Is it possible to be diagnosed with ADHD even if your child only has a few of the symptoms?

This is a question that many worried parents ask about their hyperactive or inattentive children.  The first thing you need to know about ADHD is that it is a very individual experience; some kids may have a lot of symptoms while some will only have a few.  No two children will have the exact same symptoms or problems.  The diagnosis, however, should depend on much more than just the quantity of the symptoms.

Generally speaking, the symptoms of ADHD are lumped into three main categories – hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention.  Hyperactivity is the most easily detected symptom because it manifests itself as restless, fidgety behavior. Impulsivity is also easily detected; kids with more of this symptom have difficulty waiting their turn or a tendency to interrupt others who are speaking. Inattention is characterized by distractibility, forgetfulness, and is usually noticed when a normally brilliant child suddenly has low grades.

ADHD is traditionally diagnosed through a checklist of symptoms published by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.  There are two lists – one for inattentive symptoms, and one for hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. Both lists have nine criteria each. To get diagnosed with primarily Inattentive ADHD, one has to meet at least six out of nine criteria.  The same goes for hyperactive-impulsive ADHD; one has to meet at least six out of nine criteria from this list. For combined ADHD, a child has to meet 12 criteria from both lists. Additionally, the symptoms should have been present before the age of 7, in two settings, and should be causing academic difficulties, emotional distress, and difficulties in the family for at least six months.

Technically, it is possible to get diagnosed with ADHD if your child only has six inattentive symptoms or six hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. However, these symptoms are not unique to ADHD; they can also point to a number of related conditions like anxiety or depression. They can even suggest a completely unrelated disorder like learning disabilities, nutritional imbalances, and sensory integration problems. In other words, the ADHD diagnostic process should involve more tests than just checking to see if the symptoms are there. Otherwise, your child could get misdiagnosed and treated for the wrong disorder – and this won’t make the symptoms go away.

So if your child has difficulties paying attention, sitting still, or controlling impulses, by all means see a professional to see if there is anything wrong.  But do not automatically assume that these symptoms point to ADHD.

The most popular ADHD natural treatments involve changing the way kids with ADHD think. After all, a child’s brain is still very malleable and can form new neural pathways to alter the way it thinks and responds to certain situations.  Wouldn’t it be better to just teach a child’s brain how to focus instead of using strong stimulants that cause serious side effects? Neurofeedback and Cogmed Working Memory Training are just some examples of brain therapies that help ADHD kids control their impulses.  Another option is the cognitive training programs from the Brain Potential Institute, which can now be done through the Internet.

The Brain Potential Institute is a Texas-based brain training center that serves hundreds of students with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other related neurological disorders.  Each student receives an individualized, one-on-one training program design to improve their ability to accept, process, and retain information.  The center also provides sensory and motor therapies to those suffering from sensory processing disorders.

They just made their training programs available to the rest of the world through VOLT – their Online One-on-One Treatment, which is done through Skype. The VOLT program is designed for children and adults who live far from Brain Potential Institutes or whose school and work hours get in the way of training.  VOLT makes use of the many modules of their Genius in Training program, which focuses on different centers of the brain that control auditory processing, memory, language, and speech.

The VOLT program begins with a free screening test designed to measure the child’s ability to handle information in six neurological areas – attention and concentration, central auditory processing, processing speed, verbal fluency, active working memory, visual perception/processing, logic and reasoning, and word attack.   Should you wish to continue with the program, the child will also be given one-on-one tests administered by a certified diagnostician. The results of these tests will determine which brain exercises and techniques are most suited to your child’s needs and strengths.

Learn more about this wonderful training program at http://www.brainpotentialinstitute.com.

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.

This pilot study obtained data from 40 JFK Sleep Clinic patients aged 8 to 22, using a modified version of the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire.  They were found to send an average of 33.5 text messages or emails after bedtime (10 minutes to four hours after they went to bed).  The average participant would wake up once a night because of an incoming text messages.  Those who could not fall asleep right away ended up using the Internet during this period.

The researchers observed that using these technologies late at night worsened insomnia, which increases the rate of cognitive or mood problems the following morning.  Those who were kept awake by text messaging also experienced more learning difficulties, depression, and anxiety. These findings are particularly worrisome for those with ADHD, who already have enough difficulties paying attention and functioning well in school without being kept awake all night.

