adhd hot topics

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Index

ADHD Behavior Problems …………………………….2 Parenting and ADHD Behavioral Problems ……………..3

Driving under the influence of ADHD. …………………4 ADHD and Bullying…………………………………….5

ADHD, Autism, and Bullying ………………………..6 Cyberbullying and ADHD……………………………...7

ADHD and Education……..……………………………9

The IEP (Individualized Education Plan)……………………..10 Pre-School, Cognitive Functions & Self-Control................12 Middle School & ADHD Students……..……………….14

ADHD and the Environment…………………………16 Chemicals and ADHD…………………………………….17 ADHD & Secondhand Smoke…………………………….18 ADHD Families………………………………………..19

Adopted Children & ADHD……………………..20 ADHD and Divorce………………………………………21

Copyright © 2011 Unique Logic and Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this eBook may be copied, distributed, or reprinted without express written consent from Unique Logic and Technology, Inc.


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ADHD Behavior Problems It’s fairly obvious by now that behavior problems typically coincide with attention problems. For example, as an adult, we find ourselves speaking out of turn at the office or constantly interrupting our employer during a staff meeting. An ADHD child will frequently interrupt the teacher during a lesson, disturb the other children sitting nearby, or fidget incessantly. The following articles include some interesting additions to these problems. These include parenting and its affect on behavior and ADHD drivers.


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Parenting and ADHD Behavioral Problems According to a study published in the January 2007 issue of the American Psychological Association's journal, Developmental Psychology, a mother's depression predicts whether children with ADHD will develop behavioral problems. Psychology professor Andrea Chronis, director of the University of Maryland ADHD Program and lead author on the paper said, "In the real world, this could have important implications, because research has suggested that children with both ADHD and conduct problems are at the greatest risk of becoming chronic criminal offenders." The brain is quite plastic almost to a flaw; negative stimulation, will affect the brain negatively while positive stimulation will affect the brain positively. This study seems to reflect that fact as well. The researchers found that positive parenting during preschool years predicted fewer behavioral problems as the children reached early adolescence. Children presented fewer conduct problems such as lying, fighting, bullying and stealing. Conversely, maternal depression predicted more conduct problems during adolescence. The researchers estimate, approximately 20 to 50 percent of children and 44 to 50 percent of adolescents with ADHD experience severe conduct problems. "Parenting an ADHD child is very difficult for many families," Chronis says. Chronis’ team has found in earlier research that mothers of ADHD children are at double the risk of experiencing depression than moms of non-ADHD kids. Focus was place on mothers as they are frequently the primary caregivers and are therefore subject to more stress and depression. "Often there's a growing cycle of negativity as parents' nerves fray and their children's behavior escalates in response to increasingly harsh or withdrawn parenting. Maternal depression makes parenting a child with ADHD even more challenging. Now we have new evidence that praise, a warm tone of voice and use of other positive parenting techniques may help break this dangerous cycle." Chronis’ research is part of an ongoing longitudinal study funded by the National Institutes of Health that follows ADHD children through their 18th birthdays. Collaborating with research teams at the Universities of Chicago and Pittsburgh, the study evaluated the behavior and development of 108 children whose ages ranged from four to seven at the study’s beginning. Parenting techniques were assessed by observation, and data on the mother’s mental health were analyzed annually. Neuroplasticity at work: the researchers found that children with mothers who displayed the highest levels of positive parenting during preschool had significantly lower levels of conduct problems over time while children of previously depressed mothers had significantly higher levels of conduct problems over time. As I mentioned in ADHD & Alcohol Abuse, the problems of depression and alcohol abuse may be parental coping mechanisms in response to an ADHD child. They are also quite likely cyclic; the child is more likely to be depressed or abuse alcohol later in life.


