We know ADHD rates are increasing We find the rate of ADHD increasing by upwards of 10% over the past ten years, and the boy/girl ratio is upwards of 3:1. Why? Maybe the rates are rising because practitioners are better at assessing and diagnosing this condition. Or, maybe the condition is actually increasing due to […]
Diagnostic Criteria So, here is the DSM-V diagnostic criteria for ADHD. We are pretty familiar with these symptoms and recognize the impact they can have on a child’s life. Look them over for a quick review, and then we’ll discuss whether there is something missing from this list? The diagnostic criteria for ADHD: Inattention Six […]
The Importance of the Executive Functions ADHD is described as a disorder of the prefrontal lobe of our cerebral cortex, which is the area of the brain that controls higher-order thinking. This ‘higher-order thinking’ is also known as a set of executive functions that help us to more effectively get through our day. The specific […]
Written by Dr. John Carosso Of all the options… There are a host of ways to help manage ADHD and its primary symptoms of impulsivity, hyperactivity, and distractibility. People often seek counseling for their child, and that approach is worthwhile, given it’s vital to teach coping skills. Of course, medication is often pursued and that […]
Written by Dr. John Carosso Recent publication A syndicated child psychologist recently wrote an article claiming that ADHD is not a real disorder and kids are ‘just being kids’ and not demonstrating signs of a disorder by being active or distracted. I formerly enjoyed reading that psychologist’s work, but have become increasingly disillusioned over time. […]
Written by Dr. John Carosso Okay, this is the final segment of this blog series on ADHD. We started out with a discussion of what causes ADHD (disturbance of the prefrontal lobe) and the negative impact on executive functioning. We then moved into specific strategies to enhance executive functioning, and some more general interventions to […]
Written by Dr. John Carosso Where’d we leave off? We left off with the discussion of ADHD being a disorder within the pre-frontal cortex that manifests in deficiencies in what’s called ‘executive functioning’. The more a parent can externalize these executive functions, and help the child carry-out the pre-frontal cortex duties in the child’s natural […]
Written by Dr. John Carosso Is ADHD just a bunch of symptoms? We tend to describe and explain ADHD by its outward appearance and core symptoms: impulsivity, hyperactivity, and distractibility. However, that does not explain ‘what is ADHD’ or what causes the disorder. Let’s dig deeper If we look beyond and beneath the signs and […]
Written by Dr. Robert Lowenstein, M.D. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) The AAP provides guidelines to pediatric specialists indicating that behavioral treatment should be tried first before prescribing medication and, when prescribing, methylphenidate (Ritalin/Concerta) should be used first. However, the Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York surveyed 3000 physicians and found that the […]
Hair-loss prevention The behavior of children with attention deficit and hyperactivity can cause parents to pull out their hair. So, before you become bald, which clearly would add insult to injury, you may want some pointers. Fortunately, I have an approach to treating hyperactive kids that might save what’s left of your hair. I love […]
