Study Links Use of Acetaminophen in Pregnancy With Child Behavioral Issues

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• January 18, 2024
• Full Page

Expecting moms who often turn to acetaminophen for their aches and pains are more likely to wind up with kids who have behavioral issues, a new study warns.

Children between the ages of 2 and 4 were more likely to have attention and behavioral problems if their mothers f...

Pandemic-Era Demand for ADHD Meds is Fueling Shortages Today

• Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
• January 11, 2024
• Full Page

A spike in the use of ADHD medications during the pandemic likely prompted drug shortages that continue to frustrate patients and doctors today, a new study shows.

New prescriptions for stimulants that treat the condition jumped for young adults and women in particular a...

Holidays Can Be Tough on Kids With ADHD, Anxiety: Some Tips for Parents

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 21, 2023
• Full Page

Kids with emotional problems or ADHD can find the holidays a very challenging time, as all the routines that provide a sense of order are jumbled in a whirl of activities.

The kids are home from school and restless, their parents are hauling them along to Christmas shopp...

Youngest Kids With ADHD in Class No Less Likely to See Diagnosis Fade

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• October 31, 2023
• Full Page

Experts have long wondered whether diagnoses for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the youngest children in a class would hold.

A new study suggests that being the youngest, and possibly most immature, did not appear to make a difference.

"We know ...

Lots of Screen Time Could Be Early Sign of ADHD, Autism

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• October 30, 2023
• Full Page

Kids with a genetic risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are likely to spend hours a day glued to their screens, but researchers say it doesn't mean screen time causes ASD.

The investigators also found that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)...

Adults With ADHD May Face Higher Dementia Risk

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• October 17, 2023
• Full Page

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are nearly three times more likely to develop dementia than other adults, a new study suggests.

The results also indicate that treatment with ADHD medication may help reduce their dementia risk. No clear uptick ...

Narcolepsy Drug Might Be New Treatment Option for ADHD

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• October 11, 2023
• Full Page

A medication already approved for excessive daytime sleepiness may help ease attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in adults who aren't getting relief from available treatments, according to a small pilot study.

Solriamfetol is a nonstimulant drug...

Seniors With ADHD Face Higher Car Crash Risk

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• October 4, 2023
• Full Page

While studies of ADHD and driving usually target teens, a new one focused on seniors found they have a significantly higher risk of car crashes.

Older adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were also more likely to slam on the brakes and get traffic ...

ADHD Drug Errors Among Kids Have Quadrupled in 20 Years

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• September 18, 2023
• Full Page

Over 3 million American children now take medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but new research shows medication errors have spiked nearly 300% in the past two decades for these kids.

The increase in ADHD medication errors parallels the increas...

ADHD: What Parents Need to Know

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• September 4, 2023
• Full Page

Lots of children and adolescents have the condition known as ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

What should parents know? A number of treatments exist to help with functioning, including medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

'Brain Zap' Therapy Shows Promise in Quieting Childhood ADHD Without Meds

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• August 7, 2023
• Full Page

A new brain-zapping technology may help ease the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children without some of the side effects stimulant medications can cause, a small, preliminary study suggests.

Marked by trouble concentrating, sitting still ...

Amid Shortages, Federal Agencies Ask Drugmakers to Boost Output of ADHD Meds

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• August 2, 2023
• Full Page

While demand for prescription stimulants is surging, a shortage of the drugs persists, so federal officials have stepped in and asked drug companies to ramp up production of the medications.

Officials from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Drug Enfo...

ADHD Drugs Won't Raise Risk for Illicit Drug Use Later

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• July 12, 2023
• Full Page

Teens who use stimulant medication like Ritalin to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not have an increased risk of illicit drug use later, a new study finds.

This study looked specifically at cocaine and methamphetamine use. High school seniors wh...

Taking ADHD Meds Won't Raise a Kid's Odds for Drug Abuse Later: Study

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• July 6, 2023
• Full Page

Stimulant medications like Ritalin are commonly prescribed to help treat the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but there have been concerns the drugs may lay the groundwork for later substance abuse.

New research may now set those worries at ease.

For Folks Without the Condition, Taking ADHD Meds to Get 'Smarter' Could Backfire

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• June 14, 2023
• Full Page

So-called "smart drugs"meant to enhance brain performance are more likely to leave users ineffectually spinning in place, a new study has found.

These stimulants, typically used to treat ADHD, increased study participants' motivation in solving problems.

But the su...

Kids With ADHD, Behavior Issues Have Poorer Trajectories as Adults

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• June 6, 2023
• Full Page

Kids with poor impulse control -- a common characteristic of ADHD -- may be at higher risk for health, social and criminal problems as adults, a new study indicates.

Researchers found that having attention and behavior problems in childhood was linked to less money, low...

Signs Your Toddler Might Have ADHD

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• May 19, 2023
• Full Page

Spotting ADHD early can ensure children with the condition get the help they need sooner rather than later.

But how can parents know if the behavior they're seeing in their child is a sign of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or merely the mercurial mood and behav...

In Some U.S. Schools, 1 in 4 Kids Said They've Misused an ADHD Drug

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• April 19, 2023
• Full Page

U.S. schools that have a lot of students with prescriptions for ADHD medication also tend to have a lot of students who misuse the drugs, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among nearly 3,300 U.S. middle schools and high schools, some had a serious problem with...

ADHD Med Prescriptions Spiked Early in Pandemic

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• March 31, 2023
• Full Page

Prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new government report shows.

The trend may reflect both greater awareness among adults of ADHD symptoms and increased stress driving people to get the car...

COVID in Pregnancy Might Raise Odds for Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Sons: Study

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• March 27, 2023
• Full Page

Boys born to women who had COVID-19 during pregnancy may be at risk for developmental delays, a new study suggests.

Delays in speech and motor function were the most commonly diagnosed conditions in these children at 12 months. They were seen in boys but not in girls, th...

No Sign That ADHD Meds in Pregnancy Can Raise Odds for ADHD, Autism in Kids

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• February 14, 2023
• Full Page

Children who were exposed to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications their moms took during pregnancy are not more prone to neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD or autism, researchers report.

The news may be welcome to women who've needed to take...

ADHD Tied to Higher Rates of Anxiety, Depression

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• January 19, 2023
• Full Page

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be an even bigger predictor of depression and anxiety in adulthood than autism is, a new study finds -- highlighting the mental health side of the disorder.

It's known that kids and adults with ADHD often have co-existi...

Youngest Kids in Class More Likely to Get Prescribed ADHD Meds

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• December 16, 2022
• Full Page

Kids who are the youngest in their grade may be overmedicated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a Norwegian researcher who studied prescribing data.

Those who were also born preterm were at particular risk of being overmedicated, said

What's Driving the Ongoing Adderall Shortage -- and What Parents Can Do

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 13, 2022
• Full Page

Shortages of the ADHD drug Adderall are expected to continue for months, forcing families to scramble for ways to deal with their children's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The shortage has caused headaches and hassles for parents like San Diego mom Jack...

California's Flavored Tobacco Ban Won't Be Blocked by Supreme Court

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• December 13, 2022
• Full Page

An attempt to block California's flavored tobacco ban was stopped Monday when the Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

That now means the ban will go into effect on Dec. ...

'Virtual' Driver Program Could Make Driving Safer for Teens With ADHD

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• December 1, 2022
• Full Page

A simulator may make driving safer for teens with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by training them to take shorter glances away from the roadway.

Focused Concentration and Attention Learning (FOCAL) is a computer-based program that teaches teens to keep their ey...