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Driving under the influence of ADHD The University of Virginia wished to test whether ADHD medication helps young adults while facing driving distractions. Research suggests that ADHD drivers have a greater likelihood of having or causing an accident. Obviously, hallmarks of the ‘disorder’ are inattention, distractibility, and sometimes hyperactivity. So, when their cell phone rings and they answer, bad things tend to happen. According to Daniel Cox, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neurosciences at the University of Virginia Health System, as a group young ADHD drivers are two to four times more likely to have a car accident than non-ADHD drivers. Cox’ research will examine the effects of methylphenidate (MPH), a controlled-release stimulant worn as a patch, on young ADHD drivers facing real-life distractions. The research was funded by Shire Pharmaceuticals, the pharmaceutical mega-giant who makes Adderall and the MPH patch. It’s always questionable when a pharmaceutical giant funds a university study on its own medications. In this instance, it will make great marketing if the good Dr. Cox finds that young adults drive better while on meds! But, heck, since stimulant medication has the same effect on non-ADHD people, shouldn’t we all take it prior to driving? Regardless of that fact, if young ADHD people can wear a patch and drive better, that’ll sell millions of dollars worth of medicine! The study would likely be significantly more impressive if Dr. Cox used unmedicated non-ADHD young adults and medicated non-ADHD young adults as control groups. I’d be more than eager to see those results. Or maybe, just maybe, ADHD or not, we should put our cell phones away, put out our cigarettes, not eat in the car, put our pet in a pet carrier, and focus on driving. Shouldn’t we demand that of our ADHD teens before placing a stimulant patch on their arms?


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ADHD and Bullying Bullying is a hot topic among parents currently. In the last few years, the media have depicted tragedy and great suffering in children who were bullied. The following articles follow links between ADHD and bullying. This is a must read if you are a parent of an ADHD child.


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ADHD, Autism, and Bullying

A study published in the journal, Ambulatory Pediatrics reports that children with both attention deficit or attention deficit hyperactivity disorders and autism are four times more likely to bully than children in the general population. The researchers cautioned strongly against labeling these children simply as bullies. "This is the first nationally representative study of bullying behaviors among children with autism. The majority of parents of children with autism and ADD or ADHD were concerned about their children's bullying behaviors, but there is much we do not yet understand. It is too early to label these children as bullies." said Guillermo Montes, Ph.D., senior researcher at Rochester, N.Y.-based Children's Institute. "These children may have pent up energy that needs to be properly channeled, or they may have other underlying behavioral or medical issues that have not been addressed." The study was based on disaggregated data from pulled data from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. The sample included 53,219 children ages 6 to 17.

As a point of interest, the researchers did not find that children with autism alone had a higher rate of bullying. Bullying presented at a significantly higher rate only if the children were autistic and AD/HD. Those with both disorders showed a rate four times higher than children with just autism and with children overall. They also had a higher rate of bullying than children with ADD or ADHD but no autism.

AD/HD occurs in about half of children with autism spectrum disorders. The study may assist health care providers to assist parents in understanding bullying behaviors and obtaining assistance in managing the behaviors. "It would be helpful for clinicians to be aware that so many parents of children with both autism and ADHD are describing bullying behaviors," said Jill Halterman, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center and second author of the paper. "These children may benefit from additional support services, such as from a behavioral or mental health specialist, depending on the severity of symptoms. These services may be available through community based organizations or from the broader health care system."


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Cyberbullying and ADHD The July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry reports a study that finds teens who "cyberbully" others via the Internet or cell phones are more likely to suffer from both physical and psychiatric troubles. Additionally, their victims are at heightened risk from both physical and psychiatric troubles. The research team was led by Dr. Andre Sourander, from Turku University, Finland, defines cyberbullying as aggressive, intentional, repeated acts using mobile phones, computers (including e-mails and Facebook) or other electronic media against victims who cannot easily defend themselves. The study is relevant to current trends in the use of electronic media by teens. Researchers at the JFK Medical Center say that the average teenager spends a total of over 3,400 electronic [text] messages every month or surfs the Internet at bedtime. In January of 2011, national media focused on the death of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince. Prince, a Massachusetts teen, committed suicide after months of relentless cyberbullying. The online Healthgrades.com site reports a recent U.S. survey of children aged 10 to 17 found that 12 percent were "aggressive" to someone else while online, 4 percent were victims of this type of online aggression, while 3 percent reported being both aggressors and targets. The national spotlight on these trends has caused many parents to become increasingly concerned about both cyberbullying and their children's Internet safety. To evaluate cyberbullying, Sourander and team surveyed almost 2,500 teens. More than 7 percent of teens reported that they bullied other teens online. Almost 5 percent said they were targets of cyberbullies while 5.4 percent said they were both bullies and bullied. The researchers' data were quite compelling; teens who were victims of cyberbullying were more likely to come from broken homes and felt unsafe at school. Furthermore, they also had problems with concentration (ADHD), emotional problems, sleeping problems, and behavioral problems. The teens reported that they found it difficult to associate with their peers and were often prone to headaches and abdominal discomfort. It was quite apparent that psychological trauma was induced by cyberbullying. Oddly, the cyberbullies had their own problems; they too were also more prone to suffer from problems with concentration (ADHD), emotional problems, sleeping problems, and behavioral problems. They too, found it difficult to associate with their peers. Cyberbullies also frequently smoked or got drunk, reported headaches, and were more prone to not feeling safe at school. The researchers noted that cyberbullying was different than physical bullying. Physical


