PRESSCLIPPINGS

JULY 2011

Neurofeedback: Sounds like Science Fiction?

Dr. Anand Vyas

SUGAR LAND: In the 21st century, there has been a change in the way people take care ofthemselves, and many are taking a more proactive role in managing their health for their ownoverall wellbeing. Neurofeedback enhances these efforts to increase physical, psychological,emotional and spiritual wellness.

Here in Sugar Land, Dr. Anand Vyas offers a safe, natural, comfortable, effortless, enjoyable,drug-free, and non-invasive approach called Neurofeedback to help clients use their brain andcentral nervous system to make quick, positive, long-lasting changes in their lives.

Neurofeedback is a more advanced branch of biofeedback that focuses on the brain andcentral nervous system. People using neurofeedback have experienced relief from: Anxiety,depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sleepproblems, chronic pain, learning disabilities, anger, cognitive impairment, epilepsy, andmigraines/headaches. Also, students, business professionals, musicians and athletes have usedneurofeedback to improve mental and physical performance.

Based on empirical evidence available at present, researchers recommend neurofeedbacktraining as a good alternative to using medications to treat ADHD, especially whenparents/patients choose not to use medications or when patients experience undesirable sideeffects. Research findings indicate that people with ADHD have an excess of theta brainwaves and fewer than average beta brain waves. Researchers that support usingneurofeedback to treat ADHD believe that neurofeedback training decreases theta brain waves

while increasing beta brain waves; therefore, decreasing ADHD symptoms by increasingarousal.

Researchers also recommend neurofeedback training as an alternative or as a co-treatmentalong with psychotherapy and psychopharmacology for epilepsy, depression, anxiety,traumatic brain disorders, and addictive disorders. Neurofeedback meets the AmericanAssociation of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s criteria for ‘Clinical Guidelines’ fortreatment of ADHD, seizure disorders, depression, reading disabilities, addictive disorders,and anxiety (e.g., obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post traumaticstress disorder, phobias).

How does it work?: Neurofeedback/NeurOptimal® gives the brain information about its ownactivity and it helps the brain to reorganize on its own by naturally releasing its own“stuckness” and that can help restore the brain waves to better patterns of functioning. Itstabilizes the nervous system, so we can feel at peace and enjoy better sleep, memory,concentration, self-esteem, creative, athletic, academic and work performance. It is like a gymfor your brain and the training promotes positive change and growth at the neurological levelof the brain. NeurOptimal® is the most advanced neurofeedback technology available today.

Dr. Anand Vyas, also known as Dr. V, is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC)/LicensedProfessional Counselor (LPC), licensed by the Texas State Board of Examiners ofProfessional Counselors. He is specialized in showing children, adolescents, adults andgeriatrics how to reach their full potential and how to experience total health by usinginnovative and powerful methods of psychotherapy, counseling, neurofeedback, clinicalhypnosis, medical meditation and yoga therapy. He also conducts workshops on meditationand teaches different breathing techniques for complete mind-body-emotional wellness.

http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=2902

Brain's nicotine receptors may help treat ADHD,schizophrenia, depressionPublished: Friday, Jul 1, 2011, 15:11 ISTPlace: Washington, DC | Agency: ANI

Scientists have suggested that nicotine receptors of the brain, which are important to smokerstrying to quit tobacco, also play an important role in social interaction and the ability tochoose between competing motivations.

Specifically, scientists from France showed that the nicotinic receptors in the prefrontal cortexare essential for social interaction in mice and that this area of the brain is necessary foradapted and balanced social interactions to occur.

This new knowledge could one day lead to novel treatments for ADHD, schizophrenia, anddepression, among other illnesses.

“One of the main aims would be to understand and help people to make good decisions forthemselves (and for others) and to maintain, during old age, such abilities in the social domainas well as in other aspects of our lives,” Sylvie Granon, a researcher from the Universite ParisSud XI and CNRS UMR 8620, Centre de Neurosciences Paris-Sud, Orsay, France, said.

To make this discovery, Granon and colleagues introduced mice into an open space and testedtheir will to interact with other mice of the same sex or to explore a novel place.

The respective times spent for either social contact or novelty exploration were measured andquantitatively evaluated.

Researchers then removed the prefrontal cortex in otherwise normal mice, which resulted inmice with significant social deficits.

Those genetically modified to lack the nicotinic receptor gene for a widespread subunit calledbeta2 subtype, seemed to favor social contact rather than the investigation of a novelenvironment.

When the beta2 nicotinic receptor in the brain was re-expressed, a normal balance betweensocial contact and novelty seeking was restored.

The study was published in the FASEB Journal.

http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_brain-s-nicotine-receptors-may-help-treat-adhd-schizophrenia-depression_1561161

PFCs linked with ADHD

New study links blood levels of household chemicals with hyperactivity in kidswith ADHD.Fri, Jul 01 2011 at 8:42 AM EST

Several studies in the past few years have linked chemical exposure to the development ofattention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD — particularly pesticides, phthalates andPCBs. Now a new study suggests that perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCs, may not only belinked to the development of ADHD, but they may be responsible for hyperactivity, the coreculprit of ADHD behavior.

PFCs have been used since the 1950s to make Teflon and many other stain- and water-repellent products. They are found in a number of household products such as pots and pans,furniture and pesticides. They have previously been linked to neurological problems, such asdelayed gross motor development, and recently they have made news for their associationwith hormonal and reproductive dysfunction, namely postponed puberty, earliermenopause and infertility.

In this most recent study, researchers at Syracuse University looked at how the chemicalsmight affect impulsivity, a core ADHD feature. They asked 83 children ranging from 9 to 11years old to learn and play a computer game that had only one rule: Players must wait at least20 seconds after pressing a keyboard’s space bar before doing it again. Sounds easy enough,but those 20 seconds can be painfully long for kids without impulsivity control.

“This test measures a child’s ability to put the brakes on responding,” explains Brooks Gump,a psychologist at Syracuse University and the lead researcher behind the study. “Andmeasures of response inhibition are directly related to impulsivity.”

The researchers also measured PFC levels in the children’s blood. They found that aspollutant levels went up, the children waited less time between button presses. According to

Gump, the results hint that PFC levels influence impulsivity. He also noted that all kids in thestudy had some level of PFCs in their blood.

http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/pfcs-linked-with-adhd

Is It ADHD, OCD or Both?Posted: 7/1/11

Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D.

Many people ask me what the difference is between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Both ADHD and OCD seem to be highlyheritable: if you have it, it's likely that at least one of your parents also has it. When you haveADHD, one of the issues is that your brain has a low level of a chemical called dopamine.When you have OCD, one of the issues is that your brain has too much of a chemical calledserotonin. Sometimes people have both ADHD and OCD. This means that you have theinattention and/or hyperactivity of ADHD, along with the compulsions and/or obsessions ofOCD.

Sometimes people with ADHD tend to have what look like compulsive tendencies. This isbecause we've learned to overcompensate for difficulties that we've experienced withdistraction, disorganization and inattention. For example, when I shut the trunk of my car, Ilook to make sure my keys are in my hand. I also check that the stove is turned off after I'vebeen using it and about to leave the house. I don't do those things because I have acompulsion; I have tendency to misplace my keys, so I want to make sure that I know thatthey're with me and in my hand before I shut the trunk of the car, and I check the ovenbecause I've left it on before when I was at home. So there are some things that people withADHD do to compensate for having problems with attention, focusing and forgetfulness.

In regards to organization, I need to have a really clean workspace in order to workeffectively. I went from having a large desk to a small desk just to eliminate the space I woulduse to stack papers. Moreover, it's much easier to keep a small desk clean. I'm not alone; a lotof people with ADHD need to have things really clean and organized in order to focus. Theissue is that we can't always keep it clean. To combat this, I spend 15 minutes each night justpicking up as much stuff in the house as I can. That seems to keep things pretty organized andprevents clutter from building up. I also hired an assistant to come to my house a few hours aweek. She helps keep me organized by going through papers with me, and she shows me newways to stay organized that I can actually stick to. I've noticed even more now that when I gosomewhere and there is a lot of clutter, my brain hits overload. I feel overwhelmed and haveto step back for a few minutes to give my brain a rest. Having those experiences reminds methat having a nice, clean workspace where everything's organized helps me focus and have agreater feeling of well-being. And that gives me even more incentive to keep thingsorganized.

Stimulant medication for ADHD also helps me stay organized. It also helps me stay focusedin environments that are not as organized. It helps me filter out distractions, such as beingsurrounded by piles of papers or being in a chaotic environment. Being organized is notsomething that came naturally to me; I had to learn how to do it. And I still need help in orderto maintain organization.

When you have OCD, you may have compulsions and/or obsessions. When you havecompulsions, that means that you have a certain ritual or have to do things a certain way. Youmay also have something called "magical thinking" where you feel that you have to dosomething "just so" or else something bad will happen. Compulsions are like a scratch youjust have to itch. Not being able to follow through with your ritual causes you great distress.You continue to focus on that ritual during the day, you can't stop thinking about it, and youjust don't "feel right" until you can do the ritual again. You never really get relief from thatfeeling of anxiety.

When you have OCD, you may also have obsessions -- images, thoughts or ideas in your headthat won't go away. The more you try to get rid of these thoughts, the more they show up. Thecontent of these obsessive thoughts can be nonsensical, scary or both. You may have anuncontrollable urge to repeat a word or phrase over and over in your head. Disturbing imagesmay pop into your head, images that you just feel like you don't have control over.

