Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Children Research Articles

Family screening for neurodevelopmental problems and its associations with child cognitive function enable tailored treatment for childhood obesity.

To identify neurodevelopmental disorders in children with obesity, and investigate associations to cognitive functions as well as parents' self-reported neurodevelopmental problems. Eighty children were included at two outpatient obesity clinics in Sweden 2018-2019. Of these, 50 children without previously diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders were screened, and so were their parents. Children who screened positive for neurodevelopmental problems were referred to a specialised psychiatry unit for further diagnosis. Test results of cognitive functioning were compared with the norm and between study groups by neurodevelopmental diagnoses. Of the screened families, 17/50 children were diagnosed by the psychiatric unit with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 15/82 parents screened positive for neurodevelopmental problems. Having a mother who screened positive for neurodevelopmental problems was associated with child ADHD (p < 0.05). The children's full-scale intelligence quotient (92.86 ± 12.01, p < 0.001) and working memory index (90.62 ± 12.17, p < 0.001) were lower than the norm. Working memory index was lower in children with ADHD compared to without ADHD: 84.76 ± 9.58 versus 94.09 ± 12.29 (p ≤ 0.01). Executive constraints were associated with verbal deviances. Increased awareness is needed about the overlap between neurodevelopmental problems and obesity in obesity clinics.

Parenting Stress in Autistic and ADHD Children: Implications of Social Support and Child Characteristics.

High levels of parenting stress have been detected in mothers of children with Autism (ASD) and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comparing with mothers of typically developing (TD) children. The current study explored the implications of social support (confidant and affective support) and child characteristics (emotional, behavioral and sleep problems) on parenting stress in ASD and ADHD. Furthermore, the differences between mothers of children with autism, ADHD and TD on the studied variables were examined.A total of 120 mothers of 30 TD children, 47 with ASD without intellectual disability and 43 with ADHD collaborated in the study. Significant differences were found between clinical and TD groups in parenting stress, social support, and child characteristics.Correlation analysis in the group with ADHD revealed that parental stress correlated significantly with social support and with children's emotional problems. In the ASD group, parental stress also correlated significantly with children's sleep and behavioral problems. Moreover, multiple regressions showed that confidant support was a significant predictor of parenting stress in both clinical groups.The findings provide new insights to consider social support as a fundamental part of treatments for parenting stress in mothers of children with ASD and ADHD.

Dispensing of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder medications for adults in Aotearoa New Zealand

aim: To report dispensing trends for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand, focussing on adults in order to highlight increasing demand for ADHD treatment by adults and to prompt discussion. method: Demographic and dispensing data for ADHD were obtained from the Pharmaceutical Collection between the years 2006 and 2022. This was stratified according to child (&lt;18 years) and adult (≥18 years) populations. Population dispensing rates for methylphenidate and atomoxetine were calculated. Key findings are reported to reveal demographic and dispensing trends for medication treated ADHD in Aotearoa New Zealand. results: More males are dispensed ADHD medication than females, although this is less evident for adults (54.8% male). Māori adults are dispensed ADHD medication at a lower rate (10.1%) than Māori children (22.9%). There was a 10-fold increase in dispensing of ADHD medication for adults compared to a three-fold increase for children over the study period. New dispensing for adults doubled between 2011 and 2022. conclusion: Medication treatment for adult ADHD is increasing in Aotearoa New Zealand and includes treatment for persisting childhood ADHD and new diagnoses made in adulthood. Despite increases, dispensing rates for ADHD remain lower than prevalence estimates, suggesting a significant treatment gap. Addressing the treatment gap for ADHD may reduce negative effects of ADHD, but wider social influences should also be considered.

