Early Risk Factors Between Boys and Girls

Posted by on December 11th, 2013 | No Comments

New study squashes previous findings
To read more: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_143061.html

 

If you’ve worried that your pregnancy may have caused ADHD in your child, take a breath of relief. A new study of nearly 13,000 ADHD children finds that low-birth weight, fetal distress, and post-term pregnancy are not factors for ADHD.

And although boys are often diagnosed 2 to 1 over girls (often greater), the researchers say that the risk factors were similar between boys and girls.

Published in December’s online issue of Pediatrics, the study finds that ADHD is very heritable; it is often passed genetically.

Oddly, the researchers did find a correlation to to ADHD when a mother had a urinary tract infection during pregnancy. Other correlations were found if the mother was younger, single, or smoked during pregnancy.

ADHD was more prevalent in mothers who had induced labor. This correlation lacked explanation.

ADHD and Smoking Later in Life

Posted by on April 10th, 2013 | No Comments
Is there a connection?
Full article reported: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/10/30/gene-may-be-tied-to-both-smoking-and-adhd-study-suggests

New research published online in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood (Oct. 29, 2012) says that childhood ADHD may increase the likelihood of smoking later in life.

The researchers examined blood samples from 450 ADHD children aged 6 to 12 years, their siblings, and parents. The samples were tested for genetic variations strongly associated with smoking attributes. These included:

1. The number of cigarettes smoked every day.
2. Starting smoking.
3. Quitting smoking.
4. Times of smoking.

The researchers also asked the mothers about their smoking habits during pregnancy. The data indicated that ADHD people are more likely to start smoking early and to smoke twice as much as those without ADHD.

This research is similar to research indicating a relationship between ADHD and drug use in later life.

Although the study found an association between the genetic variant and ADHD and smoking behaviors, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship so further research is necessary.

However, even without a cause-effect relationship, the data need to be heeded. Start early prevention.

Call Play Attention. 800.788.6786.

Photo: ADHD and Smoking Later in Life<br /> Is there a connection?</p> <p>New research published online in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood (Oct. 29) says that childhood ADHD may increase the likelihood of smoking later in life.</p> <p>The researchers examined blood samples from 450 ADHD children aged 6 to 12 years, their siblings, and parents. The samples were tested for genetic variations strongly associated with smoking attributes. These included:</p> <p>1. The number of cigarettes smoked every day.<br /> 2. Starting smoking.<br /> 3. Quitting smoking.<br /> 4. Times of smoking.</p> <p>The researchers also asked the mothers about their smoking habits during pregnancy. The data indicated that ADHD people are more likely to start smoking early and to smoke twice as much as those without ADHD. </p> <p>This research is similar to research indicating a relationship between ADHD and drug use in later life. </p> <p>Although the study found an association between the genetic variant and ADHD and smoking behaviors, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship so further research is necessary. </p> <p>However, even without a cause-effect relationship, the data need to be heeded. Start early prevention. </p> <p>Call Play Attention. 800.788.6786.

ADHD and dropout rates

Posted by on August 2nd, 2010 | Comments off

The July issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Research reports a study by the University of California, Davis. The researchers examined whether ADHD could be predictive of failure to graduate high school on time.

When the UC Davis scientists reviewed different types of ADHD, they found all of the types of ADHD are associated with a high dropout rate.

"The study found almost a third (33%) of students with ADHD, don’t graduate with their peers. That’s high compared with the national high school drop out rate of 15 percent. High school dropout rate really is a national crisis. We know that a third of kids nationally who start in ninth grade don’t graduate in four years," says  lead study author Dr. Joshua Breslau.

The researchers conducted structured diagnostic interviews with a US national sample of adults (18 and over). The interview process also correlated smoking and smokeless tobacco use. According to the National Institute of Health, nearly a 25% of high school students in the U.S. smoke cigarettes and another 8% use smokeless tobacco. The study found that students who use alcohol, smoke cigarettes and use other drugs are more at risk to drop out.

"There are really two main disorders, ADHD and conduct disorder, and there is an interlinking of smoking and drop out that is troubling…it really suggests that socioeconomic differences in health are already becoming established very early in life in adolescents…whether they smoke is probably the biggest indicator of their health in adulthood," said Breslau.

Intuitively, as parents and educators, we know this to be true. We have seen it in other families too. Intuitively we also know that we must do something as education and medicine alone fall far short.

Cognitive training, behavioral shaping, memory skills, and more must be instituted if we are to change the tide.