It is easy to get stuck into territorial disputes, and one of the most common ones I hear in relation to child mental health is the question of whether a child with a trauma history should be thought of as having “real” ADHD or whether it is better to conceptualize the difficulties as being more […]
Tags: adhd, adverse child events, ptsd, trauma
Atomoxetine was FDA approved for ADHD in 2002 and touted as a true alternative to stimulants. While it remains popular today, many clinicians report less than stellar results in treating the core symptoms of ADHD. This recent review and meta-analysis by Schwartz and Correll examines all randomized controlled studies of atomoxetine versus placebo. While meta-analyses […]
Tags: adhd, atomoxetine, strattera
One of the holy grails in mental health assessment is the search for some kind of objective test that can accurately diagnose psychiatric disorders. While the literature is full of genetic, imaging, neuropsychological, and other factors that show statistically significant links with many psychiatric conditions, none has proven robust enough for clinical use. However, the […]
The Wall Street Journal recently published an article casting doubt about the ability of ADHD medications to improve school grades and achievement. Actually, casting doubt might be a little soft as the title was “ADHD Drugs Don’t Boost Grades.” In the article, the author runs through a number of studies (some not published) that find […]
Tags: add, adhd, grades, school performance
by John Koutas, MD The beneficial short-term effects of ADHD medication on symptoms of ADHD and associated problems have been demonstrated in numerous studies. Although ADHD symptoms often persist from childhood into adulthood, discontinuation of ADHD medication is common, especially in adolescence and early adulthood. In the present study, the authors used Swedish population-based data […]
Tags: adhd, criminal acts, criminality
Beginning in January, physicians will have the new option of a liquid long-acting methylphenidate treatment that requires only once-daily dosing. The medication, made by NextWave Pharmaceuticals (which will be sold to Pfizer), is called Quillivant XR and will be available at a 25mg/5ml (5mg/ml) concentration. The recommended starting dose for children 6 years old and […]
Tags: adhd, liquid methylphenidate, Quillivant
A proxy for the level of exposure to prenatal androgens is the length of the second finger digit relative to the length of the forth finger (although not all studies support this link). Lower ratios are generally associated with more male typical behaviors. A new study published in the journal Development and Psychopathology examines a […]
Tags: adhd, aggression, finger length, ODD, testoserone
A new study in the Archives of General Psychiatry reports on the increasing use of antipsychotic medications in youth. The study analyzed nearly half a million medical visits over a 17 year span (1993 through 2009). Results showed that the number of medical visits that included an antipsychotic medication per 100 persons rose in children […]
Tags: adhd, antipsychotic, medications
With school ending and summer vacation starting, many parents of children with ADHD wonder whether or not it makes sense to do a “drug holiday” until school resumes in the Fall. The Child Mind Institute recently provided some commentary on this issue for both parents and clinicians. The bottom line answer, as it is for […]
Tags: adhd, Drug holiday
Several recent studies have reported continued increases in the rates of both ADHD and autistic spectrum disorders. For Autism, a new study from the CDC found an overall rate of 1 in 88 children (1 in 54 boys and 1 in 252 girls). This rate is much higher than the 1 in 155 reported in […]
Tags: adhd, autism, increasing rate of autism, rising rates of autism
