Breastfeeding Medicine. 2013; doi:10.1089. Accessed May 14, 2013. Full study: http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/bfm.2012.0145

The May 14, 2013 issue of Breastfeeding Medicine reports that breastfeeding may offer a protective effect from ADHD. The Israeli scientists performing the study say breastfeeding may keep children from developing ADHD even as they get older.

The Israeli researchers recruited 6 to 12 year-olds diagnosed with ADHD.These children were matched up with two sets of healthy control groups. The control groups were the ADHD children’s siblings who did not have ADHD, and 6 to 12 year old children with similar backgrounds. Siblings were included because they likely have similar genetic and
environmental backgrounds as the children with ADHD.

The researchers found that children who had been diagnosed with ADHD were breastfed less often than their healthy peers. Here’s the breakdown:

* At one month of age, only 63 percent of children with ADHD were breastfed.

* At one month of age, the non-ADHD kids were breastfed 86 percent of the time while the ADHD children’s non-ADHD siblings were breastfed 79 percent of the time.

* By six months of age, only 29 percent of the ADHD children were breastfed while 50 percent of their healthy siblings and 57 percent of the non-related children were breastfed.

“A stepwise logistic regression … demonstrated a significant
association between ADHD and lack of breastfeeding at 3 months of age, maternal age at birth, male gender, and parental divorce,” the researcher wrote. “Children with ADHD were less likely to breastfeed at 3 months and 6 months of age than children in the two control groups. We speculate that breastfeeding may have a protective effect from
developing ADHD later in childhood.”

One can’t help but ask if the child’s propensity to be distracted, fussy, or moody could have a difference in the outcomes of this study. In other words, were they breastfed less because of ADHD like symptoms early on, or does the act of breastfeeding actually act as a protective effect.

Mimouni-Bloch, A, Kachevanskaya, A, Mimouni, FB, et al. Breastfeeding May Protect from Developing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Breastfeeding Medicine. 2013; doi:10.1089. Accessed May 14, 2013. Full study: http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/bfm.2012.0145

Reported in Britain’s Sunday Mirror

If you’ve got kids, you probably know Will.i.am from the popular TV show called The Voice and his band, The Black Eyed Peas featuring Fergie. He struggles with ADHD.

He told Britain’s Sunday Mirror, “I have ADHD. I’ll admit it… I’ve got all this stuff in my head at the same time as I’m doing stuff and I don’t know how to stop or slow down. But it’s all good because I know how to control it.

“For every obstacle there’s some type of solution. So if you have ADHD it’s your passion point. One thing I learned about ADHD is that it’s hard to keep your attention and you can’t sit still and you’re always moving and thinking about a whole bunch of things.

“But those traits work well for me in studios and in meetings about creative ideas… If I was stuck at a different job I’d be horrible and wouldn’t survive. Music is my therapy… Music keeps me sane and keeps my mind on something. It’s fragile up there.

“My mind would wander, and if it wanders then that’s not good because I could scare myself thinking of weirdo stuff. Music brings control to my thoughts. It’s not escape – it’s just order. I’m making order out of a disorder.”

Will.i.am’s insights are helpful. He’s found a way to take his ADHD and turn it into something creative. Good strategy!

New treatment guidelines were published recently by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). These guidelines now allow for an ADHD diagnosis in children as young as 4-years old. The new guidelines are somewhat controversial because three out of the four common medications used to treat ADHD patients are not FDA approved for use among children that young.

Much like the guidelines in the United Kingdom, the new AAP guidelines recommend that behavior therapy be the first treatment approach for preschoolers with ADHD. Treatment with medication is a last resort option used when behavior-management is unsuccessful.

A study presented Saturday at the Pediatric Academic Societies’ annual meeting in Washington, D.C. reports that about 90% of the pediatric specialists who diagnose and treat preschool children do not follow those treatment guidelines. According to study author Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY, some pediatric specialists prescribe medication too soon and some do not offer them as a second line treatment.

