What happens to a child’s ADHD symptoms over time? Studies show that approximately 40-60% of children with ADHD will become adults with ADHD. However there is relief for parents wondering how they will keep up with their very active ADHD child through the years. The ADHD symptoms that do typically improve with age are the hyperactive and impulsive symptoms. It’s the fidgety, can’t-sit-still kids who will show the greatest decrease in symptoms with maturity. This is the reason the medical community previously believed that children would “grow out of” the disorder. It is now clear that is not the case.

Recent research confirms prior studies that it is the inattentive, daydreamy ADD types who are most likely to continue to struggle with symptoms into adulthood, particularly if they also suffer from depression or anxiety. These inattentive symptoms are the ones which often go unrecogized given the lack of outwardly physical or behavioral signs. As adults these individuals may continue to find it difficult to focus at work or follow through on everyday tasks.

Interestingly changes in symptoms with age do not seem to differ between groups of ADHD kids who took medications and those that did not. This is an important statistic since we know that over 60% of children in the U.S. are medicated at some point for their ADHD. The attached article describes additional research on tracking ADHD symptoms over time both in the U.S. and Finland.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-adhd28jan28,1,5908673.story?ctrack=3&cset=true

There was recently an article in New York Times magazine on brain fitness tools. Below is my response to the authors. Though there are many brain training programs with little to no research data, we at ADD Health and Wellness we have been successfully using the Cogmed program on training working memory skills and attention. The Cogmed program does have significant research support in addition to the positive feedback from thousands of clients. Feel free to give us a call with questions on Cogmed and the proven benefits of brain training.

Theresa Cerulli, M.D.
Neuropsychiatrist

Dear Editor,
I’d like to applaud Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang for throwing some cold water on the current brain fitness craze in last week’s Opinion Editorial “Exercise on the Brain.” They are correct in labeling the host of “mental fitness” products that target aging baby boomers as “inspired by science — not to be confused with actually proven by science.”
For the last 30 years, terms like “brain plasticity” have been widely and casually used, creating hype that risks drowning out the real breakthroughs that brain researchers are making in this area. 
It is important to distinguish the “mental fitness” trend that Aamodt and Wang rightly criticize from actual researched-based cognitive training. Unlike “mental fitness” programs, cognitive training programs focus very narrowly on specific cognitive functions that research has shown to be plastic. This is in stark contrast to compiling a smattering of exercises or activities that are generally thought to be good for the brain, but lack true scientific research and are ultimately ineffective. Cognitive training does not claim to be for everyone—only those who experience deficits in specific cognitive functions that can be improved through persistent training. A qualified clinical professional can determine if and when cognitive training is the right form of intervention.
One type of cognitive training that has proven to be effective is the training of working memory—the ability to hold information in mind for a few seconds. As Aamodt and Wang point out, working memory is a critical component of executive function, a collection of cognitive skills that together allow us to organize, manage and prioritize activities. Training working memory offers more than just improvements in the trained task. Other brain functions such as attention, reading, and problem solving skills also improve with working memory training. (Important research on the effectiveness of working memory training to improve attention and executive functioning was published in Aamondt’s Nature Neuroscience).
In my clinical practice, I have had the pleasure of observing the often dramatic impact of working memory training on the daily lives of many of my patients who struggle with debilitating attention problems. Working memory training is a research-based breakthrough for children and adults with attention deficits, as well as victims of stroke and traumatic brain injury. For clients with executive functioning challenges, working memory training targets these very difficulties which medications so often fail to treat.
Baby boomers need to remain cautious when it comes to the fountain-of-youth promises of the brain fitness programs. The key lies in drawing a clear line between the “mental fitness” fad and proven cognitive training that has been validated repeatedly in the laboratory and in clinical practice.

I am excited to share with you news that the adult version of the Cogmed working memory training program will soon be available in the U.S! Jonas Jendi, CEO of Cogmed, announced that this adult tool for improving focus and concentration should be arriving in the next 2-3 weeks. The Cogmed home-based software program originated in Sweden and is based on the neuroscience research work of Dr. Torkel Klingberg at the Karolinska Institute.  For those of you interested in the science behind working memory training, Dr. Torkel’s website, www.klingberglab.se, posts full journal articles on the benefits of training working memory in multiple conditions such as ADHD, stroke, and normal aging.

Over the past 6 months we at ADD Health and Wellness have had great success with the child version of the software and are pleased to now be able to extend this treatment option to our adult clients as well. Clients completing the program report signficant improvements in attention, learning, and academic skills with this brain training.

