 |
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
October 5th, 2011
07:37 AM ET
Calming your child's ADHD symptomsDr. Claudia M. Gold is a pediatrician and author of "Keeping Your Child in Mind: Overcoming Defiance, Tantrums and Other Everyday Behavior Problems by Seeing the World Through Your Child's Eyes."
My approach to the diagnosis of ADHD, up a startling 29% according to a recent CDC report, has grown out of over 20 years practicing general and behavioral pediatrics, while simultaneously studying contemporary developmental science at the interface of genetics, psychology and neuroscience. I have come to recognize the essential role of understanding the meaning of behavior, rather than responding simply to the behavior itself, in promoting healthy emotional development. 
September 2nd, 2011
06:15 PM ET
Spotting autism's unique shape in the brainDiagnosing autism is not easy. Doctors currently diagnose autism in children by observing behavior. But researchers at Standford University believe they have developed a way to use brains scans that may help identify autism in children in the future. Using MRI scans, researchers were able to determine that autistic brains have a unique shape when compared to typically developing brains. They found that there are significant differences in areas of the brain called the Default Mode Network, a set of brain structures associated with social communication and self-awareness. A study published Friday in Biological Psychiatry finds that the greater the difference in brain structure, the more severe the case of autism. 
August 19th, 2011
12:06 PM ET
ADHD diagnoses on the rise, CDC saysMore and more children are getting a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage of children with the condition rose from 7% in 1998-2000 to 9% in 2007-2009, for both boys and girls. In some areas of the United States those figures are even higher. From 1998 to 2009, ADHD prevalence increased 10% in the Midwest and South. 
July 25th, 2011
12:01 AM ET
ADHD kids face greater pedestrian risksTeaching your child to safely cross the street is hard enough, but when your child has ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, you may need to worry more about his or her safety. A new study finds children with ADHD are at greater risk when crossing the street. Experts suggest these children have more problems remembering visual tasks and managing their time as they do them. Accidents are the leading cause of death in children and those with ADHD are much more likely than their peers to be involved. Crossing the street is no exception so researchers decided to create a virtual reality simulation of an intersection and asked children ages 7 – 10 to cross the street.
June 21st, 2011
10:23 AM ET
Can depression cause inability to focus?Every weekday, a CNNHealth expert doctor answers a viewer question. On Tuesdays, it's Dr. Charles Raison, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University, and an expert in the mind-body connection for health. Asked by Rachel from Southern California I am a college student, recently diagnosed with depression, and am taking steps to figure out if I have ADHD because of a tremendous inability to focus and retain information. It is almost like, when I'm trying to focus on something someone says, it slips right through me like water. I am curious to know what prospects I have of gaining my cognitive abilities back if I start taking Lexapro or other antidepressants. If these are going to impair my ability to concentrate and focus even more, then I am not sure how to weigh the cost-benefits of taking them, because I am in school. In short, are antidepressants more helpful or hurtful to my cognitive functions? Can I look forward to reversing the concentration and memory retention problems I am currently undergoing? 
February 14th, 2011
05:37 PM ET
ADHD brains may have 'faulty brakes'Much news about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder has focused on learning and attention, but here's another important part of this condition: Impairment in motor function. Two new studies in the journal Neurology explore how brain functions relating to motor control may explain certain ADHD symptoms. They support previous research showing that kids with ADHD have motor control problems and offer new potential targets for treatment in the brain's inhibitory systems. “If we can understand the systems that are involved, because there’s probably not just one, then we can identify groups of kids that have these symptoms, quantitatively and reliably, and use that information to understand who’s at the highest risk of a bad adult outcome,” said Dr. Donald Gilbert, study co-author and director of the Movement Disorder Clinic and Tourette's Syndrome Clinic at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
February 14th, 2011
12:01 AM ET
Pediatricians, parents warned on energy drink dangersThey claim to give you that extra boost, but recent studies have shown that energy drinks containing large amounts of caffeine and other stimulants, can actually cause major health problems in children, teens and young adults. In fact, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, of the 5,448 U.S. caffeine overdoses reported in 2007, 46% occurred in those younger than 19 years. Now a new report in the journal of Pediatrics warns parents, and doctors that these drinks could be especially dangerous to children with ADHD, diabetes, sleep issues and eating disorders. Doctors from the University of Miami School of Medicine say that although caffeine can improve attention spans, it also increases blood pressure and disrupts sleep patterns in young people. And scientists have found the attention span of kids who consumed these drinks on a daily basis eventually decreased. So did their heart rates over the long run, while their blood pressure numbers increased, which could put unnecessary pressure on the heart. Researchers note that could be dangerous for children who are on other medications 
February 3rd, 2011
06:30 PM ET
Does ADHD come from foods?It's still a mystery, and parents and scientists alike are looking for answers about why some 5 million children in the United States have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a condition marked by impulsive behavior and a lack of focus. There have been genetic links shown, and plenty of accusations of misdiagnosis, but now the attention turns to a different explanation: Diet. A team of scientists from the Netherlands set out to demonstrate in a study, published in the Lancet, that there could be a connection between what children eat and their ADHD-like behaviors. They go as far as to say that the standard of care for ADHD should include a restricted diet. But the researchers did not pinpoint any specific foods that appear to induce ADHD symptoms, and their ideas must be explored further in other studies before being considered definitive, experts say. 
January 4th, 2011
11:25 AM ET
Get Some Sleep: ADHD, sleep disorders often entwinedThe young mother looked tired and sad, and when she started to speak, her voice quivered with frustration: “I don’t know what we’re doing here. Jimmy sleeps fine. It’s the other 14 hours of the day that’s the problem.” The reason she was there in my sleep center was because her 6-year-old son, Jimmy, was being evaluated for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Her astute pediatrician was up on the latest research that shows an association between sleep disorders in school-age children and behavior disorders such as ADHD. The sleep disorder that has been studied the most in this regard is obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. FULL POST
December 28th, 2010
09:56 AM ET
On antidepressants, why the jaw pain?Every weekday, a CNNHealth expert doctor answers a viewer question. On Tuesdays, it's Dr. Charles Raison, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University, and an expert in the mind-body connection for health. Question asked by Janet A. of Albuquerque, New Mexico: I have been on antidepressants for many years and have taken almost every kind of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. One side effect I developed is temporomandibular joint disease symptoms and tinnitus. I also recently have been diagnosed with attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder. All of these medications aggravate my TMJ. The only medication that has helped me in the past is Valium. I am now taking clonazepam with less effectiveness. How common are TMJ symptoms and tinnitus with both of these medications? Any suggestions on how can I get relief for my jaw pain and ringing in my ears? |
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
 |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertise with us | About us | Help | Advertising Practices
Five-year-old Max came to see me in my pediatrics practice because his kindergarten teachers were convinced that he had ADHD. They knew little about his life, yet they were pressuring his mother, Alice, to come to me in the hopes that I would prescribe medication, because his behavior in class was increasingly disruptive. Alice came to the first visit armed with the standard forms, indicating that he had scored in the high range for ADHD.
