Search Results for: blog what is adhd

Study Finds Increased Diagnosis of ADHD

A study that was done in Southern California found that there has been an increase of the diagnoses of ADHD in the past ten years. This study included children who lived in Southern California. It is possible that the increase is due to a better understanding of the effects of prenatal exposure to certain substances. How many times have you heard of a study that says that the cases of ADHD are on the rise? Personally, I can think of quite a few of these types of studies that have made the news in the past couple of years. It … Continue reading →

Mother’s Blog About Mentally Ill Son Goes Viral

A mother has written a blog that has been passed around the internet via Facebook and in links in several other blogs and news articles. In it, she discusses her fear that her son will someday do something similar to what Adam Lanza did in Connecticut. It is an eye-opening piece of writing. Yesterday, I wrote a blog that clarified that not all people who have Asperger’s Syndrome are violent. Some can, and do, express loud, verbal, outbursts or may push someone away from them. Typically, the violence that people with Asperger’s Syndrome express is not premeditated or planned out. … Continue reading →

ADHD Medications for Kids Who Don’t Have ADHD?

A doctor in Georgia has been prescribing ADHD medication to children who come from low income families. The children have not been diagnosed with having ADHD. Instead, the doctor is giving them the medication in an effort to help them improve their grades. There are a lot of parents who have concerns about what their child’s ADHD medication might be doing to him or her beyond helping with the symptoms of the disorder. Some parents will go to great lengths to try alternative forms of treatment first, hoping that they will not have to put their child on a daily … Continue reading →

Study Links Mercury Levels in Mom to ADHD in Child

A new study has connected the mercury levels in women shortly after they gave birth with an increased risk that their child would develop ADHD by the time he or she turned eight years old. We know that it is best that women who are pregnant avoid fish that contains mercury. This is another reason why. You have probably heard that women who are pregnant should avoid eating certain kinds of fish in order to avoid ingesting mercury during pregnancy. In general, this means avoiding swordfish, shark, tilefish, and king mackerel, because those are known to contain high mercury levels. … Continue reading →

FDA Approves Liquid ADHD Medication

The Food and Drug Administration has approved of a liquid extended release medication for ADHD. It is called Quillivant XR. This could be really helpful for children (and adults) who require medication in pill form to treat their ADHD and who have difficulty swallowing pills. Typically, ADHD is treated with a combination of cognitive – behavioral therapy and prescription medication. Acupuncture has been found to also be helpful in reducing some of the symptoms of ADHD. Others feel that a specific diet can help, and there are some parents who prefer to give their child coffee instead of medication. Prescription … Continue reading →

Blogging From the Personal Side of Parenting

The internet has a wealth of information about a vast variety of special needs. It is fairly easy to look up medical information or news articles regarding a special need. Sometimes, it can be comforting to read a blog written by a parent about the personal side of parenting a child who has a special need. Here are a few interesting ones to explore. Parents can get online and quickly look up symptoms, recommended diets, help with IEPs, and news about health insurance coverage for their child’s special needs. What about if all you want is some conformation that your … Continue reading →

Interactive Metronome Could Help Symptoms of ADHD

Typically, the standard treatment for ADHD involves medication. Not all parents are comfortable with the idea of giving their child a daily dose of drugs. Another helpful option could be the use of something called an Interactive Metronome. ADHD is frequently treated with the use of medication. There are a couple of different types of medicines that doctors may prescribe for treating the symptoms of ADHD. It can take some “trial and error” to discover exactly which ADHD medication, and which dosage, works the best for a particular child. Once that is discovered, it is generally best to follow the … Continue reading →

Is it ADHD, or Typical Preschooler Behavior?

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is something that many parents have at least a vague awareness of. How can a parent tell between typical preschooler behaviors and symptoms of ADHD in a child so young? There are a few tips that can help parents to tell one from the other. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of ADHD must appear before the child is seven years old in order for that child to be diagnosed with the disorder. That means that an attentive parent, who has reason to think that her child could have ADHD, needs to be very … Continue reading →

Should You Continue Your Child’s ADHD Medication During the Summer?

One common question that parents have is whether or not they should continue ADHD or ADD medication over the summer for their children. With school out, this becomes an interesting dilemma. I’ve heard a number of arguments for and against. Many pediatricians leave it up to the parents, especially if the ADHD or ADD is not severe enough to be a danger to the child. Of course, any time a parent is considering stopping any ongoing medication, the pediatrician should be consulted. The arguments parents give for continuing medication include being consistent, needing the child to be able to focus … Continue reading →

Special Needs Blog Week in Review – June 3-9, 2012

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Each week, the Special Needs Blog Week in Review gives you a quick summary of all of the blogs that appeared here in the past week. This gives you an easy way to find the blogs that you missed, or that you didn’t have time to read when they first went up. The Special Needs Podcast Roundup went up on June 4, 2012. This week, I’d like to point out an episode of The Coffee Klatch. The episode is called “Best of The Coffee Klatch – Dr. Russell Barkley – ADHD” This episode features information from Russell A. Barkley, PhD., … Continue reading →