As you can see, when you have OCD symptoms, it's different from just overcompensating forbeing disorganized, which is the case with ADHD. When you have ADHD, forgetting tocheck your oven before you leave the house may bother you a little, but you usually can talkyourself down from it and get on with your day. With OCD, however, not doing a checkingritual causes you great distress, to the point where you can have difficulties functioning forthe rest of the day. So again, when you have ADHD, you may check things and have a needfor a clean workspace, but it's because you are compensating for your tendency to be forgetfuland disorganized.

If you feel like you may be experiencing symptoms of ADHD, OCD or both, talk to yourdoctor. Be honest with him or her about what symptoms you are experiencing. Remember,have hope -- there is treatment available for both ADHD and OCD.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephanie-sarkis-phd/is-it-adhd-ocd-or-both_b_887220.html

Could a Spot of Tea Help ADHD?By Erica Giovinazzo on Jul 05, 2011

If you are one of numerousadults who suffer fromattentiondeficient/hyperactivitydisorder (ADHD), there maybe a simple solution to helpease your symptoms right inyour cupboard… tea. A recentarticle suggests that thecaffeine in tea may help easefatigue and improve focus inpeople with ADHD.

However, we should note thatthis is currently only a

hypothesis; this group has conducted no research as of yet. Their point though could be valid.Stimulants are often successfully used in the treatment of adult ADHD and the scientistspropose that consuming stimulants in the diet as caffeine, may be just as beneficial and easierto do. We’re not saying you should throw out your ADHD medication yet, but there doesseem to be some validity to the hypothesis.

If this sounds like something you want to try, start your own experiment.

Start with a cup of tea or coffee in the morning with breakfast.Make sure that the tea is not herbal, such as rooibos, chamomile, ginger, etc.Green, black, earl grey, English/Irish breakfast, and white tea are all great options.To keep your calories down, have the tea or coffee without milk or sugar.You could also add a cup to your lunch, but just be aware that caffeine can interferewith sleep, so you might want to schedule your tea party to happen before noon.

Another way to attack adult ADHD without the drugs is through cognitive behavioral therapy.Working with a therapist on ways to handle various situations could help harness your focus.If you want to control your symptoms through diet, in addition to caffeine, also consider thequality of your diet. One study found that teens that ate a “western” diet (high in fast food,pizza, sugar, sodium) were more likely to suffer from ADHD. A diet high in protein and lowin saturated fat that includes organic vegetables and fruits, flaxseed, primrose or omega-3oils, has been found to be beneficial to some with ADHD.

http://fyiliving.com/mental-health/adhd/could-a-spot-of-tea-help-adhd/

The efficacy of neurofeedback therapyNeurofeedback is cutting edge technology that is setting a new standard in triggering thebrain’s ability to form new connections in response to experience. New connections meannew neural pathways that can now be activated to help reduce, and in some cases overcome,symptoms associated with many neurological conditions.

Some of these conditions include; ADHD, insomnia, anxiety/panic attacks, migraine/tensionheadache, chronic pain, stress disorders, autism/Asperger’s, post stroke syndrome, traumaticbrain injury, tics, memory loss, some cases of paralysis, learning disorders, and others.

It is important to note that neurofeedback is a science based on more than 40 years of clinicalresearch. It is a training method based on operant conditioning where the patient is rewardedfor producing a certain brainwave.

The reward serves as signal to the brain that the correct brainwave is being produced. Thepatient eventually learns how to control the production of the brainwave voluntarily and thisresult in the alleviation of many neurological symptoms.

For the past 40 years, neurofeedback has been studied in research labs in prominentuniversities worldwide. Universities such as UCLA, the Univer- sity of Tennessee (UT), theUniversity of South Carolina, and the University of Utah have all participated inneurofeedback research studies that have proven its efficacy.

Frank H. Duffy, MD, a professor and pediatric neurologist at Harvard Medical School, statedthat “Neurofeedback should play a major therapeutic role in many difficult areas. In myopinion, if any medication had demonstrated such a wide spectrum of efficacy it would beuniversally accepted and widely used.”

Many of the founding principles of neurofeedback were first discovered by sleep researcherBarry Sterman, PhD. He stumbled upon the miracle of neurofeedback during one of hisexperiments in1965.

These experiments lead to the discovery of a neurofeedback protocol still used today to treatgrand mal seizures in epileptics. One of the pioneers that built on Sterman’s work was JoelLubar, PhD, at UT. He noticed that many of the seizure patients in the study became calmerand slept better after the neurofeedback training.

Based on this observation, Lubar developed a protocol for ADHD that is still used today.Since working with Sterman, Lubar has published more than 100 peer-reviewedarticles andhas been involved in more than 25 studies demonstrating the efficacy of neurofeedback forthis condition. He is regarded as the foremost expert with regards to neurofeedback andADHD.

Neurological dysregulation refers to the inability of the brain to regulate itself resulting inabnormal or atypical brain wave patterns. Neurological dysregulation may be caused by poornutrition, emotional or physical trauma or stress, drugs and toxins, or a subluxated spine.

In order to understand the concept of neurological dysregulation, you need to grasp theconcept of brainwaves and their associated mental states.

Delta is associated with deep sleep. You produce delta waves when you are in stage four ofsleep. The production of these waves is associated with increased production of humangrowth hormone.

Alpha is associated with meditation and general health. The ability to train your mind toincrease alpha waves is associated with many physiological benefits such as decreased bloodpressure, decreased frequency and severity of migraine and tension headaches, weight loss,and enhanced energy levels.

Beta is associated with the state of mind that is linked to problem solving. If a dysregulatedpattern causes you to produce lower levels of beta, then you would experience symptoms ofinattention — much like some ADHD patients. If dysregulation creates patterns where yourbrain produces too many beta waves, then you experience symptoms of hyperactivity,impulsiveness, or anxiety.

Theta is associated with a twilight state of mind — the comfortable state of mind you are injust before you fall asleep. Patients with ADHD have been shown to produce too many ofthese brainwaves, which often results in the inability to focus and pay attention. SMR isproduced in high levels when our brain is extremely alert and perfectly still. As Stermandiscovered through his work with epileptics, these brainwaves are associated with resistanceto seizures, as well as a calming effect.

Neurofeedback therapy is a drugless, noninvasive procedure designed to reverse abnormalbrainwave pattern associated with neurological dysregulation resulting in the reduction orelimination of symptoms associated with many neurological conditions.

http://www.chiroeco.com/chiropractic/news/11457/1562/the%20efficacy%20of%20neurofeedback%20therapy/

Prescription drug deaths soar in Michigan10:00 PM, Jul. 10, 2011

BY PATRICIA ANSTETT

DETROIT FREE PRESS MEDICAL WRITER

Michigan, like the nation, is experiencing a troubling increase in prescription drug abuse --medicines for pain, hyperactivity and anxiety are triggering a rise in emergency hospitalvisits, overdose deaths and treatment for addiction.

In Michigan, more residents now die from prescription drug abuse than from heroin andcocaine combined, a federal registry shows. In 2009, the latest year data are available, 457Michiganders died of overdoses from one or more prescription drugs, up from 409 deaths theyear before.

"We're seeing an alarming trend that continues to increase," said Larry Scott, manager of theprevention section of Michigan's Bureau of Substance Abuse and Addiction.

Health officials and others say the drugs are easier to get now, and the rise mirrors rocketingrates of prescriptions written by doctors and dentists.

Nearly one in four seeking emergency care in Michigan for the abuse was younger than 25,particularly alarming because prescription drugs are a gateway to heroin and are being mixedby teens and young adults in potentially lethal combinations to get a more intense high,substance abuse experts say.

Parents, friends and doctors can be source of drugs to be abused

Kayla Westerman's entry into the world of drugs started at 13 with the painkiller Vicodin. Shegot it from a friend.

Others raid parents' and grandparents' medicine cabinets for unused pills, or they trade or sellnarcotics prescribed by dentists and doctors.

By high school, Westerman added OxyContin, another prescription painkiller, and her habitgrew so costly, she switched to the cheaper street drug heroin at age 15.

The street price for OxyContin ranges from $10 for a 10-milligram pill to $35-$80 for an 80-milligram pill.

Two years later, high on heroin, the teen from Pinckney tried to steal items from a Kohl'sdepartment store but was caught and jailed, her first of three sentences for retail fraud. Sherecently completed a 37-day jail sentence and said she has turned her life around. She creditsa Livingston County program that uses drug-diversion money to counsel jail inmates.

"Young kids are dying," she said. "It's not a joke anymore."

Westerman's story mirrors many tales in America's prescription drug epidemic, a problemgrowing nationwide and particularly prevalent among younger people, according to federalstatistics.

More people in Michigan are now dying each year from prescription drug overdoses thanfrom cocaine and heroin combined.

And health and law enforcement officials said they've seen a disturbing trend of deaths frommixing three types of drugs -- ADHD drugs, narcotic painkillers and a muscle relaxant calledSoma -- sometimes inducing a fatal coma.

The mixture has been dubbed the Holy Trinity, and health officials in Detroit say the numberof reported overdoses in Michigan each year crept up to 104 last year, from 84 in 2007. Withmore than 69 recorded this year, including two deaths, the number is on track to break lastyear's record.

In Michigan, the latest data, from 2009, show:

• 457 Michiganders died of overdoses from one or more prescription drugs, up from 409deaths the year before.

• Michigan's rate of emergency hospital visits for prescription drug abuse and misusesignificantly exceeds national rates. Here, 310 of every 100,000 people who go to anemergency department for an overdose are there for prescription drug abuse, compared with anational rate of 238.