Screen time and effects on attention deficient hyperactivity disorder in children - A systematic review

In recent years, screen time exposure and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom interrelations in children have garnered increasing attention. Understanding the screen time’s impact on ADHD has become crucial due to its potential influence on socialization, neurobehavioral development, and the prevalence of ADHD among pediatric populations. Conforming to the guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, a systematic examination was undertaken, centering on research investigating the correlation between screen time and ADHD symptoms in children. The search encompassed databases including MEDLINE (through PubMed), ScienceDirect, Wiley online library, PsycINFO, ERIC, JSTOR, and PsycArticles, utilizing descriptors such as “screen time” and “attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.” The initial search yielded 2480 articles, supplemented by an additional 10 articles from reference searches, resulting in a total of 2480 records. Excluding the duplicates, 1590 articles were screened based on abstracts, of which 130 underwent full-text examination. Ultimately, 15 studies included in this review met the inclusion criteria. These studies, conducted between 2013 and 2023, comprised cross-sectional, longitudinal, and interventional designs, presenting varying associations between screen time and ADHD symptoms across different age groups. The findings from the selected studies depict a complex relationship between screen time exposure and ADHD symptoms in children. While some studies highlight significant correlations between increased screen exposure and ADHD symptoms, others present conflicting results, indicating the need for further research. Understanding these nuances is crucial in formulating targeted interventions and delineating clearer guidelines to manage screen time concerning ADHD in children.

Evaluating Effectiveness of Group Intervention Working on Executive Function for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Introduction:  The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Simon says program (SSP), a strategy-based group intervention program working on executive function (EF) for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods:  A prospective observational cohort study was conducted from December 2021 to July 2022 recruiting 21 SSP participants, either they were on stimulant or not on stimulants, and 12 other ADHD patients who are on stimulant medication only without prior participation in SSP, using convenience sampling method, from Child Development Clinic Hospital Sultan Ismail.  NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Follow Up Scales (VAS) were used to measure its effectiveness and the significance of score differences before and after SSP were assessed using paired sample t-test of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 28.0 software. Results: Total of 33 children participated in the study. From our study, only those participants on behavioural therapy alone showed statistically significant reduction in inattentive score, hyperactivity score and total symptoms score at the third month and sixth month after joining SSP from parents-rated VAS. There were no statistically significant differences in the average VAS performance score for both groups. Conclusion: SSP could be an effective behavioral intervention for children with ADHD children. Limitations included lacking clear generalizability due to the convenience sampling method and potential inter-rater variability.

Genomic Structural Equation Modeling Offers Insight Into Expressive Differences Between Childhood and Late-Diagnosed ADHD

Recent literature on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has identified differences in the genetic influence of age at first diagnosis. In particular, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have found that childhood, persistent, and late-diagnosed categories of ADHD exhibit divergent comorbidity patterns. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that there would be significant differences in genetic risk sharing across childhood and late-diagnosed ADHD with other external traits. The traits selected for analysis included 3 dimensions of risk-taking behavior, Automobile Speeding Propensity, Drinks Per Week, and Number of Sexual Partners, and 4 dimensions of diet-related behavior, Protein Intake, Fat Intake, Carb Intake, and Sugar Intake. Results from Genomic SEM applied to investigate differences in genetic risk sharing with these external traits and the two ADHD subgroups revealed significant differences for number of sexual partners (p = 0.003) and automobile speeding propensity (p = 0.001). Practical implications of these findings are discussed and offer reason to reevaluate the current treatment of ADHD. For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/ng451j94g.

Middle school-based interventions for childhood ADHD

Given that the United States has the highest prevalence rate of child attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the world, the author expands on the findings of Rahim and Geng (2023) that reviews recent evidence on the effectiveness of different interventions currently clinically and experimentally employed to alleviate pediatric ADHD symptoms. Results from the present analyses suggest several options; as the United States Congress considers policy pertinent to children’s education, incorporation of alternative ADHD treatment methods into middle school educational settings may be the catalyst to improve this population’s outcomes in STEM education in relation to their predominant symptoms.