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bullying typically remains confined to school grounds or public places like the mall. Cyberbullies have an increased power and effect as they can bully 24 hours a day, seven days a week if so compelled. This relentless attack seems to affect both the cyberbully as well as the victim. It is important to discuss this behavior with your child. That discussion should set strict limitations on the type of communication your child sends and receives. It should also include a cyberbully plan of action so your child knows what to do if bullied. The first step in that action plan should be to report bullying immediately to parent or teacher.

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ADHD and Education Navigating the educational maze is difficult. Educationalists have their own language or vernacular. Since parents must often be their ADHD child’s greatest advocate, it’s necessary to fully understand this vernacular. Terms like, ‘IEP,’ or ‘504 Plan,’ shouldn’t frighten or bewilder. Additionally, educators are under extreme pressure to increase the performance levels of all students, including your ADHD child. Because of this, they are often accommodating if you approach them correctly. The following articles include the IEP, pre-school and its affect on cognitive functions, and middle school’s affect on ADHD.


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The IEP (Individualized Education Plan) You must be your ADHD child’s greatest advocate when interacting with your child’s school. Above all, you should attend your child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting. The IEP should clearly define goals and objectives to be obtained over the school year. It is used to establish benchmarks to which your child and the school are to be held accountable. Simply stated, when the IEP is written, the school must attempt to teach your child the goals set in the IEP. Goals can be academic, behavioral, social, etc. Periodically during the year, a parent can request another IEP meeting to verify that goals are being met. As a veteran educator with over 16 years in public education, I’ve experienced many teaching styles and trends. Perhaps the most interesting trend I encountered was a totally child centered approach to teaching where the core philosophy is that the child knows what’s best for him, and he will learn according to his personal desires and needs. To be totally candid, I find elements of this philosophy of learning quite appropriate. However, if taken to the extreme, it can be utterly dissolved into ludicrous nonsense. I discussed an IEP meeting recently with a mother whose child attends a school with a radical child-centered approach. In attendance at the meeting were the child’s mother, her ADHD son, a special education teacher, and a classroom teacher. The mother cited that her 13 year old ADHD son currently was not bringing home homework assignments, writing down homework assignments, or keeping an orderly backpack to facilitate this. She urged the special education teacher to set goals for the school to implement a checklist for her son, teach him how to write his homework assignments down, and then bring them home so she could help him. Much to her chagrin, the special education teacher dismissed her ideas and asked her son what he thought his goals should be. He requested: 1. That everyone should get off his back and leave him alone. 2. That he should do whatever he wants with no one yelling at him. 3. That he should be allowed to cause as many problems he wants without getting

consequences. 4. That these goals should be in his IEP in that order. These goals were then placed in his IEP by his special education teacher. Fortunately, his mother was wise enough not to sign this ridiculous IEP. Instead, she opted to take the proposed IEP home and add her thoughts. Schools that practice this type of radical child centered education are fundamentally dysfunctional and counterproductive for ADHD students. ADHD students need structure, organization, and teachers that understand these needs. Teachers also need to be nurturing. Nurturing doesn’t mean that a teacher allows the student to do whatever he wishes to do. Nurturing means that the teacher helps the student determine his strengths,


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strengthen his weaknesses, and then directs or guides the student based on his understanding of his strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, public schools, due to the No Child Left Behind fiasco and other circumstances, are quite ill equipped to accommodate student differences. The radical child centered process that I’ve mentioned here is not uncommon across the United States. They may vary in practice and degree, but nonetheless, are not helpful for ADHD students. To be your ADHD child’s greatest advocate, understand his needs. Books I’ve found extremely useful are The ADD Book by Sears, A Symphony in the Brain, by Robbins, Driven to Distraction, by Hallowell, and The Last Normal Child, by Diller.

