Anyone who has ever taught, lived with, or spent time with an ADHD child has noticed that the disorder is more than just the three core symptoms. They are correct in this observation; inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are just the tip of a large iceberg. What lies underneath its surface?
Children age 12 and below need at least 10 hours of sleep each night, especially if they have ADHD. Studies have shown that when ADHD children don’t get enough sleep, they become more hyperactive, inattentive, and irritable the following day. But what qualifies as “not enough sleep” and how bad do ADHD symptoms get? A new study in the scientific journal Sleep reveals that as little as one less hour of sleep is enough to make the academic performance of ADHD students deteriorate.
Many parents I’ve spoken to make the same observation about their ADHD children’s sleep habits: they have a hard time falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up in the morning. When they don’t get enough sleep the previous night, they spend the rest of the day in an ADHD funk with their symptoms in overdrive. These observations are hardly surprising – sleep problems and ADHD are closely related because the regions of the brain responsible for attention also regulate sleep. While there’s not much you can do to change your child’s biology, there are a few things that can be done to help your child get enough sleep.
Last week, I talked about how the number of children diagnosed with ADHD has skyrocketed over the last few years, and posited some possible explanations for this phenomenon. While some might argue that ADHD awareness and overeager doctors contributed to this increase, a new study published in the journal Pediatrics finds that diet and lifestyle parallels the high rate of childhood ADHD cases today.
It’s hardly surprising to learn that more children receive the ADHD diagnosis today. A new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discovered that the number of ADHD diagnosis among children in the United States went up 22% in four years – from 7.8% in 2003 to 9.5% in 2007. These findings are certainly consistent with other research on the rapid rise of the ADHD diagnosis around the world. However, I’m more interested in finding out why this is happening. What could be causing this so-called ADHD epidemic? Here, I posit four possible reasons.
Does your ADHD child have difficulty falling asleep at night? You might want to keep the computer shut and encourage your child to put his or her mobile phone on silent mode as well. According to a new study from the JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey, sending text messages and using other electronic communication devices during bedtime can aggravate ADHD symptoms the following morning.
Has your child been acting differently after he or she had that bad sore throat? Have teachers been complaining that your child no longer pays attention in class or that his handwriting is difficult to read? Does your child suddenly become particular about the way she does certain things? Your child’s sore throat might have resulted in a rare condition called PANDAS – pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus. Believe it or not, the common strep infection can trigger ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other neuropsychiatric conditions if left untreated.
Last week, the media had a field day over a study that presented new evidence for the genetic cause of ADHD. This study, which was done by researchers from Cardiff University and published in the English journal The Lancet, revealed that children with ADHD are more likely to have missing or duplicated DNA segments. The researchers also discovered that the ADHD-related DNA segments overlap the genetic variants detected in those with schizophrenia and autism. But exactly how crucial are genetics in the ADHD puzzle? How much do genes influence ADHD?
For some time now, we’ve been aware that environmental chemicals are one of the silent causes of ADHD. Many of these chemicals are neurotoxins – substances which act directly upon neurons and interfere with their functions – that linger in the environment for years. Symptoms of neurotoxin exposure include lack of concentration, personality changes, depression, and hyperactive behavior. In adults, exposure to these poisons can cause a range of health problems, from infertility to cancer. Children and babies, however, are uniquely affected by these chemicals due to their developing nervous systems and biological immaturity; they are unable to detoxify as efficiently as adults, and the rapid development of their brain processes makes the neurons more vulnerable to the effects of chemicals. In other words, children are helpless against these toxins and are more likely to suffer from ADHD, autism, and other psychological disorders with prolonged exposure.
What most people don’t realize is that you don’t have to live near a polluted area to be exposed to these chemicals; neurotoxins lurk in the products you use daily and the food you eat. Current research reveals four everyday chemicals linked to childhood ADHD. Find out what they are and what you can do to avoid them.
We’ve long suspected that the typical Western diet might be the reason why so many children are diagnosed with ADHD today. The brain requires a healthy number of nutrients, essential fatty acids, and amino acids to release and regulate neurotransmitters (brain chemicals responsible for mood, attention, concentration, and impulse control). Although these nutrients can be obtained from a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, the typical Western diet has little room for such healthy options. Why? This type of diet prioritizes the convenience of cooking rather than nutritional value. Unfortunately, these fast food meals are high in fat, refined sugar, and sodium, and offer few nutrients in return. Can such a diet be responsible for the increase of ADHD epidemic among children and teens today?