A University of California, Davis study has found that babies whose mothers are over 40 years old have twice the rate of autism. However, the research team reported that this does not mean that older parents are solely responsible for recent increases in autism cases.

In their report, the researchers noted that while the number of mothers over 40 in California has increased by 300 percent since the 1990s, autism has risen by over 600 percent. Older mothers are less than 5 percent of the population.

The UC study found that babies whose fathers are over 40 have a 59 percent increased risk for autism if their mothers are under 30, but no increased risk if their mothers are over 30 years.

Labels: autism, causes, parents

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Tennessee Reed has written six books. Her latest, Spell Albuquerque is a memoir about her experiences growing up with learning disabilities. She has also written a one-woman play that was produced in her hometown, and shes currently writing a novella.

A Jan. 13 article by Angela Hill of the Oakland Tribune provided the following look at Reed's ability to overcome childhood challenges thanks in large part to the support of her mother and father:

[Reed's literary accomplishments are] not bad for someone who, when she was in kindergarten, was told by teachers and various education experts that her multiple learning disabilities, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, would prevent her from ever reading or writing, much less accomplishing much in life at all.

"Some people have stopped their lives after hearing something like that," Reed, 32, said from her West Oakland home, where she lives with her parents, renowned author Ishmael Reed and choreographer Carla Blank.

"But with my family, that's not our M.O.," Reed said, with a knowing grin. "We don't stop. Since I was a kid, I was always told to write 10 minutes a day. So I wrote journals and poems. It really comes naturally."

Labels: success, parents, writing

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Dr. Richard Zakreski, Ph.D. will host a webinar (an internet-based seminar) on ADHD today (Wednesday, October 28). Dr. Zakreski has been practicing for 25 years, and specializes in treatment of neurodevelopmental and neurochemical disorders, including ADHD.

A release posted on the website pr.com described the webinar as "a must-see presentation for parents and teachers." The webinar will address the symptoms, causes and impact of ADHD on the lives of children and adolescents at home, at school and with their peers. Effective treatments  both environmental and pharmacological  will also be discussed.

There is no charge to participate in the online event, which is scheduled for 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), but participants must register at NJCTS.org.

Labels: parents, teachers, webinar

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Parents who have just been told that their child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can feel overwhelmed, anxious or confused. Unsure what to do next, they may decide to do nothing at all - but advice from parents "who have been there" can be beneficial:

"Turn off the TV, get outside! Nature will help your ADHD kid release pent-up energy and can have a somewhat calming effect. See if you can give them a special job to do outside that is simple - watering plants, feeding outdoor animals, whatever."

Other parents suggest putting away toys and instead playing board games or reading with your child. The decreased stimulation can help a child relax and focus. Also, find a local CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) chapter where you can connect with other parents and receive support and encouragement. Source: About.com

Labels: parents, support, advice

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Residents in and around Princeton, New Jersey, are invited to attend a talk that is being hosted by the Princeton-Mercer chapter of CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). The program is being held Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Riverside Elementary School.

"This talk will focus on helping parents understand the social, emotional and cognitive tasks of adolescents, the inherent challenges for the ADHD teenager and his/her parents, and how a parent can help during adolescence while supporting healthy development."

The program's featured speaker will be Dr. Sharon Press, a licensed psychologist who specializes in the treatment of children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Press has developed and implemented several programs, including some for ADHD children and their parents. Source: The (NJ) Star-Ledger

Labels: parents, support groups

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As of 2007, 1.5 million parents were home schooling their children - a 36 percent increase since 2003, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES).

"There is no reason to believe [the prevalence of homeschooling] would not keep going up," NCES spokesperson Gail Mullin said. In fact, the estimate may be low because homeschooling parents often prefer not to participate in government surveys.

The top reason that parents choose home schools - cited by 88 percent in the survey - is concern about safety, drugs, and peer pressure. The second most prevalent reason, which was cited by 75 percent of homeschooling parents, was dissatisfaction with local academics.