This study is certainly not the first to point out the effects of sleep problems on ADHD. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, school-age children need to sleep at least 10 to 11 hours each night.  Those who do not get enough sleep experience difficulties concentrating, mood problems, and slower reaction times the following day.  Poor sleep also increases the risk for childhood obesity, as the hormones that regulate the metabolism are released according to the body’s sleep-wake cycle.  Disrupting this cycle affects these hormone levels and throws them out of whack.

What this research does show is that technology has a more significant impact on our children’s sleep habits than we think.   Here are some ways you can prevent technology keeping your child up at night:

• Keep all computers, laptops, and television monitors outside your child’s bedroom.
• Shut off the Internet connection before bedtime so your child won’t try to go online in the middle of the night.
• Remind your child to keep his or her mobile phone on silent mode before going to bed. If possible, encourage your child to keep the phone shut.

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Just as there is more than one way to skin the proverbial cat, there are many ways to test for ADHD.  The UnRitalin Solution’s ADHD test protocol is designed to uncover the causes of the disorder, and the first step we take is to confirm that the child indeed has ADHD. ADHD cannot be diagnosed based on the symptoms alone because they resemble normal childhood behaviors or symptoms of other disorders.  In addition, doctors need input from parents, teachers, and relatives, who each have subjective interpretations on the severity of the child’s symptoms.

Recently, a company called BioBehavioral Diagnostics was able to design, test, and release an ADHD diagnostic system called the Quotient ADHD System.  This non-invasive device is the first FDA-approved diagnostic test for ADHD, and it claims to objectively measure the three symptoms of ADHD using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and motion sensors.

The Quotient ADHD System simplifies the ADHD diagnostic for children and adults – it takes only 15 minutes for children under 13, and 20 minutes for teenagers and adults.  Before the test begins, a small reflector will be placed on the forehead and/or legs so the device can plot the pattern of movement. The child will then be asked to sit in front of the computer screen and respond to the geometric shapes that appear. While the child takes the test, the system collects data on his or her ability to inhibit impulses, sit still, and respond accurately to the images.  Minutes after the test is done, the computer releases a report analyzing the attention, shifts in attention, and motion of the child.  These patterns are then uploaded online and compared to a large database of over 2,000 children.  The doctor will receive a copy of the report and interpret it for you.  Of course, any results from the Quotient ADHD System should always be contextualized and used with other assessment tools to guide a child’s treatment plan.

The Quotient ADHD System should only be administered by trained health care professionals in a clinical setting. The BioBehavioral Diagnostics website has a search tool of practitioners who have the Quotient ADHD System, as well as more information about the tests and published case studies.

Screen cap from CBS Health Watch

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?

The study involved the participation of 366 children who were diagnosed with ADHD.  The researchers analyzed their genomes and compared these to 1,000 control samples to search for any variations in their genetic makeup. It was observed that the children with ADHD had rare copy number variants (CNVs) – duplicate or missing DNA sequences that are identified by comparing genomes. CNVs are quite common in brains with neurological disorders. Additionally, it was found that the CNVs found in children with ADHD were also found to increase the risk for autism and schizophrenia. Traditional medicine has always thought that these three disorders were entirely separate, but these new findings are making scientists open to the idea that these disorders may share the same biological root.

The press release by Wellcome Trust, which partially funded the research, declared that these findings are “the first direct evidence that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a genetic condition.” Although the media received the study’s results with great enthusiasm, not everyone in the scientific community agreed with the conclusion that ADHD is indeed a “genetic condition.” For instance, child psychologist Oliver James criticized the hype and said that “only 57 of the 366 children with ADHD in the study had the genetic variant supposed to be a cause of the illness. What the study actually shows is that one in ten children with ADHD may have some genetic cause to that ADHD. ”  Looking at it this way, the study actually disproves any genetic link to ADHD because 9 out of 10 children do not have the gene variation that supposedly causes it.

Another common misunderstanding is that the study found the genetic cause of ADHD.  What the research team actually revealed are genetic variations that increase the risk of ADHD. There’s a crucial difference between the two. Professor Lindsey Kent from the University of Andrews uses cigarette smoking as an analogy – smoking increases the risk of heart disease, but not all smokers experience a heart attack, and plenty of non-smokers will have heart disease.

