In the first major study of the use of medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), researchers found that parents of children on ADHD drugs were nine times more likely than other parents to use the drugs as well. As well, they found that if at least one parent and child were taking an ADHD medication, a second child was more likely to do so, too.

Physicians have long understood that ADHD runs in families and the findings of this new study support what they see in their practices, but not without some surprising discoveries.

In families where a parent and child both began taking ADHD medications last year, nearly half the time the parent did so first, according to the study. According to Dr. Thomas E. Brown, associate director of the Yale Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders, “Usually it’s the kid first, then the par ...

The psychiatrist who identified attention deficit disorder - the condition blamed for the bad behaviour of hundreds of thousands of children - has admitted that many may not really be ill.

Dr Robert Spitzer said that up to 30 per cent of youngsters classified as suffering from disruptive and hyperactive conditions could have been misdiagnosed.

They may simply be showing perfectly normal signs of being happy or sad, he said.

'Many of these conditions might be normal reactions which are not really disorders,' he continued.

Dr Spitzer developed the bible of mental disorder classification in the 1970s and 1980s, which identified dozens of new conditions including ADD and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Since then hundreds of thousands of children have been diagnosed with ADD, a behavioural disorder linked to poor attention span, and ADHD, which adds an element of hyperactivity.

The ...

CHILDREN diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should be reassessed, a Melbourne specialist has said following a report showing Australia was among the heaviest users of ADHD drugs.

The US study, headed by eminent health economics and public policy expert Richard Scheffler, found the use of drugs to treat ADHD had more than tripled worldwide since 1993.

Researchers at the University of California found Australia was among the heaviest users of drugs to treat ADHD.

Child and adolescent psychiatrist George Halasz, from the Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne, said the researchers found about 30 per cent of Australian children diagnosed with ADHD were misdiagnosed.

The study said one in 100 children were medicated for it.

The reason ADHD was often misdiagnosed was through a misunderstanding of the disorder, Mr Halasz ...

In fact, children who are unable to pay attention to one task are likely to avoid or develop a strong dislike to tasks that demand prolonged concentration. Academic success for sufferers can be inconsistent and infrequent. These difficulties are inherent components of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

It is a condition which includes persistent patterns of inattention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity when compared with others of similar age and developmental levels. In terms of this definition, this pattern must adversely affect at least two settings, such as school, home and/or work and must present before the age of seven.

ADHD is the most common diagnosis for school-age children, with prevalence estimates ranging from 2% to 6%.

“For many parents, this diagnosis comes as a tremendo ...

SUNDAY, Feb. 18 (HealthDay News) -- There's a new bilingual handbook designed to help Hispanic parents in the United States recognize attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in their children.

The free booklet, from the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, also has information on the rights of children with ADHD to obtain a quality education and support services in the public school system.

"Hispanic parents need to know what (ADHD) is and that they can make a dramatic difference in the educational opportunities that are made available. We intend to help parents get the services their children need to be successful learners," Dr. Jane. L. Delgado, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, said in a prepared statement.

Along with the release of the handbook, the Alliance announced that it will offer personalized assistance to parents of children with ADHD through its Su Familia (Your Family) National ...

A genetic test may help to monitor dose of psycho-stimulant drugs like Ritalin to ADHD children, revealed by Australian health expert.

Stimulant medications for ADHD - methylphenidate, known as Ritalin, and dexamphetamine - work by stimulating dopamine, a chemical which controls several brain functions and relays messages. International researchers have discovered a gene, called COMT, which controls how much dopamine each person produces.

About 50,000 Australian children are prescribed stimulants to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but problems getting the dose right mean many are initially over-drugged. ADHD expert Professor Florence Levy, of The University of New South Wales's school of psychiatry, said "It has been very hard to predict how kids will respond to treatment".

Professor Levy has published a review of testing gene in children in the latest edition of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psych ...

A child with ADHD can control some of his or her behavior problems with medications and therapy. Both the parents and the children with ADHD need extraordinary assistance and support to develop techniques for supervising the patterns of activities. Therapists help children with ADHD cope with their daily problems. The therapists also assist families of children with ADHD in the betterment of their relationships with each other so they can handle the unruly behaviors and encourage change. There are five common therapies that are specially designed to help people cope with ADHD.

Psychotherapy is the most common of all. It works by helping people with ADHD to love, appreciate and eventually accept themselves. Patients learn alternative ways of handling their emotions by talking about hurtful thoughts and feelings. In this way, the patient is able to suppress his or her inappropriate feelings and explore mechanisms of behavior.

Socia l skills training can help childr ...

A GENETIC test may help prevent children being overdosed on psycho-stimulant drugs like Ritalin, an Australian expert says.

About 50,000 Australian children are prescribed stimulants to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but problems getting the dose right mean many are initially over-drugged.

Studies in adults with the condition have revealed a gene makes some more sensitive to the medication and prone to the "zombie-like" side effects of overdose.

Overdoses affect children in the same way, making them obsessive, introverted, highly focused and unable to change their attention from one thing to another.

ADHD expert Professor Florence Levy, of the University of NSW's school of psychiatry, said testing to see whether the gene could help get the dose right for young sufferers.

"It has been very hard to pr ...