http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit Focus On Education Sat, 03 May 2008 21:04:21 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 In the wake of the deaths of 20+ children taking ADHD stimulant medication, the American Heart Association (AHA) cautioned this week that children should be screened for heart problems with an electrocardiogram(EKG) before getting drugs like Ritalin to treat hyperactivity and attention-deficit disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/american-heart-association-recommends-heart-exam-ekg-before-getting-adhd-drugs/ The Denver Post (www.denverpost.com) reports that Boulder police arrested three teens on felony charges of distribution and possession of a schedule II controlled substance. The incidence occurred on April 4 at Nevin Platt Middle School where the youth attended school. Apparently one student had the drugs, gave one to another ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/student-use-of-stimulant-meds/ The American Heart Association’s (AHA) recent recommendation that children be screened for possible heart problems before taking ADHD stimulant medication has spurred great anxiety among parents and professionals. The recommendation was given as a response to a number of deaths due to heart failure associated with ADHD stimulant medication. In response ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/hospital-begins-screening-for-heart-conditions-in-adhd-children/ The September issue of the International Journal of Neuroscience, 2007 published an article entitled, Frequent Mobile Phone Use "Might" Improve Mental Concentration. The study was performed by researchers from Brainclinics Diagnostics and the Radboud University department of Biological Psychology both from Nijmegen (the Netherlands), the Institute of Psychiatry (London) and the ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/cell-phone-use-and-attention/ For years, parents have complained that certain artificial additives to brightly colored cakes, soft drinks, and candies, had caused their children adverse reactions such as hyperactivity, skin problems, mood volatility, headaches, etc. after consumption. The Food Standards Agency (“FSA”) recommended ministers call for manufacturers to remove six artificial colors by the ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/adhd-and-food-additives-european-food-standards-agency-calls-for-ban-on-six-artificial-colors/ In most clinical settings, boys are treated for ADHD at least 4 to 1 over girls. Boys, it is thought, tend to present symptoms outwardly more than girls resulting in physical behaviors that are easily noticeable (hyperactivity). In an article reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, February 2008, ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/women-with-adhd-affected-more/ An article,  Identifying, Evaluating, Diagnosing, and Treating ADHD in Minority Youth,  published online Jan 11, 2008 in the Journal of Attention Disorders, authors Heather Hervey-Jumper, MD (University of Michigan) and others examined childhood ADHD in underrepresented minorities. Research was conducted by searching existing databases for information.  The authors conclude that ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/adhd-labeling-and-race/ The University of Virginia wished to test whether ADHD medication helps young adults while facing driving distractions. Research suggests that ADHD drivers have a greater likelihood of having or causing an accident. Obviously, hallmarks of the ‘disorder’ are inattention, distractibility, and sometimes hyperactivity. So, when their cell phone rings and they ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/driving-under-the-influence-of-adhd/ Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) issued a press release regarding a study performed by Joseph Biederman, MD and colleagues. Biederman is a professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.  The study finds that the use of stimulant drugs to treat children with ADHD has no effect on their future risk of ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/dr-joe-biederman-and-adhd/ The Daytona Beach Journal reports that several states are suing big pharmaceutical companies over rising costs of psychotropic drugs used to treat disorders like ADHD, schizophrenia, and depression. Florida’s health insurance program for the poor, created with the assistance of big pharmaceuticals, has nearly doubled over the last seven ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/states-sue-over-costly-adhd-drug-program/ Very recently, award winning pitcher, Roger Clemens, testified before congress that he did not use steroids despite the fact that his personal trainer testified that he injected Clemens with steroids. But steroids aren’t the only drug of choice for professional baseball players, so are stimulant medications like Ritalin, or Adderall. However, ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/drugs-baseball-and-adhd/ As I wrote earlier, the longest study actually performed while following live children was the MTA and its 3-Year Follow-up of the NIMH MTA (multi-modal treatment) recently published in the journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Co-author, Professor William Pelham, of the University at Buffalo, says: "The ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/adhd-medications-mayo-clinic-study-contradicts-mta-study/ States sue over costly ADHD drug program The Daytona Beach Journal reports that several states are suing big pharmaceutical companies over rising costs of psychotropic drugs used to treat disorders like ADHD, schizophrenia, and depression. Florida’s health insurance program for the poor, created with the assistance of big pharmaceuticals, has nearly doubled ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/states-sue-over-costly-adhd-drug-program/ The Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With ADHD has been one of the longest studies performed on a select group of ADHD children. Recently published in the journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the data are somewhat alarming. Data from the study were used to evaluate whether ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/adhd-medications-and-neurofeedback/ PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM SHOWN TO IMPROVE KEY COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS, SELF-CONTROL The following press release from the University of British Columbia maintains that a research study has demonstrated that cognitive training can improve attentional control, impulse control, and other executive functions. Furthermore, the study’s authors cite that practice of cognitive skills in ... http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/cogntive-skills-training-and-adhd-in-children/