Developmental/Behavioral Disorders

Strong evidence against the association of autism with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has been presented in the September 4 PLoS ONE, reported study researchers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has stated it does not support the routine use of electrocardiogram (ECG) screening before initiating treatment with stimulants for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

ADHD diagnoses for children ages 6 to 17 have on average increased 3% per year from 1997 through 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A reader comments on the lack of supporting evidence for the benefits of ADHD stimulants for children.

Resources for child ADHD.

A guide for parents about managing their child's ADHD.

Medication remains the mainstay of pediatric ADHD treatment. But these efforts can be complemented by non-medication approaches, targeted at the major areas of functioning in a child's life.

The challenges of child ADHD and how important medications and support from family, school, and outside activities are to the child.

Up to two and a half percent of the diagnosed autism cases may be because of one specific gene disruption, a recent study found.

Girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-combined type, who have deficits in both attention and hyperactivity-impulsivity, are more likely than girls with ADHD-inattentive type or other girls to develop eating pathologies as adolescents, according to a report in the February issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

A sealed case settled in November by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded damages to a girl who developed autism-like symptoms after being vaccinated.

The use of stimulant treatment in male children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) wasn't associated with an increased or decreased risk of later substance use disorder, according to research published online March 3 in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The use of stimulant treatment in male children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) wasn't associated with an increased or decreased risk of later substance use disorder, according to research published online March 3 in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Presidential candidate John McCain (R-Ariz) declared on Friday, Feb. 29 that he felt there was a link between vaccines and autism.

Treatment with L-acetylcarnitine may be beneficial in improving hyperactivity and social behavior in boys with fragile X syndrome who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to an article published online Feb. 19 in the American Journal of Medical Genetics.

A long-term study of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) found that the disorder?s long-term effects appear regardless of treatment...

ADHD is an equal-opportunity condition, affecting children from all walks of life. But what role, if any, does ethnicity have on the response to diagnosis and treatment?

Adolescents with ADHD are different from other patients. Impulsiveness and inattention pose bigger problems than hyperactivity, which can translate into lower medication adherence and growing behavioral problems. And adolescent girls tend to exhibit more problems than boys in the same age range.

The keys to optimal use of psychostimulant and nonstimulant medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are careful screening of patients, appropriate dosage regulation, and?most of all?close monitoring of both positive and adverse outcomes.

Seven books addressing ADHD for children and adults to enjoy.

Case report dealing with an autistic child and a vitamin deficiency

Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) have discovered that the brain's fear hub likely becomes abnormally small in the most severely socially-impaired males with autism spectrum disorder. New findings suggest that social fear in autism may initially trigger a hyperactive, abnormally enlarged amygdala, which eventually gives way to a toxic adaptation that kills amygdala cells and shrinks the structure, said Richard Davidson, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin.

The keys to optimal use of psychostimulant and nonstimulant medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are careful screening of patients, appropriate dosage regulation, and-most of all-close monitoring of both positive and adverse outcomes.

It's long been suggested by research that adolescents who have ADHD are more likely—nearly four times so—to be involved in a motor vehicle accident than unaffected drivers in the same age group. Furthermore, young adults with ADHD have a significantly higher rate of traffic violations and license suspensions than patients without ADHD.

New research reported at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in Toronto in May shows that Shire Pharmaceutical Group's methylphenidate transdermal system (Daytrana) appears a safe and well-tolerated alternative to OROS methylphenidate, and is equally efficacious.