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Pre-School, Cognitive Functions & Self-Control The following press release from the University of British Columbia maintains that a research study has demonstrated that cognitive training can improve attentional control, impulse control, and other executive functions. Furthermore, the study’s authors cite that practice of cognitive skills in early development years may decrease incidence of ADHD. The press release: Program Promises Improvement in Academic Achievement for Children of Poor Families An innovative curriculum for preschoolers may improve academic performance, reduce diagnoses of attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and close the achievement gap between children from poor families and those from wealthier homes, according to research led by a Vancouver neuroscientist who is an expert on the development of the cognitive functions that depend on the prefrontal cortex area of the brain, called executive functions (EFs). University of British Columbia Psychiatry Prof. Adele Diamond, who is Canada Research Chair in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, led the first evaluation of a curriculum called Tools of the Mind (Tools) that focuses on EFs. These functions include resisting distraction, giving a more considered response instead of your first impulse, working with information you are holding in mind, and the mental flexibility to think “outside the box.” The program was developed over the last 12 years by educational psychologists Deborah Leong and Elena Bodrova and has been used in several U.S. states. Its value in improving EFs has not been determined until now. The study is published in Science magazine “EFs are critical for success in school and life. These skills are rarely taught, but can be, even to preschoolers. It could make a huge difference, especially for disadvantaged children,” says Diamond, who is a member of the Brain Research Centre at UBC Hospital; the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Dept. at BC Children’s Hospital; the Child & Family Research Institute (CFRI); and the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP). Her work is also supported by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and BC Mental Health and Addiction Services. “The recent explosion in diagnoses of ADHD may be partly due to some children never learning to exercise attentional control and self-discipline,” says Diamond. “Although some children are strongly biologically predisposed to hyperactivity and wouldn’t benefit


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from training, others may be misdiagnosed because what they actually need are skills in self-regulation.” Previous research has shown that EFs are stronger predictors of academic performance than IQ, she adds. Children from lower-income families enter school with disproportionately poor EF skills and fall progressively farther behind in school each year -- facts which Diamond says are related and correctible. “Helping at-risk children improve EF skills early might be critical to closing the achievement gap and reducing societal inequalities. We showed EFs can be improved in preschoolers without fancy equipment and by regular teachers in regular public school classrooms.” Most interventions target consequences of poor self-control rather than seeking prevention at an early age, as does Tools. “Early intervention – heading off problems before they develop -- costs far less and achieves far better results than trying to correct problems once they have developed,” Diamond says. “If throughout the school-day EFs are supported and progressively challenged, benefits generalize and transfer to new activities. Daily EF ‘exercise’ appears to enhance and accelerate brain development much as physical exercise improves our bodies,” she adds. The research team, which includes investigators from the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University in New Jersey, evaluated 147 five-year-olds in a low-income, urban U.S. school district. Researchers compared Tools with a balanced literacy curriculum (dBL) that covered the same academic content as Tools but without a focus on EF. Both programs were new, instituted at the same time and used identical resources. Children and teachers in Tools and dBL were randomly assigned and teachers had equivalent levels of education and teaching experience. The children in both curricula were from the same neighborhood and ethnic group, and from families with very similar levels of income and parental education. Children received either Tools or dBL for one to two years. Evaluation involved two computerized tests that measured EF. These tasks were different from anything any of the children had done before. Better performance by children in Tools shows that they were able to generalize and transfer their EF skills to new situations. Tools encourages out-loud self-instruction and dramatic play. “Preschool teachers are under pressure to limit play and spend more time on instruction but social pretend play may be more critical to academic success,” says Diamond.


