Parents are always looking for things they can do to help their children suffering from ADHD and/or learning disabilities.  Among the risk  factors, there are some we can control and some that we can not. We can not control whether or not we have a family history of ADHD, whether our child was born premature or whether our child is a boy or a girl.  It may be too late to change the fact that  we smoked during pregnancy, drank alcohol during pregnancy or were exposed to toxins such as lead.  But, we can look forward and help our child by not exposing him or her to second hand smoke.  This is completely within our control.

 And now a new study out of the Sleep Disorders Center  at the JFK Medical Center finds that electronic media such as texting and video games at bed time can also influence our children’s risk for ADHD and learning issues. Girls seem to text more and boys play video games. Most parents were unaware of these behaviors. These activities can disrupt sleep cycles which can lead to learning difficulties as well as anxiety and depression. Parents must be aware of their children’s activities. And yes, you may need to take their phone away or at lest confiscate it at bed time. 

Also, remember that you can help your child by keeping a regular routine and helping him with organization, getting regular sleep and planning for circumstances that you anticipate will be difficult such as those that will require prolonged waiting.

Yet another reason to identify early and treat your child’s ADHD. A new study published in the International Journal of  Obesity out of Duke University establishes a link between childhood ADHD and adult obesity as well as hypertension.  The study does not answer the question as to why but supports the ADHD/obesity link and will hopefully lead to more research. Perhaps follow up studies could be performed assessing the degree of difficulty with impulse control and obesity as oppose to hyperactivity or focus. Obesity increases your chances of developing conditions such as heart disease,  diabetes, stroke, cancer, arthritis, gall bladder disease and depression. If you are classified as obese as an adult, do you recall having issues associated with ADHD such as fidgeting and excessive talking, difficulty staying focused and easily distracted as a child? If you have children,  try to recognize the signs of  ADHD early in order to begin treatment as soon as possible. Signs of ADHD include difficulty staying on task, trouble finishing homework, inability to focus on things that one doesn’t like and carelessness. All children have these issues to varying degrees depending on their age, however, if the above begins to interfere with academic and social situations you may want to consult a professional. Our experience had shown Hemispheric Integration Therapy to be an effective drug free alternative to traditional treatment with medication.

Int J Obes (Lond). 2010 Oct 26. [Epub ahead of print]

Association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and obesity and hypertension in early adulthood: a population-based study.

Fuemmeler BF, Ostbye T, Yang C, McClernon FJ, Kollins SH.

Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.