Sleep quality, PIU in adolescents with ADHD. Is there a relationship between sleep quality and problematic internet use in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

AbstractThis research aimed to compare the sleep quality and problematic internet use (PIU) of adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to the group of healthy control. There were 53 ADHD-diagnosed individuals (19 ADHD- combined type, 34 ADHD- inattentive type) in the research population, ages 12 to 18, and 53 healthy adolescents in the control group. A child psychiatrist applied the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) to each case, and sociodemographic information was collected. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) were also applied to all the cases. The Turgay DSM-IV-Based Disruptive Behaviour Disorders, Child and Adolescent Evaluation and Screening Scale (T-DSM-IV-S) was completed by the parents of all the adolescents. The ADHD group's IAT and PSQI total points were found to be statistically significantly higher than those of the healthy control group (p &lt; 0.001). The results of the covariance analysis showed a significant positive correlation between the T-DSM-IV-S subscales and the IAT mood points in the ADHD patients. The T-DSM-IV-S attention deficit points were found to be significantly higher in the ADHD children with PIU (independently of age and gender) compared to those without PIU. The results of the study showed that adolescents with ADHD had greater rates of poor sleep quality and PIU than the control group. The study results also suggested that the severity of the inattentive subtype of ADHD could play a potential role in the development of PIU in children diagnosed with ADHD. Based on this foundation, it is crucial to acknowledge and address poor sleep quality and PIU in adolescents with ADHD.

The underlying neuropsychological and neural correlates of the impaired Chinese reading skills in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Impaired basic academic skills (e.g., word recognition) are common in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The underlying neuropsychological and neural correlates of impaired Chinese reading skills in children with ADHD have not been substantially explored. Three hundred and two children with ADHD (all medication-naïve) and 105 healthy controls underwent the Chinese language skill assessment, and 175 also underwent fMRI scans (84 ADHD and 91 controls). Between-group and mediation analyses were applied to explore the interrelationships of the diagnosis of ADHD, cognitive dysfunction, and impaired reading skills. Five ADHD-related brain functional networks, including the default mode network (DMN) and the dorsal attention network (DAN), were built using predefined regions of interest. Voxel-based group-wise comparisons were performed. The ADHD group performed worse than the control group in word-level reading ability tests, with lower scores in Chinese character recognition (CR) and word chains (WS) (all P < 0.05). With full-scale IQ and sustained attention in the mediation model, the direct effect of ADHD status on the CR score became insignificant (P = 0.066). The underlying neural correlates for the orthographic knowledge (OT) and CR differed between the ADHD and the control group. The ADHD group tended to recruit more DMN regions to maintain their reading performance, while the control group seemed to utilize more DAN regions. Children with ADHD generally presented impaired word-level reading skills, which might be caused by impaired sustained attention and lower IQ. According to the brain functional results, we infer that ADHD children might utilize a different strategy to maintain their orthographic knowledge and character recognition performance.

Effects of an online mindfulness-based program for parents of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a pilot, mixed methods study

ObjectivesOnline mindfulness-based program (MBP) for parents and families especially in clinical population is limited. Engagement and significant dropout are major issues in MBP implementation. This pilot study examined the effects of an online mindfulness-based program (MBP) on parents of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).MethodsA mixed methods study was applied to evaluate the effects of the MBP. A total of 43 parents were recruited and were randomly assigned into intervention group and waitlist control group. The online MBP lasted for 28 days, including 20 psychoeducation videos, homework audio guidance, and four instructor-led online group meetings. Purposive sampling was used to recruit parents who completed the program to share their experiences and suggestions for improving the program in semi-structured online interviews.ResultsQuantitative data showed that participants from the online MBP reported a medium to large effect on the reduction of child ADHD symptoms. In semi-structured interviews, participants reported positive experiences in their help seeking intention, and personal changes, such as emotion regulation and quality attention to their children. Participants further made suggestions for improvement.ConclusionsThe effect of online MBP is promising, and the program should be conducted. A large scale randomized controlled trial should be conducted to investigate the effects of MBP in clinical populations.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05480423.