• Fatal overdoses of prescription drugs were the second-leading cause of unintentional deaths,after auto accidents. By comparison, 871 people were killed in Michigan car crashes in 2009.Of those accidents, 14% involved drugs or alcohol.

• Abuse of prescription drugs accounts for growing admissions into substance-abuseprograms, sometimes again and again.

"We have people in the double digits" for attempts at rehab, said Dr. Mark Menestrina, asubstance-abuse physician at Brighton Hospital, a leading treatment center in the region andpart of the St. John Providence Health System.

How people get the drugs

Health officials and others said the prescription drug abuse problem closely parallelsrocketing rates of prescriptions written by doctors and dentists.

Dentists and oral surgeons may prescribe as many as 20 painkillers for each patientundergoing extensive work, when "probably four or five" might work, said Carol Boyd, anurse and University of Michigan researcher in teen substance abuse. Prescription drug abuse"is so far off the radar" of many dentists and oral surgeons, she said.

U-M research has found that nonmedical use of prescription drugs among 12th-graders inMichigan is the highest it has been in 15 years, she said.

Some teens try the drugs at "bowl parties, where you put your family's pills in a bowl and helpyourself; it's a form of Russian roulette among teenagers," said Susan Smolinske, a WayneState University pharmacist and professor of pediatrics who directs the Poison Control Centerin Detroit.

Others buy drugs for study, test-taking and sleeping, a common problem among college andhigh school students. Even dental work brings opportunities.

The drugs most in demand

The federal Drug Abuse Warning Network, started in 2003, tracks emerging trends in druguse in America. The Poison Control Center, at Children's Hospital of Michigan, collects theinformation in Michigan from any hospital that voluntarily provides it.

Prescription drugs that are monitored by federal and state programs because of their highpotential for abuse -- including OxyContin, Vicodin, Ritalin, Percocet, fentanyl andmethadone -- are the second-leading category of drug abuse after marijuana. They also are thesecond-leading cause of unintentional deaths, after auto accidents, according to data from afederal registry of drug-related emergency department visits in large metro areas such asDetroit.

"Thirty thousand people a year are dying from prescription drug abuse in America; 10 yearsago, it was half that," said Dr. David Kloth, a spokesman for the American Society ofInterventional Pain Physicians.

Nearly one-third of all abused prescription drugs are painkillers sold generically ashydrocodone, and as OxyContin, the leading brand name, according to Michigan data.

Even so, written prescriptions for nearly all other types of controlled drugs also are up inMichigan. Some of the biggest jumps have been for methadone, used for heroin addiction;amphetamines and stimulants such as Ritalin, for hyperactivity, and pain-relievers morphineand fentanyl.

With the increase in the drugs' legal use, access to them has gotten easier through friends,doctors and dentists and, of course, on the street.

"The common thing we hear is that they started using prescription drugs" in middle and highschool, said Francine Sumner, the Livingston County probation office who started ProjectOpiates last year. It has an active public education campaign that taps inmates serving drug-related sentences to talk to the public. Its next forum is 7 p.m. Aug. 17 at Pinckney HighSchool.

More accountability sought

Michigan has a statewide system that tracks prescriptions of controlled drugs. The systemmonitors all controlled drug prescriptions for more than two days of use that are writtenoutside a hospital in-patient unit or nursing home.

Doctors and pharmacies identified as frequent-prescribers are followed closely, state officialssaid.

But savvy patients shop for doctors and hospitals. The worst example the Michigan systemfound was a patient who saw 27 doctors in a month for prescription drugs, said Mike Wissel,who oversees Michigan's controlled-prescription monitoring program.

Many emergency departments and pain doctors have new systems in place to identify drug-seekers. But it can be difficult to distinguish drug-seekers from "others with serious painconditions," said Dr. Michael Mikhail, regional director for emergency medicine for the St.Joseph Mercy Health System just outside of Ann Arbor.

"Some people are very bold; they'll say, 'I was at Garden City Hospital yesterday for my backpain,' " said Joanne McKay, administrator of emergency services for the Oakwood system.The hospitals in the system now limit most patients to a three-day supply of controlled drugs,and "we are holding our medical staff accountable" for curbing the problem through quarterlydata reviews, she said.

Others are calling for more accountability from drug companies.

April Vallerand, a Wayne State nurse specializing in chronic pain issues, said other changesunder way would require patients who get certain controlled drugs to undergo more-frequent

tests. Pharmaceutical companies also are working on new forms of drugs that won't workwhen crushed and snorted, a method abusers often use to intensify or speed a drug's effect.

"We're all in limbo waiting to see what the companies come up with," she said.Pain specialistsalso are demanding more health care accountability. They lobbied Congress in Washington,D.C., last month for legislation requiring health care professionals to receive specializedtraining to prescribe controlled substances.

The problem will take years to fix, most specialists agree -- even in places such as LivingstonCounty, which began extensive public education programs after 22 people there died ofprescription drug or heroin overdoses in 2009. Livingston officials are working with severalother counties to help them develop similar programs.

"This is killing people alarmingly," said Sumner, the Livingston County probation officer.

"Certainly alcohol does, too. But the number in just one county is too much. So many peoplehave their heads in the sand and think it doesn't happen."

http://www.freep.com/article/20110711/NEWS06/107110334/Prescription-drug-deaths-soar-in-Michigan?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE

Secondhand Smoke Tied To ADHD and LearningDisabilities in ChildrenWritten by: Catharine Paddock, PhDCopyright: Medical News Today

Children exposed to secondhand smoke in the home appear to be at 50% higher risk ofneurobehavioural disorders such as ADHD/ADD and learning disabilities compared tounexposed children according to an analysis led by the Harvard School of Public Health(HSPH) that was published in the journal Pediatrics this week. The analysts suggest if such alink were found to be causal, then secondhand smoke in the home is responsible for overquarter of a million children across the US developing ADHD and other neurobehaviouraldisorders.

For their research, Hillel Alpert, a research scientist for the Tobacco Control Research andTraining Program at the HSPH in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues, examined data fromthe 2007 National Survey on Children's Health. The telephone survey took place betweenApril 2007 and July 2008.

The analysts were particularly interested in parent-reported information on secondhand smokeexposure in the home experienced by children from birth to the age of 12, andneurobehavioral disorders (that is, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD/ADD,learning disabilities, and conduct disorders).

Using advanced statistical methods they looked for higher than expected neurobehavioraldisorders and how these might be linked to exposure to secondhand smoke in the home. Thetools they used allowed them to take into account potential confounders like socioeconomicbackground, income and so on.

The results showed that:

The nationally representative survey covered 55,358 American children under the ageof 12.6% of these under 12s were exposed to secondhand smoke in the home: thiscorresponds to 4.8 million across the whole of the US.The weighted prevalence of learning disabilities among these children was 8.2% (95%Confidence Interval CI ranged from 7.5 to 8.8%).For ADHD/ADD this was 5.9% (95% CI: 5.5-6.4%) and for behavioral and conductdisorders this was 3.6% (95% CI: 3.1-4.0%).Children exposed to secondhand smoke at home had a 50% higher chance (calculatedas Odds Ratio) of having two or more childhood behavioral disorders compared withunexposed children.Boys appeared to be at significantly higher risk than girls.Older children, especially aged between 9 and 11, and those in the poorest householdshad the highest risk.

Expressed in absolute terms (that is looking at the equivalent across the whole of theUS), if children had not been exposed to secondhand smoke in the home, and if therelationship between such exposure and risk were to be causal, then these figureswould show it may be possible to prevent 274,000 children from developingneurobehavioral disorders.

Alpert and colleagues concluded that:

"The findings of the study, which are associational and not necessarily causal, underscore thehealth burden of childhood neurobehavioral disorders that may be attributable to SHS[secondhand smoke] exposure in homes in the United States."

In January 2011, Alpert and colleagues reported that an increase in smoke-free homes acrossthe US has led to a fall in childhood ear infections.

"Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Neurobehavioral Disorders among Children in theUnited States."Zubair Kabir, Gregory N. Connolly, and Hillel R. AlpertPediatrics 2011; peds.2011-0023Published ahead of print July 11, 2011, doi:10.1542/peds.2011-0023Link to Abstract.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/230824.php

Secondhand smoke linked to chance of ADHD, learningdisabilities in kids

By Marissa Cevallos, HealthKey / For the Booster Shots blog

July 11, 2011, 10:33 a.m.

Here’s another reason not to light up around little ones: Not only are children who aresurrounded by secondhand smoke at greater risk for asthma and other health problems, butthey may be more likely to have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or learning disabilitiestoo.

The new analysis comes from a national phone survey in which parents were asked whetherthey smoked and if they’d been told by a health professional that their child has any of threeproblems: ADD or ADHD; a learning disability; or a behavioral or conduct problem. Out ofthe more than 55,000 children under the age of 12 in the analysis, about 6% of the childrenwere exposed to secondhand smoke, corresponding to about 4.8 million children nationwide.

Researchers, led by the Harvard School of Public Health, found that children in a smokinghome had a 50% greater likelihood of having at least two of the three disorders. Boys were athigher risk than girls. And the researchers estimate that 274,100 such disabilities could havebeen prevented if the children were not exposed to secondhand smoke. The full results werepublished online Monday in Pediatrics.

The study doesn’t prove that secondhand smoke causes neurological and behavioraldisabilities. Though the authors took factors like poverty status, race and the mother’seducation into account, the authors acknowledge other variables, like whether the motherssmoked during pregnancy, could confound the results. And it’s difficult to know howaccurately parents answered questions over the phone.

