Smart Kids With LD

Adam Levine, the Voice of ADHD

Jane — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:12:35 +0000

For those of you who aren’t already enamored of rock star Adam Levine (is that anyone on the planet?), the Maroon 5 lead singer has just launched a project that’s sure to win the hearts and minds of those with an interest in ADHD.

Levine has partnered with the pharmaceutical company Shire to launch “The Own It Project,” an effort to encourage adults with ADHD to take responsibility for their attention issues and share their stories with others.

Those wishing to participate in the project can submit their story about when they knew they needed to own their ADHD. Participants are entered into a national contest with a chance to win prizes along with the opportunity to be the next “Own It” campaign spokesperson. In addition to receiving an autographed guitar from Levine, the winner will be able to choose between two prize packages, one focusing on technology and the other built around professional appearance. Both packages include sessions with an ADHD coach.

“The Own It Project,” says Levine, “is important because it encourages adults, like me, who are owning their ADHD, to become advocates and tell their story. I hope that this effort will help people realize the importance of owning their ADHD.”

Submissions must be sent to OwnItProject.com by June 6, 2012.

Research Suggests that ADHD Is Not a Single Disorder

Jane — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:09:21 +0000

Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University have concluded that ADHD is not a single disorder, but rather an “entire family of disorders.” Their findings could impact the way patients are diagnosed and treated as well as the way future research is conducted.

Led by OHSU scientists Damien Fair, Ph.D., assistant professor of behavioral neuroscience, psychiatry, and the Advanced Imaging Research Center; and Joel Nigg, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry, behavioral neuroscience and pediatrics, the recently completed study suggests that ADHD is similar to cancer in that there are many different subtypes.

To reach their conclusions, the research team measured a number of cognitive skills (e.g. memory, inhibition, attention, comprehension, etc.) in a large sample of ADHD patients and a control group. The results, which are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, were reported in Medical News Today (MNT).

Key Findings

In essence the researchers found a wide variation in both the ADHD and control groups; neither group consistently was found to have the same strengths and weaknesses. In addition, according to MNT, the findings showed “that ADHD patients can be subcategorized depending on their deficits and relative strengths, showing unique subgroups among all children with ADHD.” Dr. Fear explained the implications:

Traditionally, physicians and psychologists have diagnosed patients through the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly known as the DSM.

The problem with this approach is that it often relies on secondary observations of parents or teachers, where even if the descriptions are accurate, any given child may be behaving similarly, but for different reasons. Just as if there might be many reasons why someone might have chest pain, there might be many reasons why a child presents with ADHD. However, unlike diagnosing countless other well-understood diseases, there is no one test that can differentiate individuals when it comes to psychiatric and developmental conditions like ADHD. The data here highlights ways to recognize such individual variability and shows promise that we might be able to identify why any given child presents with ADHD, thus allowing for future examinations of more personalized treatments.

Based on this and future research, those who evaluate patients for ADHD may soon be able to replace observation with a battery of cognitive tests, which will allow them to determine strengths and weaknesses of their patients, categorize them accordingly, and tailor treatments for various subcategories.

Book Review: Buzz by Katherine Ellison

Jane — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:52:03 +0000

Reviewed by Emmy Fearn

Katherine Ellison’s Buzz chronicles the rocky period leading up to and including the full year Ellison devoted to finding help for her preteen son, Buzz, diagnosed with ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder. This book is sure to resonate with parents who have felt overwhelmed in similar situations—a child with worsening behavior, deteriorating mental health, and too many treatment options to know which way to turn. In Ellison’s case, the situation proved so daunting, she initially stuck her head in the sand and took no action at all—a position many parents will identify with.

After finally admitting that Buzz was in dire need of help, together she and her son set off on an exploratory odyssey of alternative treatments, as well as the oft-recommended stimulant medication. Along the way, the Pulitzer-Prize winning investigative journalist documents a comprehensive list of available options, including neurofeedback training, meditation, therapy, and medication. Her review is a boon to parents who have been wondering what else is out there, but who have not acted because they haven’t had the time and money to research treatments on their own.

Finding An Answer

Despite Ellison’s initial resolve not to “drug” her son, she eventually tried stimulant medication and discovered that it enabled Buzz to control and improve his behavior. She also confessed that, after this positive experience, she apologized to an acquaintance she had a year earlier excoriated for “drugging” his own child with stimulant medication.