In a medical center news release, Adesman noted, “It is unclear why so many physicians who specialize in the management of ADHD — child neurologists, psychiatrists and developmental pediatricians — fail to comply with recently published treatment guidelines.”

Many studies have attempted to correlate ADHD and driving habits. While outcomes have been varied, a trend clearly emerges: ADHD drivers are at greater risk for accidents. This seems especially true for young ADHD drivers.

According to a meta-analysis by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “In high income countries [such as the United States and many European countries], MVCs [motor vehicle collisions] are the leading cause of death among children, adolescents and young adults (ages 4–29) (WHO, 2002b) and therefore, are considered a major cause of premature death and long-term disability. In the United States in 2004, there were close to 6.2 million MVCs that resulted in 42,636 deaths and close to three million injuries (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], 2004). The economic burden of MVCs is extremely high and in the year 2004, traffic collisions alone cost the United States 230.6 billion dollars (NHTSA, 2004).”

Is it more than just distraction? Yes. According to available research, ADHD drivers also experience negative driving outcomes for a variety of reasons:

*Poor risk perception; they don’t perceive risky situations as being risky.

* Impaired judgment or failure to make good decisions and use reasoning while driving.

* Inattention and impulsivity were found to be higher in ADHD drivers.

* Longer reaction times and a reduced capacity for flexible response to changing road conditions.

* Decreased neural motor control over the vehicle — motor skills are brain functions that allow us to control the response of our bodies.

* Increased aggressiveness and anger were identified in some ADHD drivers.

* Deficits in cognitive abilities were associated with inattentiveness, particularly visual inattentiveness and impulsiveness correlating with problem driving outcomes.

All of these findings indicate that a variety of factors make ADHD drivers less safe. It’s important to start a program where cognitive performance, behavioral shaping, and motor skills performance are increased.

Play Attention. 800.788.6786.

It’s estimated that nearly 10% of all children have ADHD, but it usually doesn’t occur by itself according to the researchers. They cited that 33 percent to 45 percent of children with ADHD also have dyslexia and 11 percent also have dyscalculia.

Dyslexia is a reading, writing and spelling disability frequently associated with auditory processing issues. Dyscalculia is a math learning disability.

The researchers stated that learning disabilities are the result of abnormal brain development caused by complicated genetic and environmental factors.

“We now know that there are many disorders of neurological development that can give rise to learning disabilities, even in children of normal or even high intelligence, and that crucially these disabilities can also co-occur far more often that you’d expect based on their prevalence,” said study author Brian Butterworth in a university news release. Butterworth is a professor at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience of the University College London

Butterworth’s team noted that if a child has multiple learning disabilities, they may be overlooked when one gets an ADHD diagnosis. The diagnosis may overlook dyslexia for example. Not knowing may lead to frustration by both student and teache as well as inadequate instructionr. Knowing a student has both learning disabilities would allow the teacher to properly accommodate the student’s needs.

The study reinforces the fact that one needs to get a good evaluation form a specialist, not just a short 20 minute visit to one’s pediatrician. Proper instruction can come only when one has full knowledge of student needs.

If you’ve been kicked in the shins by school administration, you should read this. Schools will help. You have to know how to be an advocate.

“While it’s true that some of teachers and administrators may have been the experts when it came to knowing more about educational policies and strategies, they never knew more about my child. It’s taken 12 years of IEP meetings, being kicked in the shins by administrators, and laughed at for my ideas to help me realize that when it comes to my kid, I am the expert. I only wish I had the same strong feeling about myself many years ago. ”

http://www.additudemag.com/adhdblogs/17/10068.html

ADHD IEPs and School Accommodations: Coming into My Own as an Advocate for My Child
www.additudemag.com

Reported by University College of Medicine in Korea
Survey by: NIT DOCOMO’S Mobile Society Research Institute

Researchers at the University College of Medicine in Korea hypothesized that children who use cell phones may be at a greater risk of developing ADHD. Cell phones emit low dose electromagnetic fields(EMF). They discovered a link.