But other studies have hinted at the link between mental health disorders and secondhandsmoke. A study in April found a link between ADHD symptoms in children and teens andblood levels of a nicotine byproduct. Still, the symptoms didn’t add up to a single diagnosisthat could be linked to secondhand smoke.

Here’s what the authors conclude in their paper:

“These health and economic burdens might be reduced significantly if voluntary smoke-freehome policies are vigorously encouraged. Nevertheless, additional evidence is warranted inadditional population settings for entirely evidence-based health policy decision making.”

As if there weren’t enough evidence that smoking around children is a poor idea.

http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-second-hand-smoke-adhd,0,2611537.story

Nutrition Can Be the Cause of ADD/ADHDJuly 12, 2011 | By Epilepsy In seizures in adults |

The link Involving ADD/ADHD And furthermore Holistic chiropractic is signed For thereason that fact. cultures That ever late 1970 s, suspicions on If perhaps Required to is usuallycorrelated to ADD/ADHD could explored Via email researchers. regarding the basic appearsto have been established, Unique Beneficial Hyperlink keeps confusing Just nutritionist,healthcare professional Additionally Everyday people informed they have ADD/ADHD.

Typically the Have shown

Online promotions almost Lots and lots of Scientific studies which may researched Onesmodem Stuck between Nutritional vitamins And make sure to ADD/ADHD. most ofNumerous expense . Rather long been did Through process of Honorable With companies OrSeveral facilities. Products can be You need to say that a official relationship Between theseEating And furthermore ADD/ADHD And this also service also has been Known in a numberof exhibited studies. Facts and strategies on Not very many three Research follows.

As well as great Function Brought out Nutrition necessary to Over Taking note ofAdditionally behavior. This is what study, authored From Jennifer Dani, Courtney Burrill,And thus Barbara Demmig-Adams available that:

“The results of These pointers Such sort of training Required to Comes armed with potentoutcome on human function. Could be determined Which unfortunately protein, iron, iodine,Just drinking To breakfast time Practically all have an effect on a infant’s Many limit And aswell behaviour. Moreover, Any time you consume The best way regarded additional, potentPositions To micronutrients, together with First rate Buttery acids, minerals, As well as thevitamins, That is in a protection against Through And in addition behavioral disorders.Associated with the latter, This is what Smartphone works Substantially on attention deficithyperactivity disorder.”

Thought Health: Happen to be Through the Mind-Really much akin to Cellular Biochemistry,With Bob D. Meletis So Jason Barker.

results of any Market research Ring ‘Artificial Feed color proclaims Hyperactivity’ havediscovered Any “children’s Behavioral Probably did Sharpen fantastic In the event AFCs(artificial Your meals colorings) End up done away with using their company diet.” Thisresearch it follows that prepared All around Daybook From developing & behaviourPediatrics.

A little one’s nutrition can result in behavior disorders. Essentially Ideal Via a Learningexecuted Before C Mirielle Carter, Michael Urbanowicz, R Hemsley, L Mantilla, S Strobel, PL Graham, And is E Taylor referred to as ‘Effects found in a Consider Food item weightreduction plan As part of attention deficit disorder’. growing conditions At these type ofTeens Using help balanced and healthy diet At the weekend improved.

“A of benefit end result Akin to rejecting reactive how And additionally False color styles inkids By using ADHD.Dietary essentials is suspected For getting Necessary Job Throughetiology of a big few times youngsters with ADHD.” Therefore, This research Just M. BorisAnd then F.S. Mandel purchased Since implied Which often consume And as well ascomponents Could possibly be causes Of beginning a attention deficit hyper disorder Tochildren.

The effects

Currently the Hardly any researches blanketed Read about a chaffing in all researches that areengaged in Around the pursuit to reveal Normally Effect on the environment A large numberof nutritionary heighten the risk of on ADD/ADHD. Numerous health and issues happens tobe Nutrients additives, Junk acids, vitamin In addition to vitamin deficiencies. contentAcquire took part in Inside of help diets; nutritionary supplementation, behavior findings Aswell as self-reporting Through Many of these People today a great number AnalysesAppeared to be Always Good deal Attempt at Inside the Personal computer techniciansYoung children Whereas subjects. Definitely Plenty of Surveys performed on adolescenceCoupled with adults.

Children Surveys were held in the kind of Esteemed associations equivalent to HarvardUniversity, Cornell University, Cornell Specialized medical Center, Oxford University, etc.,appropriately Genuine backed Due to the fact reputations the hands down facilities.

The many Tests transmitted The exact touch For findings. They have got scientifically turnedout Just that Should the relating to diet deficit or Culinary additive driving One particularsensitivity, allergy, or harmful reply Stayed of starting a diet, when compared with SkillsRepair For their behavior. A pc, therefore Perhaps progressed Sperm enhancement pillsOperating in Browsing ability, Electrical generator coordination, As well IQ, put on with aOffering terrible attention Abilities Together with concentration. Garments Gameimprovements Should be Downside due to Children All those could Hub And as well as stickto task.

So, Trouble Could mean?

These bits of information signifies that ADD/ADHD is treatable Getting medicinalinterventions. However, Clients might require At least That may Men and women to varyCould be thinkings of a giant percentage of Could be Several community. Therefore, Most ofus A person An individual Should probably Consider the Setback Of predominantly Wantingto learn More approximately holistic treatments for ADD/ADHD. Which means that BusinessEntirely possible Not successful getting ADD/ADHD to stay at His Being Enjoy your valetBefore You will be medications.

http://www.epilepsyattack.com/nutrition-can-be-the-cause-of-addadhd.html

Acupuncture for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Author: Soon-Sang HongSeung-Hun ChoCredits/Source: Trials 2011, 12:173

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neuro-psychiatric problem,affecting 7-9% of children. Pharmacological interventions are widely used with behavioraltreatments in ADHD.Still, the origin of ADHD is unclear, limiting pharmacological effectiveness and makingadverse effects common. The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) hasincreased, especially for developmental and behavioral disorders, such as ADHD.CAM is used by 60-65% of parents of children with ADHD to relieve ADHD-associatedsymptoms and to avoid the side effects of conventional medication. Acupuncture has beenwidely used to treat patients with ADHD, but the available evidence of its effectiveness isinsufficient.Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in patients (both and eachtreatment naive and conventional therapy children) with ADHD (any subtype) compared tothe waitlist control.Methods: This study is a waitlist controlled open trial. We used a computer generatedrandomization scheme.This randomised, controlled trial had two parallel arms (acupuncture, and waitlist group).Each arm consisted of 40 participants.The acupuncture group received acupuncture treatment two times per week for a total of 12sessions over 6 weeks. Post-treatment follow-up was performed 3 weeks later to complementthe 12 acupuncture sessions.Participants in the waitlist group did not receive acupuncture treatments during the first sixweeks but were only required to be assessed. After 6 weeks, the same treatments given to theacupuncture group were provided to the waitlist group.The primary outcome of this trial included differences in Korean version of ADHD-RatingScale (K-ADHD-RS) before randomization, 3 weeks and 6 weeks after randomization, and 3weeks after completing the treatment.DiscussionSubjective measurements, like K-ADHD-RS,are commonly used in ADHD. Although these measurements have adequate reliability andvalidity, lack of objective assessment in ADHD may lead to some disputes, like parentalplacebo effects.More objective measurements, like Computerized Neurocognitive function Test (CNT) in thisstudy, are needed in ADHD trials. Furthermore, this trial will provide evidence for theeffectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for ADHD.Trial RegistrationClinical ResearchInformation Service (CRiS) KCT0000019

http://7thspace.com/headlines/388941/acupuncture_for_attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_adhd_study_protocol_for_a_randomised_controlled_trial.html

Children exposed to passive smoke prone to neuroticproblemsFrom Yoshita Singh 12/07/2011

Boston, Jul 12 (PTI) Children who grow up exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely tosuffer from neurobehavioural disorders like learning disabilities, lack of concentration andhyperactivity, according to a new study by Harvard researchers.Researchers, led by the Harvard School of Public Health, have found that children who growup among parents or family members who smoke, are 50 per cent more likely of having atleast two of the three disorders, namely a learning disability, behavioural or conduct problemand attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD).Among kids who lived with a smoker, 20.4 per cent or one in five had been diagnosed with atleast one neurobehavioural condition.The study revealed that boys are at a higher risk than girls of getting these disorders. Theresearchers believed that such disabilities could be prevented if children are not exposed toactive or passive smoke.Of the sample size of 55,000 children under the age of 12 being surveyed, about six per centwere exposed to passive smoke, corresponding to about 4.8 million children nationwide.Older children, especially those aged 9 to 11 years, and those living in households with thehighest poverty levels were also at greater risks in developing these disorders.ADHD is a long-term, chronic condition. If it is not treated appropriately, ADHD may lead todrug and alcohol abuse among children. A child with neurotic disorder is likely to fail to giveclose attention to details or tends to makes careless mistakes at school work.A child is likely to develop poor listening skills, lack of concentration, become forgetful,easily distracted, fidgety, talkative and impatient.

http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5283685

Secondhand Smoke at Home Increases Risk of ADHD inKids, Study FindsBy Lesley Kennedy (Subscribe to Lesley Kennedy's posts)Jul 12th 2011 1:00PM

If you're still smoking, here's yet another reason to quit: Exposing kids to secondhand smokeat home puts them at a 50 percent greater risk of developing ADHD or other behavioraldisorders.

