Pre-Drug Heart Checks Urged for ADHD Kids

Like Ritalin with fewer side effects, writes Christie Haskell

(NEWSER) - What do you do when your kid can’t sit still—but you’re concerned about the side effects of Ritalin? One mom offers an unusual remedy that goes against standard medical advice: Give the youngster coffee, she writes at the Stir blog at Cafe Mom . Christie Haskell didn’t want her hyperactive son diagnosed with ADHD, so she tried her own cure: The 7-year-old drinks coffee with breakfast. Ritalin’s “not exactly a shining success story,” but it’s a stimulant, boosting blood flow to the brain and helping people focus. Coffee’s a stimulant, too. More»

Study shows a genetic link for the first time

(NEWSER) - The next time the kid at the table next to you at dinner won’t stop banging his spoon on the table, pause before inwardly berating his parents. He may have ADHD —and a new study shows that, contrary to popular belief, the disorder is not caused by bad parenting or a poor diet filled with sugar and additives. Scientists from Cardiff University say it’s a genetic condition, the Independent reports. More»

(AP) - Calls to poison control centers about teens abusing attention-deficit drugs soared 76% over eight years, a new study shows, highlighting the dangerous consequences of prescription abuse. The calls were from worried parents, emergency room doctors, and others seeking advice on how to deal with side-effects of ADHD drugs, which can include rapid heartbeat and extremely high blood pressure. Four deaths were among cases evaluated in the study. More»

Children, teens who died suddenly likelier to have been on meds that those killed in car crashes

(NEWSER) - A new study suggests that taking ADHD drugs like Ritalin puts young people at a higher risk of sudden cardiac death, WebMd reports. Children in the study who died suddenly and inexplicably were six to seven times likelier to have been taking ADHD medication containing stimulants. More»

(NEWSER) - Only one couple from The Bachelor has actually gotten married. No Apprentice winner has become fabulously wealthy. American Idol produced Taylor Hicks. Reality shows don’t always make good on their real-world promises, and in that way, they’re a lot like clinical drug trials, writes pediatrician Darshak Sanghavi in Slate. A huge new study shows that Ritalin doesn’t really work, for example. More»