ADHD Brains Develop More Slowly

"Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have slower developing brains, when compared to children without ADHD, however, in most cases they still follow a normal pattern of development, according to an article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)."

Source: ADHD Brains Develop More Slowly 

Despite the slower development of the ADHD brain, "…the regions of the brain in charge of flashing lights and electronic beeping show tremendous advancement."

Source: ADHD Brains Develop More Slowly | The Onion - America's Finest News Source1

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  1. FYI: For those unfamiliar with The Onion, it is one of the funniest satirical news websites in the universe. []

ADD versus ADHD

For an interesting side-by-side comparison of A.D.D. without Hyperactivity and A.D.D. with Hyperactivity, see: ADD versus ADHD What's the difference?

Negative Impact of Drugs on Children with ADHD

[A]fter longer-term analysis, the report's co-author, Professor William Pelham of the University of Buffalo, said: "I think that we exaggerated the beneficial impact of medication in the first study.

"We had thought that children medicated longer would have better outcomes. That didn't happen to be the case.

"There's no indication that medication's better than nothing in the long run." Prof Pelham said there were "no beneficial effects" of medication and the impact was seemingly negative instead.

Source: Drugs for ADHD 'not the answer' 

Adult ADHD: Evaluation and Treatment in Family Medicine

A concise definition/description. For the full “official” description (DSM-IV criteria, etc.) see the link at the bottom of this post.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 30 to 50 percent of adults who had ADHD in childhood. Accurate diagnosis of ADHD in adults is challenging and requires attention to early development and symptoms of inattention, distractibility, impulsivity and emotional lability. Diagnosis is further complicated by the overlap between the symptoms of adult ADHD and the symptoms of other common psychiatric conditions such as depression and substance abuse. While stimulants are a common treatment for adult patients with ADHD, antidepressants may also be effective. Cognitive-behavioral skills training and psychotherapy are useful adjuncts to pharmacotherapy.

Source: Adult ADHD: Evaluation and Treatment in Family Medicine - November 1, 2000 - American Family Physician

A.D.D. Snake Oils?

A.D.D. Snake Oil?

Need a cure for A.D.D.? You can choose:

Do any of these techniques work? Who knows. But if A.D.D. is truly a problem of a botched wiring job in the brain1, none of these techniques directly address this wiring problem. The total sum of their effect may be no more than jiggling the wires of A.D.D. and, therefore, they require regular, on-going application since all they may do is temporarily relieve symptoms. That does NOT mean one should not try one of these methods. After all, we do have to somehow exist in a non-A.D.D. world. However, it DOES mean that an A.D.D.er will ALWAYS have to apply and reapply the snake oil.

Liver pills anyone? ;)

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Please contact me if you know of any scientific longitudinal studies that have shown that these methods - or any method - have a lasting effect.

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  1. On the “botched wiring” see: Frontal Lobe Functioning, A.D.H.D. - Frontal Lobe Volume Smaller. We know that brains can self-repair and generate new neurons and connections. See: Brain cells coaxed into repair duty, Neurogenesis in the Adult Brain, Brain Repair by Cell Replacement & Regeneration. []

Recent Postings in the A.D.D. Blogosphere…and Beyond

Goal Setting Series Part 1: The ADD-friendly Way to Set Your Goals

Goal Setting Series Part 2: The Key to Follow Through

Goal Setting Series Part 3: Acknowledging, Tracking, and Measuring Your Goals

A.D.H.D. and Bipolar Disorder: Results of a Recent Study

Self-Help for Adult A.D.D.ers

High School Girls with A.D.D.

Podcasts From Dr. Hallowell

ADD Is a Gift How to explain ADD/ADHD to your child
Why Girls Go Undiagnosed How ADD/ADHD symptoms often differ between girls and boys
What’s It Like to
Have ADD?
Explaining ADD/ADHD to others can be difficult.
You can find more podcasts at http://www.additudemag.com/additude/article/2711.html
The “classic” text for A.D.D.ers and those who believe they are A.D.D. In a sense, this book put A.D.D. on the map. The authors are themselves A.D.D.