News and Features Related to ADD & ADHD

1. Adult ADHD Underdiagnosed?
   

   May 6, 2008 (Washington) -- The criteria used to diagnose adult ADHD are outdated, and as a result, many cases could be missed or misdiagnosed, researchers say. The problem, says James J. McGough, MD, is that the criteria are based in large part on diagnosing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

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2. FDA OKs ADHD Drug Vyvanse for Adults
   

   April 23, 2008 -- The FDA has approved the drug Vyvanse for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults, according to the drug company Shire, which makes Vyvanse. Vyvanse, a stimulant drug, was first approved by the FDA in 2007 to treat ADHD symptoms in children ages 6

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3. ADHD Drugs: Heart Screen Recommended
   

   April 21, 2008 -- Children and teens taking stimulants to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should be screened for hidden heart problems, the American Heart Association now says. In an updated consensus statement released today, the organization recommends that in addition to a c

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4. ADHD Drugs, Substance Abuse Not Linked
   

   March 3, 2008 -- Children treated with stimulants for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are no more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol during early adulthood than their untreated peers, new research shows. More than 100 boys were followed for 10 years after they were diagnosed with ADHD, and th

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5. Heart Events Rare in Kids on ADHD Drugs
   

   Dec. 5, 2007 -- Stimulants used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are known to raise blood pressure and heart rate, but serious heart complications seem to be rare among the children who take them, a new study suggests. The findings appear reassuring, but researchers say impor

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6. ADHD Brain Matures, but Later
   

   Nov. 12, 2007 -- ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) may delay, but not prevent, the development of the brain's attention center. Researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and Canada's McGill University reported that news today. The finding "should be reassuring to

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7. Stimulants Help Students With ADHD
   

   Sept. 19, 2007 -- Kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who take Ritalin or other prescription stimulants are more likely to achieve long-term academic success than children with ADHD who don’t take drugs. That is the finding from the longest and most comprehensive follow-up stud

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8. Many Kids With ADHD Aren’t Diagnosed
   

   Sept. 4, 2007 -- A new study shows that ADHD is grossly undiagnosed. An estimated 2.4 million children between the ages of 8 and 15 in the U.S. have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but fewer than half of them have been diagnosed or are receiving appropriate treatments, researchers r

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9. New Clues on Causes of ADHD
   

   Aug. 6, 2007 -- Two new studies show that a brain chemical called dopamine may play a role in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The studies, published in the August edition of the Archives of General Psychiatry, don't claim to explain exactly what causes ADHD. But the new findings zer

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10. ADHD: It Can Run in the Family
    

    Rick Webster’s son, Richy, stood out at school -- but not necessarily in a good way. He wasn’t doing his homework, he was having combative interactions with teachers, and his grades were suffering as a result. While his classmates had trouble once in a while, Richy’s difficulties were constant. Rick

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