Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is typically treated over extended periods; however, few placebo-controlled, long-term studies of efficacy have been reported. Method: In a global multicenter study, children and adolescents who responded to an initial 12-week, open-label period of treatment with atomoxetine, a…

This article describes the views of author and therapist David Nylund on working with children and adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this interview, Nylund shares his views on how pathologizing language can interfere with the bringing forth of the inherent skills, knowledge, and talents that parents,…

Objective: To test the hypotheses that in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (1) symptoms of ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and overall functioning are significantly improved by methylphenidate combined with intensive multimodal psychosocial treatment compared with methylphenidate alone and with methylphenidate…

This short commentary synthesises all of the articles presented in Volume 53, Special Issues 1 and 2 of the "International Journal of Disability, Development and Education" and identifies some common themes among them. It also links some of the research findings to the influential International Consensus Statement on Attention Deficit…

Like many childhood disorders, prevalence rates of AD/HD differ significantly across gender, with male-to-female ratios ranging from 2:1 to 9:1 depending on the sample (APA, 1994). Limited research has been conducted thus far in an effort to better understand these differential prevalence rates. However, it has been proposed that the current…

In 2007, the Supreme Court heard a case that involved the question of whether a school district could be required to reimburse parents who unilaterally placed their child in private school when the child had not previously received special education and related services in a public institution ("Board of Education v. Tom F."). The…

This study examined the relationship between sensory deficits and externalizing behavior problems in preschool children. Parents of 179 urban, Latino preschool children completed two parent-report measures, the Short Sensory Profile (SSP), as a checklist for sensory symptoms, and the Achenbach Checklist for Ages 1 1/2-5 (CBCL/1 1/2-5) to assess…

This study was designed to explore the placebo-controlled effects of risperidone on cognitive-motor processes, dyskinetic movements, and behavior in children receiving maintenance risperidone therapy. Sixteen children aged 4-14 years with disruptive behavior were randomly assigned to drug order in a crossover study of risperidone and placebo for 2…

The full 2010 survey results are reported in "Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975;2010: Volume I, Secondary School Students". That monograph contains a description of MTF's design and purposes, as well as extended reporting on substance use of all kinds, licit and illicit, and a number of related factors such as…

This article takes a relational approach to childhood to focus on the discourse surrounding children's "hyperactive" bodies, currently defined as children with Attention Deficit Hyperactvity Disorder (ADHD). Based on analyses of articles in the major women's magazines and professional journals for teachers, published in Flanders from…

The FDA committees and the manufacturers of the most common ADHD drugs have recently modified the prescription information to include warnings on sudden death, serious cardiovascular events, and suicidal ideation. The purpose of this article was to document the association between traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, and ADHD and to clarify the…

Objective: To assess the utility and tolerability of higher than standard atomoxetine doses to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Two randomized, double-blind trials of atomoxetine nonresponders ages 6 to 16 years were conducted comparing continued treatment with same-dose atomoxetine to treatment using greater than…

This review discusses the laboratory and clinical research supporting the rationale for the efficacy of donepezil (Aricept[R] USA) in enhancing cognition in autism, Alzheimer disease, Down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and schizophrenia. While preliminary animal models have shown effective,…

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder in childhood with established problems in cognitive control and associated fronto-striatal circuitry. More recently, fronto-cerebellar circuits have been implicated in this disorder. Both of these circuits are important in predicting the occurrence…

Objective: According to the DSM-IV TR, approximately 3 to 7% of school-age children meet the criteria for ADHD. However, there is a common conception that ADHD is overdiagnosed. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the evidence for and against overdiagnosis. Method: Recent prevalence studies and research on factors affecting diagnostic…