NIT DOCOMO’S Mobile Society Research Institute reveals that nearly 70% of all children surveyed use a cell phone. In some countries, use exceeded more than 80%.

Since it’s obvious that cell phone exposure is nearly impossible to avoid, it is important to know if cell phone EMF can cause ADHD. To determine if a connection exists, the researchers analyzed data from more than 2,400 elementary school children for ADHD symptoms and cell phone exposure. These data were acquired through the use of parental reports.

The researchers waited two years and interviewed the participants again. They found that children who used cell phones for voice calls were more likely to develop symptoms of ADHD than those who didn’t. However, ADHD symptoms were only statistically significant in children who also had high levels of lead in their blood.

Significantly, the researchers found that children who stopped using cell phones during the study period had a much sharper decline in ADHD symptoms than those who continued using cell phones.

Some nations around the world are either banning or limiting cell phone use by children, and some by those under the age of 12 years-old. The United Kingdom, Israel, Belgium, Germany, and India have discouraged use of cell phones by children. France is considering law which would make it illegal to market cell phones to children. Russia has recommended that children under the age of 18 years not use cell phones at all.

What cannot be determined by the Korean study is reverse causality. Other studies indicate that ADHD children are compelled to use their cell phone more frequently. So, the study cannot say whether cell phone use causes ADHD or whether ADHD children just use their phones more frequently.

Also, prior studies have exposed a connection between lead levels and ADHD. So, while there may be a connection between cell phone use and ADHD, that link cannot be determined specifically through this study. Based on current research, it is intelligent to limit cell phone use or use the cell phone with a wired headset to keep the cell phone away from the head.

A history of appetite suppressants

The previous submission noted that Adderall, a drug frequently used to control ADHD symptoms, was a spin off of Obetrol used for weight loss in the 1950s and 1960s.

Ritalin was tested on humans in 1954. According to the University of Maryland Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR), “… In 1957, Ciba Pharmaceutical Company began marketing MPH as Ritalin to treat chronic fatigue, depression, psychosis associated with depression, narcolepsy, and to offset the sedating effects of other medications.

It was used into the 1960s to try to counteract the symptoms of barbiturate overdose… Research on the therapeutic value of Ritalin began in the 1950s, and by the 1960s, interest focused on the treatment of “hyperkinetic syndrome,” which would eventually be called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.”

Lower doses of stimulant medication do seem to temporarily improve focus and reduce hyperkinetic behaviors. One must realize that their original use was not for ADHD, but for weight reduction and as drugs that could counter chronic fatigue. They are also Schedule II substances in the same class as cocaine. Thus, weight loss as a side-effect should be expected and dealt with appropriately after consulting your healthcare provider.

The US is estimated to consume the vast majority of these medications. According to the Global Market For ADHD Medications (healthaffairs.org), “In 1993, thirty-one countries had adopted the use of ADHD medications; by 2003, the number had grown to fifty-five. Our analysis aggregated data from individual countries from the year of adoption into a global sum. Because the United States is the single largest market, we also show its use, which constitutes 83–90 percent of total market share (by volume).”

• 

  Play Attention (www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-medication-chart)

  

  ADHD Medication Chart: Compare Drugs for ADD and ADHD

  www.webmd.com

  A list of ADHD medications and their common side effects.

Indiana University School of Medicine researchers examined data from a population of more than 2,000 children. They discovered a link between parents who had reported depression or intimate partner violence and a significantly greater likelihood of their children suffering from ADHD as they grew older.

“It wasn’t surprising, from the lens of me being a behavioral pediatrician,” said Dr. Nerissa Bauer, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine and the lead study author. “I routinely encounter mental health and behavioral problems in children, and this supports my initial hunch that I was seeing an increase in that.”

Previous research has demonstrated the same links as the Indiana study. Trauma, whether it is psychological or physical will reshape the brain especially in an area known as the hippocampus which serves as a center for memory and learning. The reshaping or pruning of the hippocampus when exposed to trauma may be a biological trigger to other problems such as ADHD, sleep disorders, etc.