Given Buzz’s behavioral challenges, I was perplexed at his apparent willingness, given his previous recalcitrance and his age, to comply with so many different possible treatments: As most parents know, even well-adjusted 12-year-olds don’t appreciate having their lives micromanaged, and Buzz would not have been considered well-adjusted.

The mystery was amusingly solved at the end of the book, when Ellison divulged the brilliant deal she had made with Buzz at the beginning of the year: If he cooperated with the research by doing what was asked of him, he could share in the earnings from the book she was writing. Buzz agreed, which gave him the incentive to learn how to manage his disorders and ultimately empowered him. This disclosure also reminded me, as other parents may attest, that extrinsic motivation, with rewards for good behavior, can be highly effective in modifying behavior.

Ellison’s vivid descriptions as mother and son journeyed together make Buzz an engaging read. But the book is also a cautionary tale of how dire things can get, because as Ellison realized, the problems don’t go away even if you do your best to ignore them. Hopefully, Buzz will motivate reluctant parents to deal with issues proactively to find workable solutions earlier in their children’s lives. If that happens, reading this book will have been time well spent.

The author, a mother of two adult children with learning disabilities, is completing her Ph.D in Education while teaching self-advocacy to College of Alameda (CA) students with intellectual disabilities.

Related Smart Kids Links

Treating ADHD: A Comprehensive Strategy

Is ADHD the Only Problem Your Child Faces

Beyond Medication: Evidence-Based ADHD Care

Straight Talk About Medications for ADHD

Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Children Learn If They Can

Is Your Child’s Problem ADHD or A Sleep Disorder?

Jane — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:38:49 +0000

As we recently reported in this blog, the number of ADHD diagnoses among children and young teens have rapidly increased in the past decade–a stunning 66% between 2000 and 2010. While some suggest the increase is the result of better educated parents and doctors spotting ADHD, others believe that at least some of the increase can be attributed to misdiagnoses.

Writing in The New York Times, Kate Murphy notes:

Many children are given a diagnosis of ADHD researchers say, when in fact they have another problem: a sleep disorder, like sleep apnea. The confusion may account for a significant number of ADHD cases in children, and the drugs used to treat them may only be exacerbating the problem.

Citing a new study published recently in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found that children who had sleep issues due to apnea or common breathing problems such as snoring and mouth breathing were “40% to 100% more likely than normal breathers to develop behavioral problems resembling ADHD.”

A Little Deprivation Can Be Problematic

According to sleep experts, it doesn’t take much sleep loss for children to manifest behaviors associated with ADHD. Just one half hour less per night can have a detrimental effect on behavior—regardless of whether the loss is due to a sleep disorder or simply staying up too late watching TV or playing video games.

Having a correct diagnosis is fundamental to proper treatment. Children with sleep problems who are mistakenly treated with stimulant medication because they have been misdiagnosed with ADHD are at risk for even greater sleeplessness. When used improperly, ADHD medications can cause insomnia, thus exacerbating the problem.

Sleep Smarts

With so much at stake, both parents and doctors must learn more about the signs and symptoms of sleep problems and how to differentiate them from behavioral issues such as ADHD. In her article, Attention Problems May Be Sleep-Related Murphy points out that, “Of the 10,000 members of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, only 500 have specialty training in pediatric sleep issues.” That leaves doctors to rely on parent reports of sleep concerns, which also may not be forthcoming. Adds Murphy:

Parents themselves often are uninformed about healthy sleep habits. A study conducted last year by researchers at Penn State University-Harrisburg and published in The Journal of Sleep Research showed that of 170 participating parents, fewer than 10 percent could correctly answer basic questions like the number of hours of sleep a child needs.

Sleep Recommendations

The National Sleep Foundation offers the following guidelines:

AGE SLEEP NEEDS

Newborns (0-2 mos.)                    12-18 hrs.
Infants (3-11 mos.)                        14-15 hrs.
Toddlers (1-3 yrs.)                       12-14 hrs.
Preschoolers (3-5 yrs.)                  11-13 hrs.
School-Age (5-10 yrs.)                  10-11 hrs.
Teens (10-17 yrs.)                          8.5-9.5 hrs.
Adults                                              7-9 hrs.

