scholarly journals The Relationship between Food Insecurity and Symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children: A Summary of the Literature

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 659
Author(s):  
Stacy Lu ◽  
Leanna Perez ◽  
Abby Leslein ◽  
Irene Hatsu

Food insecurity is a major public health concern characterized by an individual or household lacking access to adequate food to support a healthy lifestyle. Food insecurity has been associated with predisposing or exacerbating mental health symptoms in children. However, the evidence is scarce with regards to Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children. The purpose of this review is to summarize and identify gaps in the existing literature, as well as to explore associations between food insecurity and symptoms of childhood ADHD. Literature for this review was pulled from Ovid MEDLINE and PubMed library databases, with a focus on food insecurity, food insufficiency, hunger, and ADHD symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in children. The limited evidence to date shows a predictive and inverse relationship between childhood experience of food insecurity and symptoms of ADHD, with lasting impacts into adulthood. Evidence exists to hypothesize that childhood food insecurity is associated with predisposing or exacerbating ADHD symptoms in children, yet the literature needed to confirm this relationship is scarce and utilizes inconsistent methodology. Future research is needed to further characterize this complex relationship and inspire community or public health interventions addressing food insecurity in children with ADHD. Additionally, it may be clinically useful to routinely screen for food insecurity when assessing pediatric ADHD symptoms.

2015 ◽  
pp. 229-239

Purpose: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a serious health concern. Not only has ADHD been implicated as factors of academic performance in school children, it has been positively correlated with delinquency and drug use. Likewise, convergence insufficiency (CI) has been correlated with ADHD. Vision Therapy (VT) has recently been shown to improve both symptoms and clinical objective measures of CI. The purpose of this study was to study the effect of VT on visual symptoms and clinical measures for children with symptomatic CI and also ADHD. Methods: A total of 1,090 children attending grades 1 to 6 in one primary school completed a visual symptom checklist. Their parents also completed a checklist of ADHD symptoms. One hundred eighty eight children were visually symptomatic. Of these, 123 were eligible for clinical testing and agreed to participate in the study and subsequently received comprehensive eye/vision examinations. Thirty one of the children exhibited CI and some of these (N=13) also exhibited ADHD. A therapy group (N=15) underwent a 12-week therapy program and was then compared to a control group (N=16). Pearson correlations were calculated to assess if visual symptoms and/or ADHD symptoms were related to academic scores in reading or mathematics. Odds ratios were calculated to determine the prevalence of symptomatic CI subjects and children with ADHD symptoms, when compared to non-symptomatic children. Results: Visual symptoms and ADHD symptoms were negatively correlated with academic scores for both reading and mathematics. Children with ADHD symptoms were 9-times more likely to have visual symptoms than children without ADHD symptoms. Likewise, ADHD children were 30-times more likely to have CI than children without ADHD symptoms. Visual and ADHD symptom scores, and objective visual measures were statistically improved after 12 weeks of therapy. Conclusion: ADHD and CI are correlated. Further, VT improved visual symptoms, ADHD symptoms and clinical signs of CI in those children with CI and ADHD. Both visual symptoms and ADHD symptoms negatively affected school achievement.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Riki Sukiandra

Attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with childhood epilepsy. Epilepsy are themost common neurologic disturbance in child age. Children with epilepsy tend to get one or more ADHD symptoms,its related to lack of norepinephrine neurotransmitter in brain, that cause attenuate the effect of GABA and disruptionto fronto-striatal brain networks, these same brain networks are disrupted by seizures or the structural brainabnormalities that can cause seizures. Children with epilepsy especially absance, tend to get inattentive type ofADHD more than other types. Abnormalities of electro-encephalography found in inattentive type of ADHD withhigh focus activities in all lobe area. No data published that methylphenidate can lower seizure threshold or act asproconvulsant. Children with epilepsy tend to get one or more symptoms of ADHD in the following days.


2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-283
Author(s):  
Mihail Silviu Tudosie ◽  
Elena Truta ◽  
Ana Maria Davitoiu ◽  
Luminita Stanciulescu ◽  
George Jinescu ◽  
...  

During one year (september 2013 � september 2014), 50 children from the residential institution for children SOS Satele Copiilor Bucharest, where included in our research. The children were distributed in two groups: Group A which consisted of 25 children (12 girls, 13 boys) who were not diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Group B which consisted of 25 children (14 boys, 11 girls) who were diagnosed with ADHD. Initially, the two groups were subjected at a psycho-diagnostic battery of tests, one of them being the Evaluating the Health State of children with ADHD questionnaire elaborated by us, particularly for this research, with the purpose of highlighting the direct link between the children health state and their ADHD symptoms. This study sought to determine the concentration of copper in urine samples from a group of children with ADHD and a group of normal children, to highlight the role of copper in the development of ADHD symptoms. Levels of copper concentration in urine samples from the two groups were processed by Student�s t-Test. Statistical analysis showed that the arithmetic averages of copper concentration in urine samples, of the two groups do not differ significantly, so copper may be causing ADHD symptoms occur. The copper content in urine samples has been determined using atomic absorption spectrometry with graphite furnace.