Our sister company is working on a wristband to allow you to train your brain from your cell phone. While it’s not Play Attention, it will supplement that training wherever you go! Or use it on your own to explore your inner universe. Become mentally sharper, get ready for that job interview, de-stress, or meditate with it. Controlling real world objects is next. To see it or pre-order, visit: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/266282?key=f9ef28874af1f4f7d6559cba7a8408092250785a http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/266282?a=1688828 www.indiegogo.com

A study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry reveals that sunnier parts of the world have fewer children with ADHD. Sunshine was measured as ‘solar intensity.’

This study echoes previous research that found that outdoor activities, especially those in a green outdoor setting, mitigate ADHD symptoms.

While a significant link was found, the researchers noted that other unknown factors could contribute to lower cases of ADHD in sunny spots. They cited that some sunny states (Florida for example) don’t have low rates of ADHD.

Read the entire article here: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/03/31/more-sunshine-tied-to-fewer-cases-of-adhd/53226.html

» More Sunshine Tied to Fewer Cases of ADHD – Psych Central News

psychcentral.com

Fewer children have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) where sunshine is plentiful, according to new research published in the journal Biological

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Spring Special! 6 Add On Games – FREE! | Play Attention
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The core games that come standard with Play Attention include: Attention Stamina, Visual Tracking, Time on Task, Short Term

As stated in the Part 1 of this series, senator Durbin is leaning toward labeling all supplements as drugs. Need vitamin C? Calcium? You may have to get a prescription from your doctor if his bills pass. Stay informed.

Letter from the Food and Drug Administration.
Did you know the FDA went after General Mills for saying their Cheerios were heart healthy? See the full letter here: http://www.fda.gov/iceci/enforcementactions/warningletters/ucm162943.htm

As ridiculous as this seems (no one would overdose after eating even an entire box of Cheerios), the FDA wants you to know that making claims about cholesterol reduction would classify Cheerios as medicine even though clinical studies have shown it’s possible to reduce cholesterol after eating Cheerios due to the water soluble fiber contained in them.

The same nonsense occurred with POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice.

Supplements that make any medical claims would also be considered medicines. This is why you see this statement so frequently: “XXXX is not intended to treat or cure any disease. The claims made for XXXX have not be evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.”

As stated in the Part 1 of this series, senator Durbin is leaning toward labeling all supplements as drugs. Need vitamin C? Calcium? You may have to get a prescription from your doctor if his bills pass. Stay informed.
General Mills, Inc. 5/5/09
www.fda.gov
Promotional Claims False & Misleading/Misbranded

In a backhanded approach to ‘protect’ consumers from supplements, for years Senator Dick Durban has attempted to get their availability restricted. His bills have failed a few times due to incredible scrutiny of organizations such as the Alliance for Natural Health (http://www.anh-usa.org/). Get their free newsletter to stay informed!

Durbin’s tactics lean toward labeling supplements as drugs which would make them available by prescription only and put many of the supplement manufacturers out of business because of the harsh restrictions placed on manufacturing, clinical trials, regulation by the Food and Drug Administration, etc.

Part two later…
The Alliance for Natural Health USA
www.anh-usa.org
Alliance for Natural Health USA is dedicated to protecting access to integrative medicine and promoting the benefits of natural health.

Parents want the best for their children. Since ADHD stimulant meds tend to improve memory and attention in all users, some parents think giving them to a healthy child will enhance the child’s performance. Give them an edge so to speak.

William D. Graf, M.D., of Yale University in New Haven, Conn., and colleagues, on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology, Child Neurology Society, and American Neurological Association, released a position paper on the implications of ADHD drug use for enhancement. They argue that the ethical, legal, and neurodevelopmental implications are far to great to prescribe ADHD drugs for neuro-enhancements.

“Doctors caring for children and teens have a professional obligation to always protect the best interests of the child, to protect vulnerable populations, and prevent the misuse of medication. The practice of prescribing these drugs, called neuroenhancements, for healthy students is not justifiable,” Graf said in a statement. “The physician should talk to the child about the request, as it may reflect other medical, social, or psychological motivations such as anxiety, depression, or insomnia. There are alternatives to neuroenhancements available, including maintaining good sleep, nutrition, study habits, and exercise regimens.”