The working memory training program offers great flexibility. It can be done -

• in both children and adults
• in person or by phone.
• in individuals with other co-existing condtions or learning disabilities
• in conjunction with multiple other treatment modalities

For a free demo of the software, visit www.Cogmed.com 

Did you know that ADD is almost as heritable as height? Join us and the Rehman family (Kelly, Ben, and Ali) in our Channel 5 Evening News interview on Adult ADD. ADD affects so many families and the genetics are strong. If your child has ADD, the chance of you (a parent) having the condition is 31 – 40%. If you the parent have ADD, your child’s risk for having ADD is over 50%. And if one child in your family has ADD, the risk for their sibling having ADD is 20 – 25%. It’s not surprising there is significant impact on families! In response, we are proud that the community is taking such an interest in our integrated model for diagnosing and treating ADHD for both children and adults. We commonly work with several members in a household to support their needs around counseling, testing, coaching, medication management, academic supports, parent skills training, and nutrition. Here is the Rehman family to share their experience with you.

Here is what The Associated Press is reporting: Researchers are studying a pervasive psychological phenomenon in which oh man we’ve got to finish doing the taxes this weekend …
C’mon, admit it. Your train of thought has derailed like that many times. It’s just mind-wandering. We all do it, and surprisingly often, whether we’re struggling to avoid it or not. Mainstream psychology hasn’t paid much attention to this common mental habit. But a spate of new studies is chipping away at its mysteries and scientists say the topic is beginning to gain visibility. Someday, such research may turn up ways to help students keep their focus on textbooks and lectures, and drivers to keep their minds on the road. It may reveal ways to reap payoffs from the habit. And it might shed light on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which can include an unusually severe inability to focus that causes trouble in multiple areas of life. (more…)

ADHD has risks that reach beyond the classroom. Studies have shown that the impulsive and inattentive symptoms of ADHD can be a particular risk behind the wheel. People with ADHD are more likely to have motor vehicle accidents, speeding tickets, traffic citations, and experience loss of license. I often tell clients to remember there are “side effects” to not using ADHD medications such as greater risk of car accidents, a leading cause of death at a young age. Families and clinicians should together be weighing the risks of using medications with the risks of not using medications, and supportive counseling and education should always be a part of the treatment. A college sophmore with ADHD shares her experience on the dangers of driving without medication in this Washington Post article  http://washingtontimes.com/metro/20070219-110613-7319r.htm

We’ve talked about this a great deal in my couple’s groups, now we are learning that TV can impact all relationships.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Jan 23, 2007 (UPI via COMTEX) — A Purdue University professor in West Lafayette, Ind., says chronic television watching can be harmful to the development of a relationship.

“Some forms of technology, such as cell phones or e-mail, can help relationships survive long distances or busy schedules,” said Glenn Sparks, professor of communication at the university and mass media effects expert. “But other uses, such as chronic television watching, can affect how people communicate in relationships or even keep people from making friends.

“There may be programs we like to watch together, and this is good, but there is a concern that a television that is always on interferes with how we communicate,” Sparks said.

The professor said a reduced amount of talking, listening and eye contact takes place in rooms with TVs on. Sparks suggested that friends and couples make plans to do other activities besides watch TV, such as taking a walk, planning a vacation or playing a game.

“Making a change can mean more than just turning the television off,” he said.

URL: www.upi.com

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

ADHD affects over 8 million adults, of which only approximately 2 million have been diagnosed. Warning signs of adult ADHD include difficulty focusing, procrastination, tuning out in conversations, difficulty completing tasks, restlessness, losing things, disorganization, impulsiveness, quick-tempered, daydreaming, and increased risk-taking behaviors. People with ADHD are generally above average intelligence and can excel with the right supports in place. Finding the right career fit can make all the difference. This news article and video demonstrates one ADHD woman’s success in leaving corporate America to become a children’s party planner. The professions least likely to attract adults with ADHD are bank and retail clerks, media professionals, law enforcement, and attorneys. http://rdu.news14.com/content/headlines/?ArID=98123&SecID=2

This is great news. When I was researching meditation and symptoms of ADHD from a neuropsychological perspective people weren’t as open to hearing the results or nearly as excited as I was. How wonderful that the popular press is catching on… yes, meditation does help with symptoms of ADHD!

NBC4’s Dr. Bruce Hensel reported that for people with Attention Deficit Disorder feelings of being frazzled or stressed out are multiplied. Now there’s an ancient method being studied that seems to be helping people with ADHD, and also those who are just stressed to focus and relax. (more…)