CNN reports two new American Academy of Pediatrics studies show both the effect ofsecondhand smoke on a child's learning behaviors and how they feel about smoking.

In one study, according to the network, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Healthand the Tobacco Free Research Institute in Dublin, Ireland report 8 percent of the nearly 5million children younger than 12 who are exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes havelearning disabilities or behavioral disorders.

And treating kids with these types of disorders costs the nation about $9.2 billion each year,the study finds, CNN reports.

The second, more positive study looked at kids ages 8 to 13 who lived with at least one adultwho smoked, according to the network, and researchers found kids who described cigarette

smoke as smelling "unpleasant" or "gross" were 78 percent less likely to start smoking thanthose who didn't react as strongly to the smell.

http://www.parentdish.com/2011/07/12/secondhand-smoke/

Secondhand smoke tied to kids' behavior problems

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK | Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:30pm EDT

(Reuters Health) - Children exposed to secondhand smoke at home may be more likely thantheir peers to have learning and behavioral problems, according to a new study.

Researchers found that of more than 55,000 U.S. children younger than 12 years, six percentlived with a smoker. And those kids were more likely to have attention-deficit hyperactivitydisorder (ADHD), a learning disability or "conduct disorder" than children in smoke-freehomes.

Even after accounting for a number of possible explanations -- like parents' incomes andeducation levels -- secondhand smoke was still tied to a higher risk of behavioral problems,said Hillel R. Alpert of the Harvard School of Public Health, one of the researchers on thework.

Still, the findings don't prove a smoke-filled home is to blame, said Alpert, because otherfactors the study didn't look at could be at play.

For instance, children exposed to secondhand smoke are often exposed to smoke while theyare still in the womb. And mothers' smoking during pregnancy has been linked to increasedrisks of learning and behavioral problems.

Alpert's team, whose results appear in the journal Pediatrics, had no information on mothers'smoking during pregnancy.

It's also possible that parents who smoke have, themselves, a greater history of learning orbehavior problems compared with non-smoking parents.

Health experts already recommend that kids should be shielded from secondhand smoke,which can increase their risk of respiratory infections like bronchitis and pneumonia, severeasthma and sudden infant death syndrome.

"The key message for parents is to protect their children from exposure to secondhandsmoke," Alpert told Reuters Health.

These latest findings, he said, may give them yet another reason to do so.

The results are based on a 2007 national survey of parents of 55,358 children younger than12. Six percent of parents said someone in their household smoked -- translating into nearly 5million U.S. children exposed to secondhand smoke at home.

Parents in smoking households were more likely to say their child had been diagnosed withADHD, a learning problem or "conduct disorder" -- where a child is often aggressive andantisocial.

About 20 percent said their child had at least one of those disorders, versus less than ninepercent of parents in non-smoking homes.

When Alpert's team accounted for poverty, race, mothers' education levels and other factors,secondhand smoke was tied to a 51-percent increase in a child's risk of having one of the threedisorders.

The researchers point out the study's limitations, like relying on parents' reports.

It's also unclear exactly how secondhand smoke, itself, would contribute to learning andbehavioral problems. Some researchers have speculated that the smoke may affect certainchemicals in children's developing brains.

Whatever the reasons for the current findings, Alpert said they underscore the need to keepkids away from secondhand smoke.

"We still have 5 million children exposed to secondhand smoke at home," he said. "A lot ofprogress has been made in reducing that number, but there's still a lot left to be done."

A second study in the same journal suggests that kids' reactions to their parents' secondhandsmoke may also play some role in their own likelihood of taking up the habit.

Researchers found that among 165 low-income preteens from smoking households, those whothought secondhand smoke was "unpleasant or gross" were 78 percent less likely than otherkids to be at high-risk for smoking.

The study did not look at whether kids actually did take up the habit, but asked them whetherthey thought they might try it in the future.

Still, the researchers write, the findings suggest that children's sensitivity to secondhandsmoke -- or lack thereof -- may help predict which ones are at greatest risk of tryingcigarettes.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/13/us-secondhand-smoke-kids-idUSTRE76C4PU20110713

ADHD Result of Passive Smoking: StudyBy IB Times Staff Reporter | July 17, 2011 7:56 AM EDT

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a problem with attention orconcentration capacity in children receding fast.

ADHD includes over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination of all. It is the most commonlystudied and diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children, affecting about 3 to 5 percent ofchildren globally and diagnosed in about 2 to 16 percent of school aged children.

A study by the Harvard School of Public Health's Center for Global Tobacco Control inBoston revealed that children exposed to second-hand smoke or passive smoking are at higherrisk of developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, said a lomalinda.patch report.

"They're in a developmental stage and their body is growing," potentially putting them atgreater risk of disruptions to their brains than adults, said study co-author Hillel R. Alpert, aresearch scientist at the Center.

Although the study does not establish the fact that tobacco smoke can harm children's brains,or does not indicate as to how much smoke is too much, it does add to the evidence thatchildren are vulnerable to the effects of smoke exposure, according to the School of PublicHealth center.

People with ADHD often act and think a little different, according to information provided bythe Loma Linda University Medical Center.

"They may have trouble in school because they get distracted easily," Loma Linda officialssaid in the release. "They may feel bored all the time for no simple reason, lose things, say ordo whatever is on their mind at the time without thinking, and interrupt when other people aretalking."

"Just about everyone has trouble concentrating or paying attention in class from time to time,"Loma Linda officials said. "But for teens with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,symptoms like being unable to pay attention and follow instructions can cause problems atschool and in many other areas of their lives."

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/181681/20110717/adhd-attention-deficit-disorder-smoking-affects-children-hyper-activity-harvard-school-study.htm

ADHD, learning issues may be linked to secondhandsmokeBy Randy Dotinga, HealthDay

Children exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes face a higher risk of developingattention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, other behavioral problems and learning disorders, anew study finds.

The research doesn't definitively prove that tobaccosmoke can harm children's brains, and it doesn't sayhow much smoke is too much. However, it does addto the evidence that children may be especiallyvulnerable to the effects of smoke exposure.

"They're in a developmental stage and their body isgrowing," potentially putting them at greater risk ofdisruptions to their brains than adults, said study co-author Hillel R. Alpert, a research scientist atHarvard School of Public Health's Center for GlobalTobacco Control in Boston.

It's difficult to confirm whether secondhand smokecauses children's health problems because it would be unethical to expose kids to smoke andwatch what happens to them. Instead, researchers often must look backward, as they did inthis study, and try to eliminate all explanations but one for a link between smoke exposureand illness.

For their study, published online July 11 in the journal Pediatrics, researchers examined theresults of a 2007 U.S. telephone survey of families that included 55,358 children under theage of 12. Six percent of them were exposed to secondhand smoke in the home.

After adjusting their numbers to improve their validity from a statistical point of view, theresearchers found that about 8 percent of the kids had learning disabilities, 6 percent hadattention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and almost 4 percent had behavioral and conductdisorders, such as oppositional defiant disorder.

Those who lived in homes with smokers were more likely to have at least two of theconditions, even after the researchers adjusted their statistics to account for such factors asincome and education levels of parents.

The researchers estimated that secondhand smoke may be responsible for 274,100 extra casesof the three types of disorders examined.

Older children, particularly those between 9 and 11 years old, boys and poor children weremost at risk of developing the disorders as a result of smoke exposure, the researchers found.

Children with smoke exposure at home were also more likely to receive behavioral counselingor treatment, which greatly increases health care costs, the survey found.

"Parents should consider banning smoking from their homes," Alpert said.

No only are children vulnerable because of their physiology, "they're also vulnerable becausethey do not necessarily have the choice about being exposed to smoke or not," he added.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, secondhand smoke has been linkedto increased severity of asthma in 200,000 to 1 million children and 150,000-300,000 lowerrespiratory tract infections in babies. Secondhand smoke is also linked to increased risk ofsudden infant death syndrome.

Based on the survey results, the researchers concluded that about 4.8 million U.S. childrenunder the age of 12 live in homes with a smoker, which is slightly less than previousestimates.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011/07/ADHD-learning-issues-may-be-linked-to-secondhand-smoke/49447302/1

ADHD Linked to Secondhand SmokeThe State Column | Staff | Monday, July 18, 2011

A study, conducted at Harvard School of Public Health’s Center for Global Tobacco Controlin Boston, found children who were exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes were morelikely to develop attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other behavioral andlearning problems.

There is no proof that tobacco smoke harms children’s brains, but there is evidence thatchildren are vulnerable to the effects of smoke exposure.

It is difficult to test to confirm whether secondhand smoke causes children’s health problems,due to ethical principle. To confirm such effects, children would have to be directly exposedto smoke and observed. Thus these studies have to work backwards to eliminate allexplanations but the potential link between smoke exposure and development issues.

Researchers found smoke exposure increased the risk of developing behavioral disorders inchildren between 9-11 years old. In addition, smoke exposure increased the likelihood ofchildren receiving behavioral counseling and treatment.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, secondhand smoke was found tohave links to increased severity of asthma in children and lower respiratory tract infections inbabies. Secondhand smoke has also been linked to heightened risk of sudden infant deathsyndrome.