Full text: http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2013/03/13/WNL.0b013e318289703b.full.pdf+html
Pediatric neuroenhancement
www.neurology.org

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US News& World Report cites a study that shows ADHD persists as one ages and produces more problems in adulthood.

The researchers also shed light on our current process of diagnosis, stating:

“We should use caution in describing this constellation of behaviors as a ‘disease,’” he said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says doctors should do an evaluation for ADHD for any child aged 4 to 18 who has behavioral problems or is falling behind at school. But that should also include a thorough assessment for learning disabilities, emotional issues or physical conditions that could be causing their symptoms — such as sleep apnea.

Barbaresi’s advice to parents: “Don’t accept a cursory evaluation and a prescription.”

Read the entire article: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/03/04/adhd-can-often-persist-into-adulthood?page=2

A balanced article in the February 23rd edition of the Wall Street Journal ponders this question. Because the medical and psychiatric communities have so many different disorder labels, it’s very difficult to know whether your child is just developing normally or is suffering from some disorder or another.

A good example from the article:

“One of the doctors in his practice recently saw a child who had been licking his shirt in preschool. The teacher had told the parents that the child should be evaluated by an occupational therapist for a suspected sensory problem. The pediatrician ultimately convinced the parents that the child was developing normally, Dr. Cohen says.”

Parents often don’t want their child to be labeled as this stigma may be long lasting. However, if a correct diagnosis is made, it can be life changing as well.

Read the full article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324338604578326112816120302.html?mod=WSJ_article_comments#articleTabs%3Darticle

Research published in the December Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry reports that children with ADHD may be at significant risk for later substance abuse. This reflects previous research.

More than 600 children were followed over eight years. Those children diagnosed with ADHD at baseline average of 8.5 years), had significantly higher rates of substance regardless of their sex 6 to 8 years later compared with their age-matched peers who did not have ADHD.

“Medication for ADHD did not protect from, or contribute to, visible risk of substance use or SUD by adolescence,” write the investigators.

“We Need to Do Better…However, similar to managing high blood pressure or obesity, there are non-medical things we can do to decrease the risk of a bad outcome,” said Dr. Molina, one of the study’s authors.

“As researchers and practitioners, we need to do a better job of helping parents and schools address these risk factors that are so common for children with ADHD.

Read the full article: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/779755

1. Break the task down. Often times breaking a task into small doable segments will help you get the full project down.

2. Set a timer. During your task, set a timer to start and end. If you know you can clean your kitchen in a half hour, set the timer and stick to it. That way your kitchen gets cleaned in a half hour instead of three!

3. Prep! Place all materials needed for the job close to the job. For example, if you get all your cleaning supplies out the night before and leave them on your kitchen counter, you’ll be prepared for the full cleaning the following day. It also serves as a reminder and a little impetus to avoid procrastination.

4. Reward yourself. If you’ve done your prep and set your timer, your project will get done on time. Plan to give yourself a reward if you meet your goals. Remember to set reachable goals and appropriate rewards, i.e. don’t eat a whole container of Häagen-Dazs for just cleaning your kitchen on time.

The researchers examined blood samples from 450 ADHD children aged 6 to 12 years, their siblings, and parents. The samples were tested for genetic variations strongly associated with smoking attributes. These included:

1. The number of cigarettes smoked every day.
2. Starting smoking.
3. Quitting smoking.
4. Times of smoking.

The researchers also asked the mothers about their smoking habits during pregnancy. The data indicated that ADHD people are more likely to start smoking early and to smoke twice as much as those without ADHD.

This research is similar to research indicating a relationship between ADHD and drug use in later life.

Although the study found an association between the genetic variant and ADHD and smoking behaviors, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship so further research is necessary.

However, even without a cause-effect relationship, the data need to be heeded. Start early prevention.