DrugWatch.com is a comprehensive Web site containing information about many medications, including common prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs available worldwide. The Web site features an A-Z index of the medications, making it easy for patients to find information about specific drugs, such as Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, and Concerta, which are commonly used to treat ADD and ADHD. Read more of the article...

I Think Everybody is Really Good at Something

Summary: As I was reading an economics blog I came across a link to this article that I would highly recommend to all of you who are parents or teachers of ADHD students, Aspergers students, or others with “learning differences.” Even though the article is about an investment strategist, I really think this article offers a more valuable commodity: HOPE.

http://www.vanityfair.com/business/features/2010/04/wall-street-excerpt-...

I have written a lot in the past about those with ADHD being easily distracted or bored with tasks or subjects that just do not interest them, but that if they find something that is interesting to them “the house could burn down around them and they wouldn’t notice” because they can get so focused on the task or subject. Then, typically I have focused on ways to help the ADHD student or adult get the boring or uninteresting task done: classroom interventions, organizational skills, motivation, our eating program, Attend and Memorin, medications, and so on.

But today it occurred to me that I don’t often write about the potential gift of being able to focus on the tasks that one finds interesting “even if the house is burning down around you.” Read more of the article...

The Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) released the first-ever biomonitoring report identifying toxic chemical pollution in people from the learning and developmental disability community. Mind, Disrupted: How toxic chemicals may affect how we think and who we are examines 61 toxic chemicals present in project participants in the context of rising rates of autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other learning and developmental disabilities. Read more of the article...

Early Reports on Intuniv for ADHD

Intuniv is a new medication for the treatment of ADHD in children and teens that just recently gained its approval from the FDA and was available to pharmacies in early November, 2009.

Intuniv is not a stimulant medication, and may be helpful to the estimated 25-30% of children with ADHD who do not benefit from stimulant medications. Instead, Intuniv is a form of Guanfacine (Tenex) which has been used for years as a blood pressure medication in adults, and has also been used as an adjunct medication in the treatment of ADHD individuals with temper or anger problems, or oppositional defiant disorder. Now in the form of Intuniv, this medication seems to have a wider range of symptoms that benefit from its use than just anger or oppositional behavior.

It appears that Intuniv (guanfacine) works in the pre-frontal cortex Read more of the article...

What is INTUNIV for ADHD?

The active ingredient in INTUNIV is Guanfacine, normally thought of as the blood pressure medicine Tenex. INTUNIV is not a blood pressure medication, however. It is approved for the treatment of ADHD.

INTUNIV is not a stimulant, and its action on the brain is different than stimulants. INTUNIV is another ADHD medication from Shire Pharmaceuticals, where they seem to insist that all of their medications are spelled in all capital letters. Shire also makes and distributes ADDERALL XL, DAYTRANA, and VYVANSE. And since the sales of Adderall XR have been undercut by Teva's generic Adderall, and the sales of Vyvanse have been disappointing, Shire is hopeful that Intuniv will bolster its place in the ADHD marketplace. Read more of the article...

What is INTUNIV for ADHD?

The active ingredient in INTUNIV is Guanfacine, normally thought of as the blood pressure medicine Tenex. INTUNIV is not a blood pressure medication, however. It is approved for the treatment of ADHD.

INTUNIV is not a stimulant, and its action on the brain is different than stimulants. INTUNIV is another ADHD medication from Shire Pharmaceuticals, where they seem to insist that all of their medications are spelled in all capital letters. Shire also makes and distributes ADDERALL XL, DAYTRANA, and VYVANSE. And since the sales of Adderall XR have been undercut by Teva's generic Adderall, and the sales of Vyvanse have been disappointing, Shire is hopeful that Intuniv will bolster its place in the ADHD marketplace. Read more of the article...

Can Excessive Video Game Playing Cause Attention Problems?

Yes, its just like you thought. The more your child or teen sits around watching TV or playing video games, the more at risk they will be for learning problems and attention problems. We have written about this before, and not to much has changed except that the research is starting to show up to validate what parents have known for years now. Read more of the article...

ADHD is a neurological disorder that impacts between 5% and 9% of children, teens, and even adults. Over the years, as more pharmaceutical companies enter the market, and more medications are developed, there has been a signficiant increase int he use of ADHD medications - and a recent study suggests an increase in the misuse of such medications. Read more of the article...

I recently received this letter from a parent which touches on all of the issues involved in the diagnosis of childhood behavior disorders such as ADHD. Look at all of the issues involved: divorced parents, lifestyle of one of the parents, mood swings, inattention, tics, meds that don't work, and more. My heart goes out to this dad and his child: Read more of the article...