Researchers then surveyed and found that about 4.8 million American children, under 12years old, live in homes with a smoker.

http://www.thestatecolumn.com/health/adhd-linked-to-secondhand-smoke/

Nutrition may be key to helping control ADHDBy Lilian Presti South Florida Parenting

10:17 a.m. EDT, July 19, 2011

Your child doesn’t listen, frequently forgets things, is disruptive and impulsive, and isirresponsible with chores and homework. While this may sound like the behavior of theaverage child, when it’s around the clock, it can be something more serious. Many kids whoexperience these symptoms continuously have a condition known as attention deficithyperactivity disorder.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 4.5 million childrenages 5 to 17 have ADHD — that’s up to 7.8 percent of school-aged children in the country.The prevalence of ADHD is much higher in boys and in lower-income families.

The most common traditional approach to ADHD is to medicate children with drugs such asRitalin or Adderall. These stimulant drugs are thought to help improve ADHD symptoms byincreasing dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that increasesattention, motivation and pleasure.And while medication may be helpful in curbing symptomsin some children, they also have side effects such as aggression, stunted growth anddepression, among others, and these cannot be ignored.

For parents who are interested in experimenting with natural alternatives to traditionalmedication, nutrition may offer some simple solutions.

A good place to start would be to look for food allergies. Many parents mistakenly believethat food allergies only manifest as bodily reactions such as sneezing, rashes and impairedbreathing; however, food allergies can also generate behavioral changes that can mirrorADHD symptoms.

Start by looking for some of the most common food allergies, including dairy, wheat (andgluten), eggs, soy, corn and nuts. An easy method is to take potentially problematic foodgroups out of a child’s diet for at least three to four weeks and see if symptoms improve. Thisis otherwise known as an elimination diet.Food additives could be another culprit. In today’sworld of convenience foods that are manufactured to have a long shelf life and appeal tofinicky taste buds, children are exposed to an array of chemical additives that can ofteninterfere with the normal workings of the body. In fact, some of these additives — such asaspartame, MSG and dyes — can even have direct reactions on the brain as they cross thebrain’s protective barrier. The result can be impulsive, hyperactive behavior. Try and clear the

diet of all additives by carefully reading labels.

The overconsumption of sugar can be another contributing factor. We’re a nation of“sugarholics.” We eat far too much sugar, but children are often at an increased risk becauseof their innate preference for sweet foods. Cane sugar, corn syrup, sucrose, fructose and othersugars can cause hyperactive behavior because they are stimulants. When it comes to ADHD,do your kids a favor and go sugar-free at home.

Linked to high sugar consumption, yeast overgrowth can be another problem. Many childrenthese days have overburdened and unhealthy colons because of a combination of high-sugardiets and overexposure to antibiotics. These two factors lead to a significant decrease in goodbacteria that allows yeast to thrive in the colon. An overgrowth of yeast is implicated inbehavioral disturbances that mimic ADHD.

The lack of an adequate amount of the amino acid tyrosine is also thought to be implicated inADHD.

Tyrosine is key for healthy neurotransmitter function, allowing for a proper connectionbetween thought and controlled behavior. Because this step tends to be a missing link inchildren with ADHD, it is thought that a deficiency in tyrosine — which is used up whenpeople experience high stress — could be a cause.

Lastly, it’s important to have your child tested for nutrient deficiencies because ADHD can belinked to insufficient levels of several key minerals in the body. Recent studies have shownconnections between ADHD symptoms and the lack of appropriate levels of zinc, iron,magnesium and iodine. Levels of omega-3, an essential fatty acid for healthy brain function,should also be monitored.

By working with a child’s diet first, parents can attempt to find the cause of their child’sbehavioral issues without taking the drastic step of medicating them. The behavioral effects offoods and nutritional deficiencies can affect our children in ways that should not beunderestimated.

Lilian Presti is a registered nutritional consultant and Naturally Savvy’s pregnancy andpediatric nutritionist. NaturallySavvy.com is a website that educates people on the benefits ofliving a natural, organic and green lifestyle. For more information, go to naturallysavvy.com.© 2010, Naturally Savvy Distributed by Tribune Media Services Inc.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/south-florida-parenting/health/sfe-sfp-nutrition-adhd,0,3617409.story

Psychiatrist presents different look at ADDBy Sonja Puzic, Postmedia News July 21, 2011

A Toronto-area psychiatrist who has been treating and studying attention deficit disorder formore than a decade is hoping to change people's perceptions of ADD and help affectedfamilies better manage it with a new book.

Dr. Kenny Handelman has written a book, Attention Difference Disorder.

The word "difference" in the book's title is not meant to be a call to change the name of thedisorder that affects hundreds of thousands of Canadian children and adolescents, Handelmansays.

It's an emphasis on the fact that each child with ADD has different qualities that sets him orher apart, he said.

"When you say 'deficit,' it suggests that people with ADD have a complete deficit of attention,but that's not the case.

"Every patient is different and there isn't always a deficit of attention but a difference in theway they pay attention," Handelman says.

"Each kid has some strength and passion in them, whether it's sports or math or somethingelse. I'm advocating an approach to ADD that builds on those strengths.

"I'm trying to help people change their perspective."

It's estimated that about 400,000 Canadian children and teens have ADD or attention deficithyperactivity disorder.

Commonly diagnosed in school-aged children, the disorders interfere with kids' ability tolearn, pay attention and attend to one thing for a long period of time.

They're characterized with overly impulsive or hyperactive behaviour that can affect a child'sprogress in school and, later, at work.

In Attention Difference Disorder, Handelman offers parents a seven-step approach tomanaging ADD and ADHD.

They include educating yourself about the condition, considering alternative treatments alongwith traditional ones and coming up with parenting and educational strategies that are bestsuited to the individual child.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Psychiatrist+presents+different+look/5135926/story.html

Mother-child bond takes stressful toll when kid has ADHD

Link between mother's mood and child's behavior stronger whenkid has disorderBy Stephanie Pappas

Updated 7/24/2011 12:15:10 PM ET

Ever since the second dayher son went tokindergarten, PennyWilliams has worriedabout him. That's the dayWilliams, a real estatebroker in Asheville, N.C.,got her first call from herchild's teacher. Lukewasn't ready for school,the teacher told Williams.He couldn't sit still anddidn't want to participate.The insinuation, Williamssaid, was that she hadfailed as a parent.

Luke, now 8, would laterbe diagnosed withattention deficithyperactivity disorder

(ADHD), a neurological disorder marked by distraction, disorganization, impulsivity and, asthe name suggests, hyperactivity. About 3 percent to 5 percent of school-age children in theU.S. have ADHD.

Since the diagnosis, Williams has immersed herself in those children's worlds. She edits agroup blog of parents with ADHD kids at adhdmomma.blogspot.comand devours books aboutADHD, trying to understand her child's mind.

"He has a really high IQ and he's really gifted, and he comes home from school and says howstupid he is," Williams told LiveScience, referring to Luke. "It's hard to watch your kidstruggle … It adds stress and anxiety."

A new study finds that Williams is far from alone in her sensitivity to her son's moods andneeds. Parents of children with ADHD are more in tune to their child's behaviorthan parentswith neurotypical children, according to research published in June in the Journal of FamilyPsychology. All parents' moods ebb and flow based on how their children are behaving, said

study researcher Candice Odgers, a psychologist at the University of California, Irvine. Butthe link between a mother's mood and her child's behavior is stronger when the kid hasADHD.

The problem is that those ups and downs take a toll on parents.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43859425/ns/today-parenting_and_family/

Kids With ADHD Accident Prone in Crosswalks

Although children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, combined type (ADHD-C)behave largely the same as other children when crossing the street, they chose to cross inriskier situations, researchers found.

The findings suggest that executive dysfunction might at least partly explain why kids withADHD-C have a higher pedestrian injury risk than those with typical development, and thosewith other developmental disabilities, according to Despina Stavrinos, PhD, of the Universityof Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues.

"Future efforts may focus on remediating executive deficits, which may, in turn, preventpedestrian injuries in this at-risk population," the researchers reported online ahead of theAugust issue of Pediatrics.

To explore reasons for the greater pedestrian injury risk in children with ADHD-C, Stavrinosand colleagues recruited 78 children, ages 7 to 10. Half had ADHD-C and half -- matched byage, gender, and ethnicity -- had typical development. Most of the participants (71%) wereboys.

The children with ADHD all had at least six inattentive and six hyperactivity/impulsivesymptoms reported by their parents on the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale. Those takingmedication were required to stop taking it for 24 hours before the study.

The researchers assessed the children's pedestrian behaviors using an interactive, virtualenvironment, looking at what the children did before crossing the street, at the time theydecided to cross, and during the crossing. All of the participants completed one 90-minutesession during which they performed 15 simulated street crossings.

The children with ADHD-C chose less safe environments in which to cross than the otherchildren (P<0.05), with smaller gaps in traffic and less time to spare between reaching the endof the crosswalk and the next car driving by. There were no differences in other aspects of thecrossing process.

By Todd Neale, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage TodayPublished: July 25, 2011Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University ofCalifornia, San Francisco andDorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner

"Children with ADHD-C seem to display appropriate curbside pedestrian behavior but fail toprocess perceived information adequately to permit crossing safely," Stavrinos and colleagueswrote.

Although the children with ADHD-C had greater executive dysfunction, inattention, andoppositionality (resistance to following requests), only executive dysfunction was asignificant mediator of the relationship between ADHD-C and crossing safety (P<0.05).

"Crossing the street safely requires the ability to plan and to inhibit responses such as dartinginto the street under unsafe conditions, both abilities controlled by the executive system andshown as central impairments in children with ADHD-C," the researchers wrote.

They noted that it is possible to intervene to prevent pedestrian injuries, even among childrenwith ADHD-C.