Labels: parents, homeschooling

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Two new studies have shed some additional light on the genetic basis of autism.

Autism, a developmental disorder that affects one in 150 American children, could be similar to Down Syndrome in that the risk for developing the disorder increases with the age of the parents when the child is born.

• The first study, which was led by Dr. Maureen Durkin of the University of Wisconsin, analyzed data on 300,000 U.S. births and 1,200 cases of autism. Dr. Durkin's team found an increased risk of autism among older parents and first-borns.
  
  The autism risk was found to increase by 20 percent for every ten year's increase in parental ages. The ages of the mother and father both mattered.
  
  First-born children were also at increased risk, perhaps because some families stop having children after they find out their first child has special needs. Dr. Durkin also speculated that first-born children might be exposed to more toxins from their mothers' bodies, which can put them at a higher risk for autism.
  
  If a mother is over 35 and a father over 40, their first-born is at triple the risk for autism.
• The second study was from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. John Constantino, M.D., and his colleagues identified two regions of DNA associated with autism.
  
  Dr. Constantino believes that the genetic basis of autism is complex, with many genes and genetic variations contributing to the syndrome.
  
  "Genetic factors tend to interact with one another," he said. "One gene might increase risk by 10 percent, but two genes in proper combination increases it by ten-fold."

Dr. Constantino's study appeared in Biological Psychiatry.

Labels: autism, parents, genetics

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Having a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder doubles your chances of divorcing before that child is eight years old, according to a new study from the University of Buffalo.

ADHD, which affects five percent of American children, has symptoms of hyperactivity, poor impulse control, and poor concentration.

Dr. William Peham and his colleagues examined statistics on 282 parents of teens and young adults with ADHD, and 206 parents of older adolescents without the disorder. He used the children's birth date, not the date of the marriage, to compare the two groups.

About 23 percent of the parents of ADHD children divorced by the time their child was eight years old, compared to only 12.6 percent of the control group. If the child had comorbidities such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder, the risk of divorce was even higher. Once the child turned eight, however, the divorce rate for both groups was not significantly different.

"We know that ADHD children can be very stressful for their parents," Dr. Peham said. He believes that having an ADHD child may cause parents to argue about parenting techniques. Parents should be aware that the symptoms of ADHD often improve as the child grows older, Dr. Peham said, and it may be helpful for them to "think long-term."

This study appeared in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Labels: parents, divorce, strains

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The United Way on Prince Edward Island, Canada, is offering a new counseling program for parents of children with disabilities. The two-year program will offer free counseling services to parents.

"Marylin Balderston, the part-time counselor for the program, told CBC News on Friday that parents of children with ADHD and learning disabilities are more stressed than other parents, but they don't get the support they need and they often don't know where to get it."

The hope is that by supporting parents with guidance, stress management tips, and help with children's behavioral issues, the program will ultimately be supporting the kids. Source: CBC News

Labels: behavior, parents, support

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Those living in or around Egan, Minn., may benefit from an ADHD support group that's meeting Thursday, August 21st at Trinity Evangelical Free Church.

"This quarterly support group provides encouragement, support and information parents can put into practice to help their child. Learn how to seek help, what questions to ask, how other parents are dealing with it and what can be done in the home and school environments."

There is no cost to attend, and the meeting features two young adults who will share their experiences of growing up with ADHD. Source: AM980 KKMS

Labels: parents, support groups, meetings

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New Zealand is observing an ADD/ADHD Awareness Week which began today.

"'For many children, young people and families, the issues around ADD/ADHD are normal family and parenting issues but manifested in a more intense form,' said [Ruth] Dyson. 'Parents respond to this by engaging in support services, parenting courses, counseling and alternative treatments in addition to or instead of healthcare interventions.'"

Events and seminars are planned throughout the week and will include pediatricians, doctors, counselors, and more. Source: Independent News

Labels: parents, awareness, families

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Dartmouth social worker Jennifer Marszalek is one of only nine practitioners in Massachusetts who teaches parents about the "Nurtured Heart Approach" to working with ADD/ADHD children. The approach is based on minimizing punishment and emphasizing positive behavior.