Clarifying the relationship and analyzing the influential factors of bronchial asthma in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Bronchial asthma is closely related to the occurrence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, which can easily have adverse effects on children's learning and social interactions. Studies have shown that childhood asthma can increase the risk of ADHD and the core symptoms of ADHD. Compared with children with ADHD alone, children with asthma and ADHD are more likely to show high levels of hyperactivity, hyperactive-impulsive and other externalizing behaviors and anxiety in clinical practice and have more symptoms of somatization and emotional internalization. To explore the relationship between ADHD in children and bronchial asthma and to analyze its influencing factors. This retrospective cohort study was conducted at Dongying People's Hospital from September 2018 to August 2023. Children diagnosed with ADHD at this hospital were selected as the ADHD group, while healthy children without ADHD who underwent physical examinations during the same period served as the control group. Clinical and parental data were collected for all participating children, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors for comorbid asthma in children with ADHD. Significant differences were detected between the ADHD group and the control group in terms of family history of asthma and allergic diseases, maternal complications during pregnancy, maternal use of asthma and allergy medications during pregnancy, maternal anxiety and depression during pregnancy, and parental relationship status (P < 0.05). Out of the 183 children in the ADHD group, 25 had comorbid asthma, resulting in a comorbidity rate of 13.66% (25/183), compared to the comorbidity rate of 2.91% (16/549) among the 549 children in the control group. The difference in the asthma comorbidity rate between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that family history of asthma and allergic diseases, maternal complications during pregnancy, maternal use of asthma and allergy medications during pregnancy, maternal anxiety and depression during pregnancy, and parental relationship status are independent risk factors increasing the risk of comorbid asthma in children with ADHD (P < 0.05). Children with ADHD were more likely to have comorbid asthma than healthy control children were. A family history of asthma, adverse maternal factors during pregnancy, and parental relationship status were identified as risk factors influencing the comorbidity of asthma in children with ADHD. Clinically, targeted interventions based on these factors can be implemented to reduce the risk of comorbid asthma. This information is relevant for results sections of abstracts in scientific articles.

A Nomogram for Predicting ADHD and ASD in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Objectives: To enhance the early detection of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by leveraging clinical variables collected at child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Methods: This study included children diagnosed with ADHD and/or ASD (n = 857). Three logistic regression models were developed to predict the presence of ADHD, its subtypes, and ASD. The analysis began with univariate logistic regression, followed by a multicollinearity diagnostic. A backward logistic regression selection strategy was then employed to retain variables with p < 0.05. Ethical approval was obtained from the local ethics committee. The models' internal validity was evaluated based on their calibration and discriminative abilities. Results: The study produced models that are well-calibrated and validated for predicting ADHD (incorporating variables such as physical activity, history of bone fractures, and admissions to pediatric/psychiatric services) and ASD (including disability, gender, special education needs, and Axis V diagnoses, among others). Conclusions: Clinical variables can play a significant role in enhancing the early identification of ADHD and ASD.

Emotion dysregulation and depressive symptoms mediate the association between inhibitory control difficulties and aggressive behaviour in children with ADHD.

Impulsive aggressive behaviour, although not a core symptom, is often part of the clinical presentation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recently, impulsive aggression has been attributed to emotion dysregulation, which is currently conceptualised as a transdiagnostic factor and seems to contribute to the co-occurrence of other problems in ADHD. Thus, this study investigated the presence of impulsive aggressive behaviour and explored whether emotion dysregulation mediates the relationship between inhibitory control difficulties and aggressive behaviour in children with ADHD. Because ADHD may act as a risk factor for the development of other conditions, such as internalising problems, we aimed to understand whether depressive symptoms contribute to this relationship. Seventy-two children were recruited from a hospital and the community, 38 of whom had ADHD and 34 were typically developing (TD). Parents completed the Child Behaviour Checklist, the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and the Emotion Regulation Checklist. Simple mediation and serial mediation models were performed to test our hypotheses. Aggressive behaviour was significantly higher in ADHD children compared to TD children. Emotion dysregulation fully mediated the relationship between inhibitory control difficulties and aggressive behaviour in ADHD children. Adding depressive symptoms to the model increased the explained variance in aggressive behaviour. The main result of our study supports the role of emotion dysregulation and depressive symptoms in mediating the relationship between inhibitory control difficulties and impulsive aggressive behaviour in children with ADHD. This highlights that aggressive behaviour is, in part, a result of the inability of the child to appropriately regulate their emotions. Future interventions may be tailored to improve emotion regulation skills to address aggressive behaviour.