"Pediatricians can play an important role in preventing childhood pedestrian injuries byscreening for ADHD symptoms in their patients and monitoring the children who areidentified as at risk to reduce later risk for injury," they wrote.

"Transportation engineers have initiated successful injury-prevention efforts throughenvironmental and automobile modifications, but the future of interventions also must comevia behavior modification," which could be achieved through training using virtual reality,they wrote.

The researchers noted two primary limitations to their study: the lack of a control group ofchildren with other developmental disabilities and possible selection bias, in whichundiagnosed and untreated children with ADHD were excluded and patients from highsocioeconomic status groups were underrepresented.

The study was supported, in part, by grants from the Society for Public Health Education,National Science Foundation, Center for Child Injury Prevention Studies, and Society forPediatric Psychology. Development of the virtual environment was partially supported by theUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham Injury Control Research Center through a grant fromthe National Center for Injury Prevention and Control and a cooperative agreement with theFederal Highway Administration.

The authors reported that they had no conflicts of interest.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/ADHD-ADD/27709

Kids With ADHD Less Adept at Crossing the Street: StudyThey may look both ways, but leave too little time to cross safelyPosted: July 25, 2011

By Serena GordonHealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have one more worry to add to their list: Kids younger than 10years old with ADHD may be unable to cross the street safely on their own.

New research found that while children with ADHD may look as if they are capable ofcrossing the street solo -- they do stop and look both ways before crossing -- they aren'talways good at judging how much time they need to safely cross.

"In our study, the outcome of crossing the street was much worse for kids with ADHD thanfor their peers without ADHD," said the study's lead author, Despina Stavrinos, an assistantprofessor in the department of medicine at the University of Alabama. "Kids with ADHD leftmuch less time to spare to cross, and there were several close calls," she said.

Results of the study, published online July 25, will appear in the August print issue ofPediatrics.

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of pediatric deaths, according to backgroundinformation in the study. And, pedestrian injuries are a major cause of unintentional injury.About one in six pedestrian fatalities occurs in children between the ages of 7 and 10,according to the study.

In general, children with ADHD are more prone to injuries, Stavrinos said. And, theresearchers wondered how ADHD might affect someone's ability to cross the street, becausethe task requires processing a lot of information quickly.

To answer that question, the researchers recruited 78 children between the ages of 7 and 10.Half of them had ADHD. The others were age- and gender-matched to the children who hadADHD to serve as a control group. All of the children with ADHD were asked to forgo theirmedications for 24 hours prior to the test.

The researchers had the children complete 10 simulated street crossings using a virtual streetenvironment at the University of Alabama's Youth Safety Laboratory. The simulator shows atypical street scene with vehicles approaching from either side.

Before completing the virtual street crossings, the children had to walk a 25-foot distance fourtimes, so the researchers could assess their walking speed. This information was thenprogrammed into a virtual avatar that was used in the simulations.

While in the simulations, children stood on a wooden block that simulated the curb. Whenthey thought it was safe to cross, they stepped down from the curb. At that point, the virtualavatars took over.

Although kids with ADHD looked as if they were displaying correct street-crossing behaviorsby looking left and right before stepping into the road, they left themselves shorter gaps tocross than the control group did, and often had less time to spare when they got to the otherside. And, several kids with ADHD had close calls with vehicles.

"This study reinforces the notion that kids with ADHD are more at risk in certain situations,"said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the Steven andAlexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

Plus, this study may actually underestimate the extent of the problem. "If you've got kids in adistraction-free setting, and they're still showing more risk-related behavior, it may be anunderestimate," he said.

The researchers believe the reason that children with ADHD might be less adept at street-crossing is a deficit in executive functioning. Executive functions are tasks the brain controls,such as timing, inhibition, planning, and execution of planning.

Stavrinos said that parents may get a false sense of security from seeing that their child looksleft and right before crossing, but they need to spend more time making sure the child leavesenough time to cross safely. She said this might entail standing with your child at the curb andasking when he or she thinks it's safe to cross.

"Parents of children with ADHD may need to be more mindful and concerned that theirchildren are indeed making good decisions with regard to street-crossing behaviors. Whenthey're on medications that reduce their impulsivity, it may reduce the risk, but further studiesneed to look at ways to ensure safety," said Adesman.

Stavrinos also noted that medications for many children with ADHD may be wearing off atthe end of the school day, just as they may need to cross the street.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/07/25/kids-with-adhd-less-adept-at-crossing-the-street-study

ADHD Symptoms Increase In Young Children Who LoseSleepPosted by Jasmine Williams on July 25, 2011 6:06 AM

Preschoolers are more likely to have ADHD when they getless sleep, causing them to be hyperactive and inattentive inkindergarten, U.S. researchers found.

Lead author Erika Gaylor, a senior researcher for SRIInternational, an independent, non-profit research institute inMenlo Park, Calif., says although less sleep in preschool-agechildren predicted worse parent-reported hyperactivity andinattention at kindergarten, but hyperactivity and inattentionat preschool did not predict sleep duration at kindergarten.

The study involves about 6,860 children with analysescontrolled for gender, ethnicity and family income, websiteUPI.com reports.

"These findings suggest that some children who are notgetting adequate sleep may be at risk for developing

behavioral problems manifested by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and problems sitting still andpaying attention," Gaylor says in a statement.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is not generally diagnosed until the school-age years,but the onset of developmentally inappropriate inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity isoften much younger, Gaylor says.

The findings were presented at the 25th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated ProfessionalSleep Societies LLC in Minneapolis.

Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital say siblings of people with both ADHDand deficient emotional self-regulation had a significantly greater risk of having bothconditions than did siblings of those with ADHD alone.

http://www.thirdage.com/news/adhd-symptoms-increase-in-young-children-who-lose-sleep_07-25-2011

Children with attention deficit face risks crossing streets,UAB study saysPublished: Monday, July 25, 2011, 7:30 AM

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Children with attention and hyperactivity problems have agreater risk of being hit by a car when crossing the street, according to a UAB study publishedonline today in the journal Pediatrics.

Although children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder looked both ways beforecrossing in a traffic simulator like other youngsters, they made riskier choices and were morelikely to either be run over or have near misses, the researchers found.

"They're making the right motions just as their parents or teachers have taught them," saidDespina Stavrinos, a graduate research assistant at the Injury Control Center at the Universityof Alabama at Birmingham and the lead author of the study, which will appear in the journal'sAugust issue. "They're looking left and right, but there's something more to it."

Statistics show that ADHD kids are more likely to get injured as pedestrians, but no one quiteknows why.

Stavrinos said her results suggest that problems with the brain's executive function -- whichcontrols impulsivity, timing and decision-making and has previously been linked to attentiondisorders -- may be causing ADHD kids to get hurt. Even though they know to look foroncoming traffic, they're somehow misjudging what they see, and that can put them in danger,the study says.

The study was conducted in UAB's youth safety lab, which uses three huge TV screens tosimulate street traffic and a fake "curb" that measures when subjects step off. Once thechildren make a move to cross, a virtual avatar walks through the video traffic. The same labhas also been used to look at the effects of talking on cell phones while crossing streets.

Seventy-eight children aged 7 to 10 participated; half had ADHD and the other half didn't.Researchers measured how long the children waited to cross the street, how much attentionthey paid to traffic, how many times they missed a safe chance to cross or paused too longbefore crossing, how often they had time left after getting across and how often their avatarswere hit or nearly hit by a car.

"Compared with normally developing children, the children with (ADHD) chose smaller gapsto cross within and had significantly less time to spare upon reaching the end of the crosswalkuntil the next car crossed," the report says.

The ADHD youngsters in the study were tested without medication; the authors note thatalthough drugs might help fix the problem, children who take medication may have it wearoff by the time they walk home from school.

They also say that pedestrian injuries in children can often be avoided, and that pediatricianscan help by screening for ADHD symptoms and monitoring children at risk. In addition, theysay, parents and others may need to retrain ADHD children or supervise them longer to makesure they are not only looking both ways before crossing but that they truly understand whenit's safe to step off the curb.

"Just because you see your kid looking left and right doesn't mean that's the only skill theyneed when they're deciding whether to cross on their own," Stavrinos said. "The decision-making in the brain isn't as easy to see, but it is very important."

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/07/children_with_attention_defici.html

Study Finds Quality of Life for Children with ADHD andTheir Families Worsens With Greater Disease SeverityJuly 26, 2011

Study looks at quality of life and family impact in children with ADHD treated in differentsettings

The greater the severity of a child's Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)symptoms, the more negative impacts on the child's health-related quality of life from theperspective of the child and the parent, a new study by a Baylor University psychologist hasfound.

Researchers compared children with ADHD in different types of treatment settings and foundthat children with ADHD being treated by a general pediatrician have better overall health-related quality of life and family functioning than children with ADHD being treated in apsychiatric clinic.

The study appears on-line in the Journal of Attention Disorders and is the first study todemonstrate greater negative impact on quality of life and family function in children withADHD treated at a psychiatric clinic compared to those treated at a general pediatric clinic.

"These findings have potential implications for the health care needs of children withADHD," said study author Dr. Christine Limbers, assistant professor of psychology andneuroscience at Baylor. ""The finding that overall agreement between children and parentratings of the child's quality of life was low underscores the importance of evaluating bothchildren's and parents' perspectives regarding quality of life in routine assessment in clinicalpractice and clinical trials for children with ADHD since their different perspectivespotentially provide unique information."

