African American and Hispanic Youth Discontinue ADHD Treatment at Higher Rates than White Youth

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Study examines racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of care for Medicaid-enrolled children starting ADHD medication.

Risperdal for a 2-year-old? Turning the Tide, One Interaction at a Time

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Amidst a reported leveling in medication usage among young children, a disturbing side trend has emerged. Antipsychotic medication use in preschoolers has soared over the past decade, to the upwards tale of a two- to five- fold increase despite lack of FDA approval in almost all of these medications for this age group and little to no information about long-term side effects. In addition, researchers have noted that most antipsychotic medications were being used off-label, and increasingly for the treatment of behavioral issues that many argue are both developmentally inherent and often a product of significant environmental dysfunction.

ADHD, Bigfoot, and the Missing Links in Research

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Like so many others, I have wanted to embrace the idea that research supports such beliefs as “ADHD is a chronic disease plaguing children”, and/or “Bigfoot exists”. I mean, who wouldn’t? We assume that research is based on sound evidence; information we can trust. Who wouldn't want to believe evidence that there is a simple medical explanation for those annoying behaviors exhibited by children in the process of developing into responsible young adults?

“The Decline of Play in Preschoolers and the Rise in Sensory Issues”

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“We are consistently seeing sensory, motor, and cognitive issues pop up more and more in later childhood, partly because of inadequate opportunities to move and play at an early age,” writes Angela Hanscom in The Washington Post.

The Connection Between Sleep, Exercise, Screen Time and Cognition in Childhood

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Can current guidelines for sleep, exercise, and screen time in childhood be linked to positive cognitive outcomes?

Germany Rejects New ADHD Drug

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Finding that Shire's study of its successor to Adderall XR, Vyvanse, (lisdexamfetamine; known in Germany as Elvanse) was too short and did not look at the drug...

Many Foster Kids Are Still Being Prescribed Antipsychotic Drugs

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Many experts expressed concern when the rate of antipsychotic prescriptions to children in foster care showed a rapid increase, peaking in 2008, and new recommendations and policies have tried to curb the use of these drugs. While the rate has plateaued, a new study points out that the “new normal” prescription levels are still dangerously high. The data reveals that almost one in ten children in foster care are currently being prescribed antipsychotic drugs with dangerous side-effects, many for diagnoses like ‘ADHD’ and disruptive behavior.

Humanistic Counseling Effective in Schools, Study Finds

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Pilot study finds school-based humanistic counseling reduces emotional symptoms in students.

Is School Driving Kids Literally Crazy?

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From FEE: School may have a negative impact on children's and teens' mental health: children's psychiatric emergency room visits drop precipitously over the summer and increase...

Children Diagnosed with ADHD Younger are More Likely to get Multiple Medications

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New research demonstrates that children diagnosed with ADHD at younger ages are more likely than those diagnosed later to receive multiple medications within five years of their diagnosis.

ADHD Prescribing Differs Substantially in UK vs. US

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An article in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry finds that the UK's new guidelines for treating attention and depression problems in children recommend a...

Outdoor Education Tied to Psychological and Academic Benefits

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How the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (BPN) in outdoor education environments can peak student interest and boost intrinsic motivation.

Increasing Physical Activity in Schools May Improve Mental Health

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A new article suggests integrating physical activity throughout the day may help to address the mental health of students.

More Evidence for the Lasting Psychological Impact of Lead Exposure in Childhood

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New research points to numerous harmful effects of high-level lead exposure in childhood on adult mental health and personality characteristics.

CDC Reports Increased Psychostimulant Prescriptions in Women of Reproductive Age

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Psychostimulant prescriptions have increased by 344% (from 2003 to 2015) for women of reproductive age (15-44 years old).

“The Drugging of the American Boy”

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Esquire discovers that "By the time they reach high school, nearly 20 percent of all American boys will be diagnosed with ADHD. Millions of...

Racism Linked to Poor Health Outcomes in Children

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New study finds children who have been exposed to discrimination show higher likelihood of anxiety, depression, and ADHD.

One in Five Diagnosed With ADHD May Develop Cocaine Habit as Adults

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Research from Boston University suggests that exposure to stimulant medications such as Ritalin during adolescence may result in cocaine addiction in later life. “You...

6-Year-old Boy Committed to a Psych Ward

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From BuzzFeed News: A six-year-old boy in Jacksonville, Florida was recently committed to a psychiatric institution for throwing a temper tantrum in school. There, he...

Transition into Poverty May Worsen Child and Maternal Mental Health

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Transitioning into poverty linked to behavioral issues in children, but may be mitigated by mother’s mental health.

Study Finds Parents Need More Support to Identify PTSD in Children

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A new study, published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, investigates the presence of posttraumatic stress symptomatology in children involved in motor vehicle collisions...

Critical Influence of Nutrition on Psychosocial Wellbeing in Childhood

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The bidirectional relationship between diet and nutrition and social, emotional, and educational factors among European youth.

Evidence for Chile’s School-Based Mental Health Program

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Chile’s Skills for Life (SFL) program, the largest school-based psychosocial intervention program in the world, has demonstrated improved behavioral and academic outcomes for elementary students identified as “at risk.” A team of Chilean and U.S. researchers assessed the SFL program and will publish their results in the October issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).

Extend Your Child’s ADHD Summer Drug Holiday to Infinity and Beyond!

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With school starting across the country, from the perspective of most kids, the fun is officially done. Summer by youthful definition is basically over. Meanwhile, parents nationwide are basking in this euphoric occasion. No longer will they hear every five minutes the astute yet shortsighted exclamation “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do!” Finally parents can switch their XM channel from Hits 1 back to Coffee House without being berated for being so old. But due to the popularity of the ADHD diagnosis, many parents also are debating whether to extend their child's ADHD summer drug holiday into the school year, or once again start drugging the child-like behaviors associated with the symptoms of the controversial ADHD diagnosis.

JAMA Review Questions Use of Ritalin for ‘ADHD’

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In December, MIA  reported on a systematic Cochrane review on the research for the safety and effectiveness of Ritalin (methylphenidate) that found substantial bias...