So what exactly causes ADHD? Is it genes, or the environment? My answer to this debate is that ADHD is caused by both. Genes are like a loaded gun – it increases the likelihood of ADHD, but it does not cause the disorder until something pulls the trigger.  What triggers the gun are the environmental causes of ADHD, which include poor nutrition, traumatic birth conditions, or exposure to toxins.  To reduce ADHD to merely genetics is just as unhelpful as blaming the disorder on poor parenting.  ADHD is much too complex to attribute to a single cause.

For this reason, the UnRitalin Solution implements a comprehensive testing protocol every time we evaluate a child for ADHD.  Since triggers of ADHD vary from child to child, unraveling the root causes of the disorder gives us the best hope of finding a treatment that works.

It’s a little-known fact that the underlying cause of ADHD may be due to a functional disconnection syndrome, a condition where the two hemispheres of the brain experience a breakdown in communication. This breakdown is often due to a developmental delay or weakness in one of the hemispheres. A brain with an underdeveloped hemisphere cannot function properly, causing symptoms like poor impulse control, oppositional behavior, and lack of focus.

While there is no fast and easy way to determine if a child has ADHD, researchers just developed a brain scan that can detect a functional disconnection syndrome in just five minutes. This brain scan uses an imaging technology called functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI), which measures the number of connections between the two brain hemispheres.  As opposed to traditional MRI scans, which only show brain activity, an fcMRI scan shows how the two hemispheres communicate with each other. Will this become a standard practice for ADHD testing?

The new brain scan was tested by Nico Dosenbach from the St. Louis Children’s Hospital.  238 normally-developing volunteers between the ages 7 to 30 were given fcMRI scan, which was able to measure over 12,500 connections in just five minutes.  Previous studies suggest that a child’s developing brain has short-range connections that eventually grow into long-range connections over time.  By comparing the 238 scans, researchers of this study noted that a mature brain has fewer short-range connections and has more long-range connections instead.

Dosenbach and his research team suggest that this quick brain scan could eventually be used to test ADHD or identify other problems with brain development.  In addition, fcMRI images can also determine if a particular treatment is working or not.  For instance, if a 7-year old child has a frontal lobe that resembles that of a 5-year old, a doctor can recommend therapies that will boost this region of the brain.

However, it’s best not to get too excited about this new five-minute ADHD test. fcMRI scans need to be tested and studied further to see if they can add any useful information to an ADHD evaluation. Furthermore, parents might be misled into thinking that such brain scans are a quick and convenient way to confirm the presence of ADHD in their children.  At the UnRitalin Solution, we are not just interested in identifying and labeling ADHD; we are dedicated to finding out the possible causes of the disorder so we can treat it from the root. While new developments in brain imaging technology like the fcMRI might prove to be a useful addition to our multi-step testing protocol, proper ADHD testing should go beyond mere detection and delve into the how’s and why’s of the disorder.

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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.

Pesticides

Organophosphates are a type of pesticide that kills insects by disrupting their brains and nervous systems.  Unfortunately, these chemicals product a toxic effect on the nervous systems of humans and animals by inhibiting a key enzyme called cholinesterase.  Even at low doses, children are vulnerable to the effects of organophosphates, as indicated by two studies.

The scientific journal Pediatrics recently discovered that there is a significant relationship between pesticide exposure and ADHD symptoms.  The researchers looked at the pesticide levels in urine samples of 1,139 children.  After interviews with the parents or caretaker, they determined that one in 10 children met the criteria for an ADHD diagnosis. After accounting for various factors, researchers determined that the likelihood of having ADHD increased with the pesticide levels in urine.  It was likely that they were exposed to these chemicals from eating unwashed fruit and vegetables.

Did you know that babies in the womb aren’t safe from the effects of organophosphates either? A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives tested pregnant women for organophosphate levels in their urine, and observed their children as they grew. The authors observed that women with higher amounts of pesticides while pregnant had children who were more likely to have ADHD symptoms by the time they were five years old.

Avoid pesticide exposure by washing all fruits and vegetables before eating. Better yet, buy organic produce when possible.  

Flame retardant

The study mentioned above also discovered that a common pesticide ingredient called polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB),which was formerly used as a flame retardant, was also present in the urine of the women with ADHD children. Even though PCBs have been banned by the US government, it continues to persist in the soul and water.  A newer version of the chemical called polybrominated biphenyl is also used as a flame-retardant on carpets; experts believe they may have the same neurotoxic effect.