Author(s):  
Karen Bearss ◽  
Aaron J. Kaat

This chapter will review the available evidence on individuals with co-occurring diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This chapter contends that children diagnosed with both disorders (ASD+ADHD) are a subset of the ASD population that is at risk for delayed recognition of their ASD diagnosis, poor treatment response, and poorer functional outcomes compared to those with ASD without ADHD. Specifically, the chapter highlights the best estimates of the prevalence of the comorbidity, the developmental trajectory of people with co-occurring ASD and ADHD, how ADHD symptoms change across development, overlapping genetic and neurobiological risk factors, psychometrics of ADHD diagnostic instruments in an ASD population, neuropsychological and functional impairments associated with co-occurring ASD and ADHD, and the current state of evidence-based treatment for both ASD and ADHD symptoms. Finally, the chapter discusses fruitful avenues of research for improving understanding of this high-risk comorbidity so that mechanism-to-treatment pathways for ADHD in children with ASD can be better developed.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 320-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Kent ◽  
Joseph C. Blader ◽  
Harold S. Koplewicz ◽  
Howard Abikoff ◽  
Carmel A. Foley

Objective. This study evaluated the effects on behavior and sleep of methylphenidate (MPH) administered at 4 PM to children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methodology. Twelve children admitted to a child psychiatric inpatient service with ADHD participated in a double-blind, crossover study in which they received a 4 PM dose of either 15 mg of MPH, 10 mg of MPH, or a placebo in random order for 12 consecutive days. Ratings of behavior, including ADHD symptoms, pertaining to the period from dose administration until sleep onset, were supplied nightly by hospital staff. Sleep latency and sleep adequacy were also assessed for each night. Results. MPH resulted in markedly improved behavioral control compared with placebo; there was no difference between 15-mg and 10-mg MPH doses. MPH did not alter sleep latencies observed with the placebo. Children were more often rated as less tired on awakening after nights that they received 10 mg of MPH compared with 15 mg of MPH and the placebo. Weight loss was apparent among 83% of the patients, but dinner intake did not vary with third-dose condition. Conclusions. Morning and noon administration of stimulants to children with ADHD is a near-universal practice, but many clinicians avoid a third, late-afternoon administration for fear of inducing insomnia. This study's findings show that children with ADHD derive substantial symptom reduction from MPH administered in late afternoon, with no untoward effects on sleep. Therefore, three-times-a-day dosing should be considered for those children exhibiting ADHD symptoms in the evening. Adverse effects on sleep latency were not apparent in the sample overall. Nonetheless, monitoring for possible aggravation of sleep problems and weight loss remains sound treatment practice.


Author(s):  
Steven W. Evans ◽  
Julie S. Owens ◽  
W. John Monopoli ◽  
Kari Benson

Youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder experience impairment across multiple domains of functioning, with the characteristics changing with age. Thus, assessment and treatment must be appropriate for the home and school and relevant to the child’s developmental level. This chapter reviews effective assessment strategies for use with children and adolescents. Psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents are discussed separately, as the approaches with each group differ substantially. For children, strategies with a strong evidence base are described, and innovations and treatment modifications that have been examined recently are showcased. For adolescents, the results of the few randomized clinical trials conducted with this population are reviewed. A theoretical model for how to sequence treatments (i.e., intervention, medication, accommodations) for youth is referenced, and two case studies highlight this model, as well some of the new findings described in this chapter. Implications and recommendations for future research and practice are provided.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 221-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Galéra ◽  
J. Salla ◽  
I. Montagni ◽  
S. Hanne-Poujade ◽  
R. Salamon ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground:The contribution of mental health to the risk of smoking is increasingly acknowledged but still insufficiently studied during the key period of student life. In particular, the simultaneous action of stress and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms on the risk of smoking remains poorly understood.Aims:To assess the effects of stress and ADHD symptoms on tobacco smoking.Method:Multivariate modeling was conducted on the French i-Share study (n = 8110, median age 20.3 years, 74.8% females, 32.9% regular/occasional smokers) to evaluate the associations between stress, ADHD symptoms and tobacco smoking, adjusting for potential family/socio-demographic confounders.Results:Students with high levels of stress were more likely to smoke > 10 cigarettes/day (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.48, 95% CI: 1.12–1.96) than those with low levels of stress. Students with high levels of ADHD symptoms were more likely to smoke > 10 cigarettes/day (aOR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.58–2.75) than those with low levels of ADHD symptoms.Conclusions:Stress and ADHD contribute independently to the risk of smoking. Interventions targeting each condition are likely to reduce the burden of tobacco use in students.


2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 1601-1612 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Park ◽  
J.-M. Lee ◽  
J.-W. Kim ◽  
J. H. Cheong ◽  
H. J. Yun ◽  
...  

Background.Previous studies have implicated the relationship between environmental phthalate exposure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms of childhood, but no studies have been conducted in children who have a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD obtained through meticulous diagnostic testing. We aimed to determine whether phthalate metabolites in urine would be higher in children with ADHD than in those without ADHD and would correlate with symptom severity and cortical thickness in ADHD children.Method.A cross-sectional examination of urine phthalate metabolite concentrations was performed; scores for ADHD symptoms, externalizing problems, and continuous performance tests were obtained from 180 children with ADHD, and brain-imaging data were obtained from 115 participants. For the control group, children without ADHD (N = 438) were recruited. Correlations between phthalate metabolite concentrations and clinical measures and brain cortical thickness were investigated.Results.Concentrations of phthalate metabolites, particularly the di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolite, were significantly higher in boys with ADHD than in boys without ADHD. Concentrations of the di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) metabolite were significantly higher in the combined or hyperactive-impulsive subtypes compared to the inattentive subtype, and the metabolite was positively correlated with the severity of externalizing symptoms. Concentrations of the DEHP metabolite were negatively correlated with cortical thickness in the right middle and superior temporal gyri.Conclusions.The results of this study suggest an association between phthalate concentrations and both the diagnosis and symptom severity of ADHD. Imaging findings suggest a negative impact of phthalates on regional cortical maturation in children with ADHD.


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