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Middle School & ADHD Students A study published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology [Volume 37, Issue 3 July 2008 , pages 651 – 663] contends that middle school stressors may negatively impact ADHD students. While 70% - 80% of all children are likely to carry symptoms to adulthood, most research indicates that symptoms decline slightly as the child matures. While reduction of hyperactivity and impulsivity during a child’s adolescence is a common trend, it varies individually. Symptom reduction may be attributable to compensatory skill sets needed for survival academically and socially. The study performed by University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Center researchers Joshua M. Langberg, Ph.D., and Jeffery Epstein, Ph.D., indicates that stressors at middle school and stress from transition from elementary school to middle school may alter or interfere with symptom decline. The researchers analyzed data from the Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD (MTA) [see http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/adhd-medications-mayo-clinic-study-contradicts-mta-study/]. Thus, the researchers did not incorporate personal field research, but rather simply analyzed data from another study. These data were comprised of parent and teacher reports from 258 children in the MTA study who were graduated from elementary school and continued on to middle school during the duration of the MTA study. Lack of field research greatly limits the scope of this research, but it follows the recent trend of academics who review past data collected in other studies. Parents and teachers in the MTA reported that middle school greatly differed from elementary school. Middle schoolers must physically move from class to class and work with multiple teachers. Each teacher assigns homework without regard to other homework assignments already assigned by other teachers resulting in increased homework loads. Obviously, the need for personal organizational skills is increased as well if the child is to be successful. The researchers found that these stressors altered the reduction of ADHD. The researchers tracked non-ADHD children and found that they exhibited lower stress levels than children with ADHD. It’s interesting to note that teachers reported less disruption of the reduction of ADHD symptoms than parents. While it is speculative, this could be attributed to the fact that middle school teachers see their students less frequently and do not have data of the student’s hyperactivity and impulsivity behaviors in the elementary environment as parents would. It may be likely that ADHD students voiced greater complaints and exhibited more behaviors at home when confronted with increasing homework loads and organizational pressures. The University of Cincinnati researchers noted the same thing the MTA researchers also found: Children taking medication for their ADHD symptoms fared no better than those


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not taking medication during the transition. As I’ve mentioned previously in other articles, the MTA researchers noted that medication treats symptoms, however it does not teach skills. Langberg et al confirms this. Unfortunately, there is a tremendous gap in training ADHD children. We must address the additional cognitive needs that are typically deficit in ADHD children. These include organizational skills, memory skills, time-on-task skills, etc. While it has been demonstrated that environment plays a role in ADHD symptoms, this is the first attempt to evaluate data regarding middle school stressors and their affect on ADHD. Its conclusions make it evident that our current educational practices fall far short of a success based plan for ADHD students.




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ADHD and the Environment Earth is becoming more and more crowded every day. Each day also sees mankind spewing more and more toxins into the environment. Do these toxins cause ADHD? Can they contribute to cognitive impairments like memory problems, attention deficits, or reading disabilities? The following articles address relevant studies about certain chemicals and their link to ADHD and secondhand smoke and ADHD. While they are not conclusive, they provide a strong basis for further discussion and investigation.


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Chemicals and ADHD Two distinct studies examined the role of PFC (Perfluorinated chemicals) and their possible connection to ADHD and hyperactive/impulsive behavior in children. The studies were published online last month. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFC) have been used since the 1950s. Commonly used in industry, they can be found in a wide variety of consumer products including, food containers, waterproof fabrics, paints, non-stick cookware, and stain-proof coatings. PFC is actually a class of chemicals that include perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluoroctanic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfate (PFHxS). In the first study, Brooks Gump of SUNY, Oswego, and colleagues assessed impulsive behavior using a computerized test. They compared the test results with PFC in the children's blood samples. They used a sample of 83 children from Oswego County, N.Y. The children ranged in age from nine to 11 years old. Gump found that higher concentrations of PFHxS were associated with increased odds of ADHD. Children with the highest exposure to PFHxS were 60 percent more likely to have ADHD and take ADHD medication. Gump could not find a strong correlation with the other PFC and ADHD. Researchers Cheryl Stein from the Department of Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, and David Savitz, Departments of Community Health and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, are authors of a second study published online in Environmental Health Perspectives. They reviewed data from the C8 Health Project survey conducted between 2005 and 2006. The project examined more than 10,000 parents and their children aged 5- to 18. These families lived in West Virginia and Ohio near a DuPont plant that manufactures PFOA. Commonly, PFC are transferred in food, but the plant seems to have exposed the families to PFOA through groundwater contamination and airborne plant emissions. Stein and Savitz's findings from the C8 Study are echo results from a previous study done in 2010; higher levels of PFOA were highly associated with ADHD. Neither of the studies can prove that PFC cause ADHD, only that there is a high degree of association between PFC levels and ADHD. It would be wise to limit exposure to PFC whenever possible. Further studies will have to be performed to determine if health outcomes are affected later in life.