PCFs

Polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PCFs) are highly-stable compounds found in many everyday products like fire-fighting foams and food packaging. A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and compared blood samples taken from 571 children, 48 of which were diagnosed with ADHD.  Based on the data, researchers concluded that children with higher PFC levels had increased odds of having ADHD.  Unfortunately, it is difficult to avoid PCFs in today’s world, but you can do a few things to minimize your child’s exposure to these chemicals.

• Avoid buying greasy fast food products like pizza or microwave popcorn.  They are usually packaged in coated cardboard, which have been treated with PCFs.
• Use stainless steel pans instead of non-stick pans; the latter is treated with PCFs. If you must use non-stick pans, keep the temperature well below 450º F to prevent the chemical from leaching.
• Don’t opt for the stain-resistance treatment when you buy furniture.  

Phthalates

Modern life wouldn’t be as convenient without plastic, but many plastic products (toys, food containers, cleaning materials) contain a chemical called phthalates. Research has linked phthalate exposure to a number of health problems, including birth defects, reproductive problems, and asthma, and now a Korean study discovered that phthalate exposure may be linked to ADHD.  They measured urine phthalate levels and evaluated children for ADHD using tests that measure impulsivity and attention. There was a significant association between ADHD symptoms and phthalate levels, which means ADHD symptoms or test scores got worse as phthalate levels increased.

The good news is that you don’t have to get rid of all your plastic products to avoid phthalates; all you need to do is avoid products and ingredients that do contain this chemical.

• Avoid products with DBP, DEP, DEHP, BzBP, and DMP – the chemical name of phthalates in personal care products like shampoo, perfume, hair gel, deodorant, or lotion.
• Buy fragrance-free products. “Fragrance” denotes more than just a pleasant smell; it’s a cocktail of compounds that may possibly contain phthalates and other harmful substances.
• Choose plastic with the recycling codes 1,2, or 5; they are less likely to contain phthalates.

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Most pediatricians and psychiatrists diagnose ADHD based on a series of criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).  According to the DSM-IV, there are three types of ADHD: inattentive type, hyperactive-impulsive type, and combined type.  But did you know that there are more than three types of ADHD?

Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen has handled hundreds of children and adults with ADHD and developed a special brain imaging technique called the SPECT test to help him find the cause of the condition.  His work on SPECT imaging made him realize the full complexity of the disorder.  Over the years, he noticed that there are six distinct SPECT patterns in his ADHD patients, and that each requires a specialized treatment. Based on these observations, Dr. Amen came up with the six types of ADHD.

Type 1: Classic ADHD

Classic ADHD describes the hyperactive-impulsive type with a little inattention.  This is usually treated with omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids like L-tyrosine, and multiple vitamins.

Type 2: Inattentive ADHD

Inattentive ADHD is similar to the DSM-IV’s Inattentive Type – low energy, low motivation, always daydreaming, etc.  This type is common in girls and is often diagnosed later in life.  Like Classic ADHD, Inattentive ADHD can be treated with omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins.

Type 3: Overfocused ADHD

A child with Overfocused ADHD experiences typical ADHD symptoms as well as oppositional behavior, argumentative tendency, cognitive inflexibility, a need for sameness, or negative behavior. This type of ADHD is common in families with obsessive-compulsive tendencies or addiction problems.  This can be treated with the amino acid L-tryptophan, St. John’s Wort, omega-3 fish oils, and vitamins.

Type 4: Temporal Lobe ADHD

A child with Temporal Lobe ADHD experiences typical ADHD symptoms as well as headaches, periods of anxiety, a short fuse, memory problems, dark thoughts, and difficulties learning to read.  This type is common in families with a history of mood disorders and learning disorders. Treatment includes GABA for irritability, vitamins, and omega-3 fish oils. Sometimes, anti-seizure medication is given.

Type 5: Limbic ADHD

A child with Limbic ADHD experiences typical ADHD symptoms and low self-esteem, mild depression, poor social skills, irritability, insomnia, and poor appetite. Treatment includes omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, St. John’s Wort, and vitamins.

Type 6: Ring of Fire ADHD

A child with Ring of Fire ADHD experiences typical ADHD symptoms as well as angry outbursts, extreme mood swings, excessive talking, fast thoughts, inflexibility, and sensitivity to light and sound.  This ADHD type was called “Ring of Fire” because of the ring of overactivity seen in brain scans of affected children.  Treatment includes vitamins, omega-3 fats, and amino acids.