Tighter Security to Thwart Cheating on SAT and ACT

Jane — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:52:21 +0000

Beginning next fall students taking college entrance exams will have to produce a photo ID when they arrive at the testing site. That picture will be checked against an image they uploaded at the time they registered for the exam, which will appear on the admission ticket.

This is one of several new policies instituted nationwide in response to a cheating scandal that was uncovered last year in Nassau County, NY. Twenty teens were arrested for taking part in a scheme where students paid others to take the SAT or ACT exam for them.

Fittingly, the new security measures were announced in Nassau County in late March. At the press conference were representatives from the ACT and the College Board, which runs the SAT in conjunction with the Educational Testing Service. Also on hand was Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen M. Rice who said:

“These reforms close a gaping hole in standardized test security that allowed students to cheat and steal admissions offers and scholarship money from kids who played by the rules. Millions of college-bound students who take the SAT and ACT each year should have renewed confidence that honest applicants will not take a back seat to cheaters, and that those who cheat will be caught.”

In other efforts to thwart cheating, registrants will be required to provide their gender and list their high school when they sign up. In addition, on-site registration (where students sign up the day of the test) will no longer be allowed.

ADHD Diagnoses Soar

Jane — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:49:37 +0000

The number of children and teens in the U.S. diagnosed with ADHD rose 66% from 2000 to 2010. According to a study published in the journal Academic Pediatrics, during that period the number of physician-diagnosed cases went from 6.2 million to 10.4 million, making ADHD one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions among people under 18 years old.

More Cases or Greater Awareness?

Does the dramatic increase in ADHD diagnoses mean that the condition is more prevalent than it used to be? Probably not, says Dr. Craig Garfield, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University and the lead author of the study. “The magnitude and speed of this shift in one decade is likely due to an increased awareness of ADHD, which may have caused more physicians to recognize symptoms and diagnose the disorder.” The authors suggest that public awareness campaigns coupled with media coverage and advertisements for ADHD medications played a role in making both parents and physicians more aware of the problem.

Other Findings

The study also found that the number of children being treated for ADHD by child psychiatrists was growing at the expense of treatment by pediatricians. At the onset of the study about 25% of children were seen by psychiatrists; by the end of the study the number rose to 33%.

Finally, results of the study showed that stimulant medications remain the most common treatment for ADHD, although their use has declined from 96% of patients in 2000 to 87% by the end of the study period.

To learn more see Trends in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Ambulatory Diagnosis and Medical Treatment in the United States, 2000–2010.

Finding the Best Summer Camp for Your Child with LD or ADHD

Jane — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:10:11 +0000

For many young people summer camp is a rite of passage—precious time away from home, thinking for themselves, and not having to answer to their parents. It can be a time of growth, maturation, and confidence-building that serves them well as they return to school again in the fall.

Ensuring that your child with learning disabilities has a successful camp experience may take an extra measure of planning. It begins with both you and she establishing a clear understanding of what she wants to get out of the camp experience. The best way to get at that is through an open and honest discussion about her needs, wants, wishes, and worries.

Once you’ve settled on goals for the camp experience, you then must evaluate options most available to meet those goals—and they are many, from simple day camps to summer-long, specialized camps. In Summer Camp Guidelines for Kids with LD and ADHD we provide useful information to help you navigate your choices to find the best setting for your child socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. The effort you put in up front will serve your child well.

For more age-specific guidelines for Kids with LD and ADHD, see:

Camp Guidelines for Elementary Kids

Camp Guidelines for Middle School Kids

Camp Guidelines for High School Kids

Risky Business: Driving with ADHD

Jane — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:01:44 +0000

The only driver more dangerous than a drunk driver is a teen driver with ADHD. According to an article in The New York Tim es, “Young drivers with A.D.H.D. are two to four times as likely as those without the condition to have an accident—meaning that they are at a higher risk of wrecking the car than an adult who is legally drunk.” These were the findings from a 2007 study by Russell A. Barkley of the Medical University of South Carolina and Daniel J. Cox of the University of Virginia Health System.

For parents of teens with ADHD—and those who share the highways and byways with them—that’s a worrisome statistic.

The mix of inexperience, inattention, and impulsiveness is a potent cocktail for those who get behind the wheel.

“It’s a bad combination,” explained Dr. Barkley, who also noted that many drivers with ADHD overestimate their driving skills. “They’re more prone to crashes because of inattention; the reason their crashes are so much worse is because they’re so often speeding.”

