ADHD has to do with hasty medical evaluations, a flood of advertising for ADHD drugs, and increased pressure on teachers to cultivate high-performing students. Now Brown and other researchers are drawing attention to a compelling possibility: Inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive behavior may in fact mirror the effects of adversity, and many pediatricians, psychiatrists, and psychologists don’t know how-or don’t have the time-to tell the difference. ”

The Foolproof Way to Improve Your ADHD Child’s Social Skills, by Lisa Aro, Everyday Health, Jan 21 2014.

“Impulsiveness, frustration, and impatience can often leads to inappropriate or aggressive behavior. While discipline is important it means nothing in the if end the child hasn’t learned new skills to help them cope with the situations they face every day. Social stories can help you teach your child those skills. ”

Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive, by Ned Hallowell, 2014.

From Scattered to Centered: Understanding and Overcoming ADHD, by Alicia Maher, 2014.

Teaching Kids Mindfulness Improves their Attention, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central, Sep 9 2013.

“Mindfulness involves paying attention in a particular way on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. It has been shown to reduce levels of stress and depression, and to improve feelings of well-being, but to date researchers have not established a link between mindfulness and attention skills in children. ”

Inner ear disorders 'linked to hyperactivity', by BBC News Health, BBC, Sep 5 2013.

“Behavioural problems such as ADHD are usually thought to originate in the brain. But scientists have observed that children and teenagers with inner-ear disorders - especially those that affect hearing and balance - often have behavioural problems. However, no causal link has been found. The researchers in this study suggest inner-ear disorders lead to problems in the brain which then also affect behavior. ”

New Control Study Finds Drug-Free Program is Successful for Eliminating ADHD Symptoms, by Brain Balance Achievement Centers, PR Newswire , Jul 29 2013.

“A new randomized control study conducted by doctors in the Medical Neurology and Neuroscience field found that a drug-free, multi-modal program is significantly effective for eliminating symptoms associated with ADHD, as well as producing significant cognitive improvement. After a 12-week intervention program, the researchers found that 81 percent of children who enrolled in the multi-modal program no longer fit the criteria for ADHD. ”

Minority children less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, by Nadia Kounang, CNN , Jun 25 2013.

“Minority children are far less likely than their white counterparts to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new study in this week's journal Pediatrics. In fact, authors found that African-American children were 69% less likely to be diagnosed, while Hispanic children were 45% less likely to have an ADHD diagnosis. More than 5 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In fact, it's the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder in U.S. children. A diagnosis can help kids get the proper treatment and medication they need, and early intervention can be key in helping a child learn. ”

Majority of Doctors Do Not Follow Treatment Guidelines for ADHD, by Alexandra Sifferlin, Time , May 6 2013.

“More than 90% of pediatric specialists who diagnose and manage attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in preschoolers do not follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) clinical-treatment guidelines. That's the conclusion of researchers from the Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York, which sent the Preschool ADHD Treatment Questionnaire to a random sample of 3,000 physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating neurobehavioral conditions nationwide. The doctors reported on how often they recommended strategies such as training parents in behavioral management of ADHD, how often they relied on medication as a first- or second-line treatment, as well as which drugs they prescribed most often. ”

A.D.H.D. Seen in 11% of U.S. Children as Diagnoses Rise, by Alan Schwarz, New York Times , Mar 31 2013.

“Nearly one in five high school age boys in the United States and 11 percent of school-age children over all have received a medical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to new data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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. ”

Five psychiatric disorders 'linked', by James Gallagher, BBC , Feb 28 2013.

“Autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia all share several genetic risk factors, according to a major study. Versions of four genes increased the odds of all five disorders. Researchers hope to move the psychiatry away from describing symptoms towards fundamentally understanding what is going wrong in the brain. The findings were reported in the Lancet medical journal. ”