Maternal asthma and asthma exacerbation during pregnancy and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring: a population-based cohort study.

The link between inflammatory disorders, such as asthma, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is attracting increasing attention but few studies have examined cross-generational associations. We sought to examine associations of maternal asthma and asthma exacerbation during pregnancy, as well as paternal asthma, with the risk of ADHD in children. This population-based cohort study used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from 2004 to 2017. Cox regression models compared the risk of ADHD in children of parents with and without asthma, adjusting for parental sociodemographic, physical, and mental health conditions, as well as the child's birth weight, and number of births. A sibling control approach was employed to compensate for unmeasured confounders of asthma exacerbation during pregnancy. In the fully adjusted models, maternal and paternal asthma were both significantly associated with an increased risk of ADHD in offspring, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.36 (1.31-1.40) and 1.10 (1.05-1.14), respectively. Acute asthma exacerbation during pregnancy was not associated with the risk of further offspring ADHD (adjusted HR 1.00, 95% CI: 0.75-1.34). Both maternal and paternal asthma are associated with an increased risk of ADHD in offspring. The risk was higher from maternal asthma. However, no such association was found with maternal asthma exacerbation during pregnancy of sibling comparison.

Identifying Risk Factors for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a Public Health Concern and Opportunity.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders with significant individual and societal negative impacts of the disorder continuing into adulthood (Danielson et al. inJournal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, in press; Landes and London in Journal of Attention Disorders 25:3-13, 2021). Genetic and environmental risk (e.g., modifiable exposures such as prenatal tobacco exposure and child maltreatment) for ADHD is likely multifactorial (Faraone et al. in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 128:789-818, 2021). However, the evidence for potentially modifiable contextual risks is spread across studies with different methodologies and ADHD criteria limiting understanding of the relationship between early risk factors and later childhood ADHD. Using common methodology across six meta-analyses (Bitsko et al. in Prevention Science, 2022; Claussen et al. in Prevention Science 1-23,2022; Dimitrov et al. in Prevention Science, 2023; Maher et al. in Prevention Science, 2023; Robinson, Bitskoet al. in Prevention Science, 2022; So et al. in Prevention Science, 2022) examining 59 risk factors for childhood ADHD, the papers in this special issue use a public health approach to address prior gaps in the literature. This introductory paper provides examples of comprehensive public health approaches focusing on policy, systems, and environmental changes across socio-ecological contexts to improve health and wellbeing through prevention, early intervention, and support across development using findings from these meta-analyses. Together, the findings from these studies and a commentary by an author independent from the risk studies have the potential to minimize risk conditions, prioritize prevention efforts, and improve the long-term health and wellbeing of children and adults with ADHD.

Neonatal Risk Factors for ASD and ADHD and Therapeutic Regimens for their Management in Children and AdolescentSD and ADHD?

Background:  Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are both neurodevelopmental disorders that affect children early in life. Both conditions have a complicated origin. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the neonatal complications linked with ASD and ADHD and to outline the utilization of psychotropic medications in the management of children and adolescents with ASD. Methods: This study was conducted from January to April 2022 at the National Center for Autism/Medical City Complex in Baghdad. It involved 120 children with neurodevelopmental disorders and 120 control participants. A questionnaire was used to collect the data, which was then analyzed using SPSS 25. Results: Five perinatal factors have significant associations with child behavioral disorders, as indicated by a P-value of less than 0.05. These factors are Low birth weight (LBW), newborn complications, preterm birth, being the last child, and children delivered via a cesarean section. Additionally, the types of behavioral disorders have significant associations with the use of psychotropic medications. Around 50% of children with both ASD and ADHD, as well as children with ADHD alone, have used psychotropic medications. By comparison, only about 27% of children with ASD have used these medications. Conclusions: Neonatal risk factors may be linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. Medications are used to manage ASD and ADHD in children and youth.