Preventing Problems

Experts agree that teens with ADHD can become safe drivers, but the process of getting there is likely to be slower and more challenging than it is for their peers without attention issues.

Some suggest teens with ADHD may be better off postponing driving. “If I were a parent of an ADHD or other special-needs kid, my goal would be to delay licensing,” said Dr. Bruce Simons-Morton, senior investigator at the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development.

“They mature, they accommodate to their deficits, and they’re more likely to take medication.”

Medication seems to play an important role. A number of studies have found that ADHD medications that focus attention can reduce the risk of accidents. In fact, Dr. Barkley maintains that medication should not be optional and he further encourages the use of extended-release formulations that work into the night hours when most accidents occur.

Other experts focus on maturity as an important indicator. As stated in the article, “If a teenager with ADHD is showing consistent poor judgment or has earned only limited independence, he may not be ready. Behavioral problems can be a red flag, regardless of whether they have to do with driving.” Adds pediatrician Dr. Patty Huang, “If your kid is that oppositional and defiant, she shouldn’t be driving.”

Other helpful strategies include hiring a professional driving instructor, allowing for an extended learning period, close parental monitoring after the license has been obtained, and forbidding the use of cellphones.

To learn more, read the full article Learning to Drive with ADHD.

Bully In a Theater Near You

Jane — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:44:48 +0000

With the recent release of Bully in select theaters, moviegoers of all ages are hearing, seeing, and feeling the effects of what more than 13 million American kids suffer each year. The character-driven documentary, directed by Lee Hirsch, shines an unflinching light on the tortured lives of five bullied children and their families as they went through the 2009-2010 school year. As described by the movie’s promoters:

Following five kids and families over the course of a school year, the film confronts bullying’s most tragic outcomes, including the stories of two families who’ve lost children to suicide and a mother who waits to learn the fate of her 14-year-old daughter, incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With rare access to the Sioux City Community School District, the film also gives an intimate glimpse into school buses, classrooms, cafeterias, and even principals’ offices, offering insight into the often-cruel world of children, as teachers, administrators, and parents struggle to find answers.

While the stories examine the dire consequences of bullying, they also give testimony to the courage and strength of the victims of bullying and seek to inspire real changes in the way we deal with bullying as parents, teachers, children, and in society as a whole. Through the power of these stories, BULLY aims to be a catalyst for change and to turn the tide on an epidemic of violence that has touched every community in the United States—and far beyond.

Through these powerful stories, Hirsch hopes Bully will change the way we as individuals and as a society deal with bullying. With that in mind, the movie’s website offers a downloadable tool, Guide to the Film Bully: Fostering Empathy and Action in Schools, designed to help audiences deal with the stories they see and explore what they mean in their schools and communities.

The movie is part of The Bully Project, a larger social action campaign that is aiming to address the bullying crisis by changing schools and communities. Check The Bully Project Website to learn how you can get involved. Options range from heeding the movie’s call to action: “Stop Bullying. Speak Up!” to sharing personal stories and supporting nonprofit partners of The Bully Project.

Bullying: Kids with LD Are Easy Targets

Bullying: A Call to Action

Relative Age May Be A Factor In Misdiagnosing ADHD

Jane — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 01:05:17 +0000

Trying to discern if a young child’s inattentive behaviors are due to immaturity or ADHD is a challenge for parents and teachers alike. Now the results of a study recently published in the Canadian Medical Journal promises to add fuel to the fire.

Researchers studying a large group of children in British Columbia over an 11-year period found that younger children were 39% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and 48% more likely to be prescribed ADHD medication than their same-grade peers who were up to one year older.

As reported in Medical News Today the lead author, Richard Morrow of the University of British Columbia stated:

“The relative age of children is influencing whether they are diagnosed and treated for ADHD. Our study suggests younger, less mature children are inappropriately being labelled and treated. It is important not to expose children to potential harms from unnecessary diagnosis and use of medications.”

No Gender Gap

Although boys receive a diagnosis of ADHD more frequently than girls, there were no gender differences in this study. In fact, younger girls were 70% more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis than the older girls in the same grade.

According to co-author Jane Garland of the University of British Columbia and BC Children’s Hospital, these findings provoke questions for everyone involved including clinicians, teachers, and parents. “We need to ask ourselves what needs to change. For example, attention to relative age of children for their grade and more emphasis on behavior outside the school setting might be needed in the process of assessment.”