Functional Brain Pathways Disrupted in Children with ADHD
New research presented at a Radiological Society of North America conference is offering new and important insight into ADHD. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers have identified abnormalities in the brains of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that may serve as a biomarker (indicator) for the disorder. ADHD is one of the most common childhood disorders, affecting an estimated five to eight percent of school-aged children. Symptoms, which may continue into adulthood, include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity behaviors that are out of the normal range for a child's age and development. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there ...
5-year-old with ADHD handcuffed, charged with battery on officer
All too often, I read something in the news that upsets me with all of my hats on - as a psychologist, a mother, and a disability rights advocate - like the item I posted earlier about using vinegar-soaked cotton balls in the mouths of autistic children or my coverage on this blog of the use of aversives and the controversial Judge Rotenberg Center. Other stories that are particularly upsetting to me are those involving the arrest of young children. I've posted some of those incidents in the past on this blog, and in August, I read of another case ...
UK study finds low rate of Bipolar Disorder in ADHD youth
One of the "hot" topics in recent years has been the comorbidity between ADHD and Bipolar Disorder - and how difficult some people find it to be clear about whether a child or adult has one, the other, or both. When it comes to the rate of comorbidity (co-occurrence of the two disorders), results from studies have been all over the place, with one study suggesting that 94% of youth with Bipolar Disorder also have ADHD. Studies demonstrating high comorbidity rates of 80% or higher are not unusual, although there have been some studies - usually from non-U.S. samples - that ...
ADHD doubles the risk of injury in grade-school kids
Back in 1998 when I first wrote an article for parents about ADHD and safety, my blog was one of the only resources on the internet for information on what I saw as a serious but often overlooked aspect of parenting children with ADHD. Since that time, there has been more research on this issue. The following is a news release by Kevin Storr from the University of Alabama that I encourage parents and educators to read: Injury kills more 11-year-olds in the United States than all other causes combined, and a new study from University of Alabama at ...
Research
Are comorbid ADHD and Bipolar Disorder a “double whammy?”Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a challenge. Bipolar Disorder is a challenge. When a child or teen has both, does the likelihood of mania double or worsen? Here’s the abstract...
Participation in Social Activities among Adolescents with an Autism Spectrum DisorderThere’s a new study out this month on socialization in teens with ASD by Paul T. Shattuck, Gael I. Orsmond, Mary Wagner, and Benjamin P. Cooper: Background Little is known about patterns of participation...
Recruiting Participants for Study on the Benefits of Exercise on Childhood Tourette syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder SymptomsA doctoral candidate in psychology sent me her institutional review board approval for this study and asked me to post the recruitment notice: Participants sought for a study exploring the possible benefits...
Training Peers Improves Social Outcomes for Some Kids with ASDChildren with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who attend regular education classes may be more likely to improve their social skills if their typically developing peers are taught how to interact with...
Read More Posts From This CategoryAdvocacy
6th grader says he was forced to mow school lawnToday’s discouraging news comes from Portland Oregon. Anita Kissée reports: A local sixth-grader with special needs was pulled out of class and reportedly forced to mow the school lawn as a punishment. Alice...
5-year-old with ADHD handcuffed, charged with battery on officerAll too often, I read something in the news that upsets me with all of my hats on – as a psychologist, a mother, and a disability rights advocate – like the item I posted earlier about using...
Stop the Abuse! National Autism Association Says Vinegar-Soaked Cotton Balls In Disabled Students’ Mouths Underscores Need For ‘Aversives’ BanThe following press release was issued by the National Autism Association in September. I encourage all parents and legislators to read it: Monday night, in an effort to demonstrate inhumane practices...
Zero Tolerance Policies in Schools: Abject FailureAs a follow-up to a blog entry on zero tolerance policies, I thought I would post the abstracts of some research and commentaries on the effectiveness (or lack thereof, to be more accurate) of such policies: A...
Read More Posts From This CategoryNews
7-Year-Old Accused Of Possible Sexual Harassment For Kicking Boy In GroinCBS in Boston reports: A 7-year-old boy is being investigated by his South Boston elementary school for possible sexual harassment after kicking another boy in the crotch. The first grader’s mother, Tasha Lynch, says she was shocked by the school’s decision. “He’s 7 years old. He doesn’t know anything about sexual harassment,” she said. Lynch’s son, Mark Curran, said the boy that he kicked... [Read more of this news story]
Bizarre outbreak of Tourette syndrome-like symptoms baffles school districtAn upstate New York school district has a medical mystery on their hands: at least six students suddenly erupted in Tourette-like tics and the district doesn’t know why or what has caused it. Geoff Redick reports: Officials in the LeRoy School District are still uncertain what exactly is causing a number of students to display sudden symptoms, similar to Tourette’s Syndrome. Superintendent... [Read more of this news story]
U.S. Department Of Education To Offer Schools Guidance On Restraint, SeclusionMichelle Diament writes on Disability Scoop that the U.S. Department of Education will offering guidance to school districts on restraint seclusion, with the guidance being disseminated before the start of the next school year: The U.S. Department Of Education plans to offer school districts guidance on restraint and seclusion before the next school year begins, officials said Thursday, even as Congressional... [Read more of this news story]
Florida school district places additional restrictions on use of prone restraintJason Schultz and Allison Ross had an article in the Palm Beach Post last month about the use of prone restraint, which is probably one of the most – if not the most – dangerous techniques to use: After months of wrangling and impassioned pleas from parents, the Palm Beach County School Board voted unanimously Wednesday evening to approve an update to a policy governing the use of a controversial... [Read more of this news story]
Read More Posts From This CategoryRecommended Reading