Increased Serum Terminal Complements Complex Levels in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Children.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a widespread neuropsychiatric disorder in both children and adolescents, which is associated with social isolation and poor academic performance. Complement proteins are regarded as a major player in inflammation and disease development for several neuropsychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia and bipolar diseases. As clarified by previous data, increased levels of complement molecules and other immunological markers as cytokines were demonstrated in these disorders. Limited studies have investigated complement proteins particularly terminal complement complex or membrane attack complex (C5b-9) among ADHD patients. The present research aims to elucidate the association between C5b-9 complex protein and ADHD. This is a cross-sectional study. Sera were collected from Al-Hussain Teaching Medical City in Holy Karbala, Iraq, during 2019-2020. Sera were tested for C5-b9 using commercial kits by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In 90 participants included in the study, a significant increment in C5b-9 levels among ADHD patients (P=0.019) was observed. Patients with positive C5b-9 levels had a 2.76 times higher risk of developing ADHD than control subjects. The diagnostic utility for C5b-9 was statistically significant with 71.11% sensitivity, 55.6% specificity, and a high negative predictive value (97.3%). The study concluded elevation of the C5b-9 terminal complements complex levels in ADHD patients, which could point to the association of complement proteins as inflammatory markers with the ADHD disease process.

Exploring autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD) in children exposed to polybrominated biphenyl.

Although the causes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism have not been identified, exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as polybrominated biphenyl (PBB), during fetal development and early life has been suspected to impact neurological development. This study aims to investigate the association between prenatal and early life exposure to PBB and the development of ADHD and autism later in life. Data from the Michigan PBB Registry, a cohort of Michigan residents who had been exposed to PBB in a mass contamination event in 1973, was leveraged for this nested case-control analysis among two distinct samples: (1) Those who self-reported ADHD or autism diagnosis, and (2) mothers who reported their child's ADHD or autism diagnosis. PBB exposure was measured in participants of the PBB Registry, and the mother's PBB level was used in mother-reported analyses. Cases were matched with controls by sex and year of birth. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between PBB level and case status. PBB levels were higher among those who were exposed in early life compared with those exposed in utero (geometric mean: 0.300 ng/ml vs. 0.016 ng/ml). Among women in this cohort, a higher than expected proportion of self-reported ADHD diagnosis (11.11%), compared with population estimates. PBB was not associated with ADHD or autism in either self-reported or mother-reported analyses. This study adds to the sparse literature about prenatal and early life exposure to PBB-153 and ADHD and autism. Future studies should examine potential effect modification by sex.

Lifelong greenspace exposure and ADHD in Polish children: Role of physical activity and perceived neighbourhood characteristics

Previous research found a protective association between greenspace exposure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis, but previous studies did not investigate mediatory pathways involving child physical activity (PA) and environmental perceptions. Here, we examined the association between lifelong exposure to greenspace and ADHD diagnosis and potential underlying mechanisms (i.e., perceived greenspace, PA, neighbourhood social cohesion, and neighbourhood safety) in children aged 10-13 with and without ADHD. The sample (N = 689) was collected within the NeuroSmog case-control study, where children with (N = 203) and without ADHD (N = 486) were recruited from 18 towns in Southern Poland. ADHD diagnosis was ascertained according to the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision criteria. Greenspace exposure was defined as the percentage of grass and tree cover in 500 m and 1 km buffers around lifelong residential addresses, respectively. Parents reported information about the availability of domestic garden and data on potential mediators was collected with questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used to examine hypothesized pathways, and their interplay, linking the three greenspace measures to ADHD. We found that greenspace was indirectly related to ADHD diagnosis: tree cover was positively related to PA, and PA was subsequently negatively related to ADHD diagnosis. Tree cover and garden were both associated with higher levels of perceived greenspace, which in turn related to stronger perceptions of neighbourhood social cohesion. Our findings suggest that exposure to greenspace may lead to lower likelihood of ADHD diagnosis indirectly through PA. These findings highlight how providing children with better access to natural environments for PA may support normal neurodevelopment.

Effect of methylphenidate on behavior of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) children during dental treatment

Effect of methylphenidate on behavior of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) children during dental treatment