While these six ADHD categories make it easier to identify appropriate treatments, try not to get too focused on what type of ADHD your child has. At the very core of it all, ADHD and its co-morbid disorders are caused by the same underlying problem – a functional disconnection syndrome. This means that the regions of the brain aren’t communicating with each other as well as they should. What’s important is finding the type of treatments that will best rehabilitate your child’s brain and address his or her unique constellation of symptoms.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Dr. Amen’s work, you can visit his website at amenclinics.com.

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It’s quite shocking to see how eating the wrong food has such a profound effect on a child’s personality, outlook, and behavior. It’s just as amazing to know that getting rid of the allergenic substance was enough to turn a screaming, flailing child into a calm, peaceful one.

There are two ways to find out if your child’s ADHD symptoms are caused by allergies. The first is through a specialized allergy testing, which is only available among alternative medical practitioners. However, these tests have a serious limitation – although they can confirm any brain-based allergic reactions, they cannot identify exactly what food or substance your child is allergic to. The best way to go about doing this is to go on the allergy diet proposed by Dr. Rapp, also known as the rotation diet. It might be difficult to get used to the rhythm of a rotation diet at first, but you can stop it as soon as you have identified the food your child is allergic to. Start by rotating wheat products and dairy products as these contain gluten and casein, two proteins that are notorious for their impact on behavior and brain activity.

If your child is anything like the children you’ve seen in the video, and if nothing you have done made a difference in your child’s behavior, try to pick up a copy of Dr. Rapp’s book “Is This Your Child?”. This 600-page book is one of the comprehensive resources on allergies, ADHD, and other realistic solutions that will get rid of your child’s problematic behavior.

Have you ever tried touching a baby’s hand? Try doing so the next time you encounter a baby, and you’ll notice that he or she will automatically grip your finger in response. This endearing behavior is actually one of the baby’s many neonatal or reflexes – a primitive set of automatic reactions to specific stimuli. Babies’ neonatal reflexes are located in the most primitive part of the brain, the brainstem, and have evolved to protect them from harm and to aid in their neurological development. As the baby grows up, the reflexes in the brain stem comes under the control of regions like the cerebral cortex, which are responsible for more evolved thinking.

Sometimes, the integration between primitive reflexes and higher thinking does not happen correctly, meaning the baby carries the primitive reflexes onto childhood. This occurrence is referred to as retained primitive reflexes. Its causes are unknown, but experts in this field suggest that it might be due to physical, hormonal, or chemical trauma in the womb. Caesarean birth or a traumatic birth (i.e. the use of foreceps) can also contribute to a retrained primitive reflex.

What happens to a child who kept his or her primitive reflexes? The symptoms depend on which specific primitive reflex failed to integrate with the rest of the central nervous system. You’ll notice that many of these problems are among the diagnostic symptoms of ADHD.

• A retained Moro reflex results in the inability to control emotions. The child might be aggressive, insensitive, but also loving and compassionate. This may also cause a hypersensitivity to touch, light, and textures.
• A retained Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex can lead to inattention, the inability to complete writing tasks, and difficulty walking.
• A retained Fear Paralysis Reflex causes fear and anxiety about new environments and situations, making the child withdraw from other children and strangers.
• A retained Spinal Galant Reflex causes hyperactivity, difficulty staying in one place, inattention, and bedwetting.
• A retained Tonic Labyrinthe Reflex leads to a child who has disturbed balance, problems with hearing, difficulties learning to walk and judge distances
• A retained Infant Planter Reflex causes curled toes, which results in issues with balance and walking. Common symptoms are ingrown toenails, shin soreness, and twisted angles.
• Retained Sucking and Rooting Reflexes result in problems with speech, eating, and chewing.

The relationship between retained primitive reflexes and ADHD has not been fully examined until an Australian study recruited 109 boys, 54 of which were diagnosed with ADHD. The boys’ parents were asked to fill the Conners’ Parent Rating Scale to confirm the ADHD symptoms, whereas the boys were asked to do certain reflex tests to check for any retained reflexes. Those without ADHD were found to have fewer symptoms of retained reflexes than the ADHD group, who had higher levels of Moro Reflexes, Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflexes, and Tonic Labyrinthe Reflexes. Although these findings are only preliminary, it shows some support to the relationship between retained primitive reflexes and ADHD symptoms. Retained primitive reflexes can be treated and reintegrated through chiropractic adjustments.