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ADHD & Secondhand Smoke Another environmental contributor to ADHD may be secondhand smoke. A recent study confirms a study done in 2007 by Richard D. Todd, M.D., Ph.D., the Blanche F. Ittleson Professor and director of the Division of Child Psychiatry at Washington University -- secondhand smoke may be linked to a greater risk of ADHD and learning disabilities in children. The current study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics. The researchers found an amazing correlation between secondhand smoke and ADHD: children exposed to secondhand smoke in the home are twice as likely to develop either ADHD or a learning disability. Data were collected from parents and guardians of over 50,000 children ages 11 and younger in the US. The researchers found that children exposed to secondhand smoke had a learning disability 8.2 percent of the time, ADHD nearly 6 percent of the time, or another conduct disorder 3.6 percent of the time. Obviously, the cost of treatment via medical and educational interventions is in the billions of dollars. Environmental factors are something we can control, if we place emphasis on the need to control them. I'm quite certain that as we study the relationship between our environment and our health, greater causal relationships will be revealed.




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ADHD Families Families with ADHD children, parents, or a combination of ADHD children and parents can create a stressful environment. What affect, if any, does this have on family dynamics? The following articles address adoption and divorce among ADHD families. The research is both interesting and alarming.


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Adopted Children & ADHD Families in the United States adopt many children every year. In fact, the US has more than 1.5 million adopted children under age 18 currently. Government statistics indicate that number is likely to increase by as much as 100,000 every year. Many factors contribute to a parent giving up a child for adoption. Often, these factors are not presented to adopting parents. Adopting parents suspect that incidents that occurred prior to the adoption may contribute future problems with the child. These factors may include abuse, in utero substance abuse by the mother, or genetic problems. A pioneering study performed by Margaret Keyes, et al, a University of Minnesota research psychologist [Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.2008;162(5):419-425], found that the vast majority of adopted kids are psychologically healthy though they were twice as likely to be diagnosed for ADHD. "We found that most of the adolescents — adopted and non-adopted — were overwhelmingly psychologically healthy," Keyes says. Keyes’ research team conducted in-depth psychological interviews of 692 adolescents who had been adopted before age 2. Most of the test subjects averaged 15 years of age. Keyes’ control group consisted of teenagers raised by their biological parents. Keyes found that about 7% of the teenagers raised by biological parents had been diagnosed with ADHD while 14% - 15% of adopted teens were diagnosed with ADHD. The researchers did not find increased risk for depression, anxiety or a form of serious aggression among adopted children. Provocatively, US adoptees consistently presented more extreme externalized behavior problems like ADHD than international adoptees on every quantitative indicator the team used.


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ADHD & Divorce When it involves ADHD, psychologist William Pelham is one of the most prolific researchers around. Pelham and his colleague Dr. Brain Wymbs published a longitudinally study (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Vol 76(5), Oct 2008, 735-744.) that tracked 282 families with and 206 without ADHD children. They found that couples who have a child diagnosed as ADHD are almost twice as likely to divorce or become estranged compared to couples without an ADHD child. A simple dynamic is causal: ADHD children can be stressful for parents thus magnifying conflicts between spouses. ADHD children also have oppositional behaviors which increase stress at home. "We have known for a long time that kids can be stressful for their parents. What we show is they can be really stressful and can lead to marital dissatisfaction and divorce," said Pelham, who works at the State University of New York at Buffalo. "What it means is ADHD should not be treated without involving the parents in the treatment." The researchers found that parents with ADHD children tended to reach the point of divorce or separation faster than their peers. Parents of ADHD children are distinctly aware that battles over homework, chores, discipline are key stressors that provide further conflict between spouses. It is understandable that 22.7 percent for parents of kids with ADHD were divorced by the time the children were 8 years old as opposed to only 12.6 percent of the parents of non-ADHD children. "Parents of children with ADHD report less marital satisfaction, fight more often, and use fewer positive and more negative verbalizations during child-rearing discussions than do parents of children without ADHD especially if the child also has conduct or oppositional problems," Pelham and Wymbs noted in their paper. The researchers discovered that regardless of whether parents had manageable or difficult children, if parents had an ADHD child they were three times as likely to be negative toward each other as parents who did not. Stress was up and patience was thin. Does medicine help? Medicines can alleviate ADHD symptoms, however the researchers found that most meds were given in the daytime to improve school performance and wore off by evening when the children were to do homework and chores. The Brits have taken the polar opposite approach to children with ADHD. I find it highly logical and practical: except in extreme cases, they advise parents to learn new parenting strategies to change and cope with their ADHD child. This may well curb the incredible divorce rate among ADHD parents as well as greatly improve their child’s future.


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