First, I should tell you about the product review I did for another a blog called HomemakerBarbi.com and Oscar Mayer. Click here to see it. It's pretty funny.

Ok. Onto some real issues today.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is something we seem to hear a lot about these days. As a kid, I never heard a word about it, (though I suspect I should have been labeled with ADHD!). According to a study published in the November 4, 2008, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. appears to affect movement in boys more than it does in girls.

One of the most common mental disorders found in children, ADHD symptoms include impulsiveness, hyperactivity, such as not being able to sit still, and inattention or constant daydreaming.

Boys with ADHD and movement control:

Researchers tested the movement abilities of 132 boys and 136 girls between the ages of seven and 15 years. The boys had ADHD and the girls were without the disorder. The children were tested for how fast and how well they could tap their toes, walk on their heels, maintain balance and keep a steady rhythm during a task compared to scores typical for their age.

The study found that both girls with ADHD and the control group without ADHD were twice as likely to be able to control their movements for their age compared to boys with ADHD, who showed continued difficulties.

This suggests that there are differences between boys and girls with ADHD of movement control. This is likely said to be linked to the fact that girls' brains mature earlier than boys' brains.

Boys with ADHD and brain size:

According to the University of Washington website,  “Studies in the past few years have shown that boys with ADHD tend to have brains that are more symmetrical in shape. Three structures in the ADHD boys' brains were smaller than in non-ADHD boys of the same age: prefrontal cortex, caudate nucleus, and the globus pallidus. The prefrontal cortex is thought to be the brain's "command center;" the other two parts translate the commands into action.

New evidence demonstrates that not only are some of the structures slightly different, but the brain may use these areas differently. By taking a brain scan, researchers have noticed that boys with ADHD have an abnormal increase of activity in two structures: the frontal lobe and striatal areas below it. These areas work in part to control voluntary action. So the ADHD boys were working harder to control their impulses than non-ADHD boys. Once given Ritalin, this abnormal activity quieted down. This effect was not seen in the non-ADHD boys. So Ritalin may act differently on ADHD brains compared to "normal" brains.

Although the brain scan, called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), is expensive--about $1500--and may not be covered by insurance, it may provide a more accurate way to diagnose ADHD. As science explores more of the mysteries of the brain, ADHD may be thought of more as a disability or disorder, rather than a behavioral problem.”

Boys, Ritalin and future drug use:

Ritalin, one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for ADHD in children, sparks a debate. Worries about its long-term effects because of how it affects the brain in a way very similar to cocaine, prompts questions such as, Are children who take Ritalin more likely to use illegal drugs in the future? Are they more likely to smoke as adults?

This is not unjustified concern. In rats exposed to stimulants were more likely to help themselves to cocaine. This suggests that some drugs may "prime" a person for future drug use if exposed at an early age.

This is a controversial issue. Some studies show that Ritalin makes people more prone to addiction to certain substances. Others insist that Ritalin users are not more likely to use drugs of any type later in life. Regarding boys, some studies show that boys with ADHD treated with stimulants are less likely to abuse drugs in the future than are boys with ADHD who are not treated.

Boys with ADHD and the need for their fathers

According to Why Boys with ADHD Need Their Dads: Parenting tips from Dr. Larry Silver on why boys with attention deficit disorder benefit from special attention from their fathers by Larry Silver, M.D. “Boys learn what it is like to be a man and how to act like a man primarily from their fathers. Adolescents might look to other males in their life for guidance, but their father is the primary role model. It is critical that they feel that their father understands and accepts them as they are, ADHD and all. They did not ask to be born with hyperactivity, distractibility, and/or impulsivity — but they were.”

Two to three times more boys than girls are affected. On the average, at least one child in every classroom in the United States needs help for the disorder.

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