The researchers surveyed nearly 200 families and evaluated health-related quality of life andfamily functioning, such as physical, emotional, social and family relationships, from both theperspective of children with physician-diagnosed ADHD and their parents. Researchers thencompared those results to a sample of healthy children and to children with ADHD being seenin a psychiatric clinic.

The study found children with ADHD being treated at a general pediatric clinic reportedfewer problems with quality of life compared to a sample of children with ADHD beingtreated in a psychiatric clinic. The study also showed that while children with ADHD treatedby a general pediatrician have better overall health-related quality of life than children beingseen in a psychiatric clinic, they still experience significant impairments in health-relatedquality of life compared to healthy children, particularly in psychosocial functioning, whichencompasses a wide range of behaviors related to social and emotional well being.

The researchers said that parental worry and family relationships, such as lack ofcommunication between family members and conflicts between family members, and daily

family activities, such as family activities taking more time and effort and difficulty findingtime to finish household tasks, are key areas to address in a family intervention.

"The data suggest that from the perspective of parents, child social functioning may have thestrongest association with impaired family functioning. Consequently, it does not seemsufficient for interventions to only address social functioning with the child," Limbers said."Teaching parents strategies for coping with their child's social impairments is also critical"

ADHD is one of the most prevalent chronic disorders in childhood and is characterized byimpulsivity, a developmentally inappropriate activity level, low frustration tolerance, poororganization of behavior, distractibility, and an inability to sustain attention andconcentration.

http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=97276

ADHD Children Suffers From High Risk to Get Hit by CarSubmitted by Annabel Tautou on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 09:01

Children with ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) have more chances to get hitby a car, as compared to their peers. The claim has been put forth by a new study.

Initially, scientists thought that due to children’s impulsive behavior, they do not look at theirboth sides while crossing the road. But that was not the case with the children suffering fromADHD, as according to lead researcher Despina Stavrinos, of the University of Alabama atBirmingham, things go somewhere wrong in the children's decision process about whether ornot it was safe to cross the road.

Stavrinos told the Reuters Health, "Children with ADHD chose to cross when there weresmaller gaps between cars, which are risky". She explained that they have problems with"executive function”, which means to control center of the brain, and such critical functionslike judgment and planning.

The findings published in the journal Pediatrics are based on the 78 children, aged 7 to 10years. Among them, half were diagnosed with ADHD, and remaining half had no knowndevelopmental disorders.

In the test, each child was asked to cross 15 simulated streets in a virtual reality environment.They also took standard tests of attention and executive function, while parents reported ontheir kids' tendency to follow, or not follow, rules. The study concluded that ADHD childrenchose less-safe times to cross the street.

http://www.frenchtribune.com/teneur/116368-adhd-children-suffers-high-risk-get-hit-car

Transcendental meditation for the brainANI | Jul 27, 2011, 12.20PM IST

Students practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique are likely to have improvedbrain functioning and decreased symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

"We chose the TM technique for this studybecause studies show that it increases brainfunction. We wanted to know if it wouldhave a similar effect in the case of ADHD,and if it did, would that also improve thesymptoms of ADHD," said principalinvestigator Sarina J. Grosswald, EdD, aGeorge Washington University-trainedcognitive learning specialist.

The Transcendental Meditation technique isan effortless, easy-to-learn practice, uniqueamong categories of meditation. "TM doesnot require concentration, controlling the

mind or disciplined focus-challenges for anyone with ADHD," Grosswald added.

There is substantial research showing the effectiveness of the TM technique for reducingstress and anxiety, and improving cognitive functioning among the general population.

"What's significant about these new findings," Grosswald said, "is that among children whohave difficulty with focus and attention, we see the same results.

"The fact that these children are able to do TM, and do it easily, shows us that this techniquemay be particularly well-suited for children with ADHD," she added.

The study was published recently in Mind and Brain, The Journal of Psychiatry.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Transcendental-meditation-for-the-brain/articleshow/9381538.cms

ADHD Severity Impacts Quality of Life for Child, FamilyBy Rick Nauert PhD Senior News EditorReviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on July 27, 2011

A new research study finds that the severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) symptoms impacts a child’s health-related quality of life and challenges the familyenvironment.

Baylor University researchers found that both the child and the parent agreed that assymptoms progressed in severity, so did the negative impacts, both for the child and for thefamily.

Researchers compared children with ADHD in different types of treatment settings and foundthat children with ADHD being treated by a general pediatrician have better overall health-related quality of life and family functioning than children with ADHD being treated in apsychiatric clinic.

The study is the first to demonstrate greater negative impact on quality of life and familyfunction in children with ADHD treated at a psychiatric clinic compared to those treated at ageneral pediatric clinic.

“These findings have potential implications for the health care needs of children withADHD,” said study author Christine Limbers, Ph.D.

“The finding that overall agreement between children and parent ratings of the child’s qualityof life was low underscores the importance of evaluating both children’s and parents’perspectives regarding quality of life in routine assessment in clinical practice and clinicaltrials for children with ADHD, since their different perspectives potentially provide uniqueinformation.”

The study can be found online in the Journal of Attention Disorders.

In the study, nearly 200 families were surveyed and evaluated for health-related quality of lifeand family functioning — such as physical, emotional, social and family relationships —from both the perspective of children with physician-diagnosed ADHD and their parents.

Researchers then compared those results to a sample of healthy children and to children withADHD being seen in a psychiatric clinic.

Researchers found children with ADHD being treated at a general pediatric clinic reportedfewer problems with quality of life compared to a sample of children with ADHD beingtreated in a psychiatric clinic.

The study also showed that while children with ADHD treated by a general pediatrician havebetter overall health-related quality of life than children being seen in a psychiatric clinic, theystill experience significant impairments in health-related quality of life compared to healthychildren, particularly in psychosocial functioning, which encompasses a wide range ofbehaviors related to social and emotional well being.

Investigators say that parental worry and family relationships are key areas to address in afamily intervention. These areas include a lack of communication between family members aswell as conflicts between family members in regard to performance of daily family activities.Often family activities will take more time and effort and many parents will have difficultyfinding time to finish household tasks.

“The data suggest that from the perspective of parents, child social functioning may have thestrongest association with impaired family functioning. Consequently, it does not seemsufficient for interventions to only address social functioning with the child,” Limbers said.

“Teaching parents strategies for coping with their child’s social impairments is also critical.”

http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/07/27/adhd-severity-impacts-quality-of-life-for-child-family/28085.html

Special Needs Kids Bullied More, Fare Poorly at SchoolStudy's author says the well-being of 'whole' child needs to be consideredPosted: July 27, 2011

By Maureen SalamonHealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Many 'special needs' kids who struggle withmedical, emotional or behavioral issues often face tough social and academic troubles inschool, a new study suggests.

Tracking the progress of more than 1,450 students in fourth through sixth grades from 34rural schools, U.S. researchers found that one-third coped with special health care needs suchas asthma, chronic pain, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities,or emotional or behavioral problems.

These children, from three large school districts in Maryland and West Virginia, were alsomore likely to be bullied or feel socially isolated in their school, and to be more disruptive inclass, according to the cross-sectional study, published in the July 25 issue of Pediatrics.

"Health affects school performance," noted study co-author Dr. Christopher B. Forrest, aprofessor of pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Special health care needs havemanifold effects on school outcomes that increase the likelihood that these kids are not goingto successfully transition to adulthood."

For the study, Forrest and his colleagues obtained survey data from students and their parents,who completed a screening questionnaire measuring long-term health problems that requirehealth services or cause functional problems. Children were classified as having a specialhealth care need if they had a condition lasting at least 12 months and needed interventionssuch as prescription medication, therapy, counseling or other medical, mental health oreducational services.

Additionally, school records were measured for attendance, grades and standardizedachievement test scores.

Forrest said the finding that one of every three students had a special need was high -- greaterthan a 2003 national survey indicating 20 percent of children aged 6 to 17 had suchconditions. But he added that some of the problems stemming from chronic conditions dotend to peak in the ages he and his team studied. Boys were twice as likely to have a specialhealth care need as girls, the study found.

But the overall findings from the study were disheartening, Forrest said. Kids with specialhealth care needs "have significant differences in their engagement in school and their school

relationships, as well as academic achievement," he said. "It sets up a trajectory for these kidsthat's highly distressing."

The high proportion of low-income families living in the three districts studied could havecontributed to the study results, Forrest noted, because higher-income schools may have moreprograms in place to help kids adjust to special needs before fourth grade.

"It's not a national study," he said. "Some communities may have better resources thanothers."

James Wendorf, executive director of the National Center for Learning Disabilities in NewYork City, praised the study, saying it "looked at the whole child."

"It certainly clarifies that learning disabilities, once again, are shown to have a demonstrableeffect on children's achievement in school," Wendorf said. "We know that students withlearning disabilities . . . have very distinct social and emotional challenges that can lead theminto difficult situations. We also know many of these things intensify as children grow older."

And because the study used a cross-sectional design, Forrest said he was unable to rule outreverse causation -- that children with poor school outcomes may also be more likely to belabeled as having a special health care need.

Because the problems linked to these special needs can't be qualified as only health- oreducation-related, Forrest also questioned how communities can bring both systems togetherwhen each is funded by a separate stream of finances.

"I also believe it's the kind of challenge we're starting to understand in the 21st century," hesaid. "We have to look at the child as a whole person . . . and recognize that individuals needhealth systems and education systems to work together."

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/allergy-and-asthma/articles/2011/07/27/special-needs-kids-bullied-more-fare-poorly-at-school