"Impossible as it may seem at first glance, the nurtured heart approach insists that adults avoid 'energizing the moment' when a child is acting negatively, and reserve that reinforcement for circumstances when the child is behaving well. 'It's really a skill to find what's working well. The whole trick is creating success, not waiting for it to happen.'"

Mrs. Marszalek will offer this and other programs throughout the summer at the Summer Institute. Source: South Coast Today

Learn about boarding schools for Aspergers Syndrome children at AspergersBoardingSchools.com.

Labels: behavior, parents, teachers

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Parents whose children are diagnosed as "special needs" often experience initial feelings of shock and confusion. These feelings are normal and understandable, but parents should be careful not to "live" there.

"After the initial shock of discovering your child is unique and special, change your focus from one of despair to gently starting to see it as an opportunity to learn how to help you and your child to explore and discover more about themselves... Some parents will always focus on the difficulties and grieve their child's lost potential compared to others, but I challenge you to see beyond the diagnosis...".

If your child has recently been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, give yourself some time to adjust to this new reality. Take time to develop an understanding of the diagnosis and avoid making any quick or rash decisions. Read more at Ecademy.com.

Talisman offers summer camps for children with special needs across the country. Find a program for your special needs child at www.TalismanCamps.com.

Labels: parents, diagnosis, special-needs

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Shortly after Allison started kindergarten, she was diagnosed with, among other things, Attention Deficit Disorder. Over the years, as her parents have helped her adapt, study, and grow; as they've advocated for her education  they've discovered a myriad of strengths in amongst her few weaknesses.

"She is wonderfully empathetic, the first one to offer soothing words to those who've had their feelings hurt. She's got a great work ethic and has recently taken to snapping on the light and studying after bedtime. She's a gifted athlete who taught herself to bat left-handed when she realized that's how Hideki Matsui of the Yankees bats."

Her parents have also learned that they experience things many other parents do not; guilt, fatigue, sometimes even envy. But one thing they share with parents worldwide is faith in their child and her ability to "do just fine in life".

New Leaf Academy helps girls with ADHD learn how to control their emotions. New Leaf is a junior boarding school for troubled girls with campuses in Oregon and North Carolina.

Labels: parents, advocacy, girls

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When University at Buffalo student Greg Fabiano started working with parents of children with ADHD, he noticed that many of the dads were missing. He tried to find some research that would explain why so many fathers were absent, but he found none - so he started conducting some research of his own.

"His new research program, designed for children 6-12 years of age, includes two formats: a control group of fathers and children who receive traditional, evidence-based treatments for ADHD families and another group that receives the same, plus a sports element - in this case, soccer games."

Fabiano says the results have been remarkable. Treatment drop-out rates for both fathers and children have decreased significantly and there's very little tension on the soccer field (which is unusual for kids with ADHD).

Therapeutic boarding schools, like Youth Care in Utah, offer help for families of troubled teens.

Labels: parents, fathers, treatment

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A recent study in Canada found that Ritalin use among children of divorced parents is double that of children whose parents stay married. The study offers more questions than answers though, as the reason for the increase is uncertain.

"'It could be that divorce is a really stressful event, the tipping point where some kids develop ADHD and are appropriately prescribed Ritalin,' Ms. Strohschein said... Ms. Strohschein said her study may also support the argument that ADHD is a genetic problem that can be passed down from parent to child."

Lisa Strohschein and her team from the University of Alberta intend to do further study on both the possible genetic and environmental factors of ADHD. Read more at Canada.com.

Residential schools for children with non-verbal learning disorders offer help in ways that public schools can't. Cedars Academy is a private Aspergers school in Delaware.

Labels: medications, parents, single parenting ADHD kids

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A new study indicates that every person with autism costs society $3.2 million over his or her lifetime. Autism costs the US economy about $35 billion every year.

The cost is mostly in lost wages and adult care, and not for childhood medical costs and therapy.

Researchers at Harvard University found that in the first five years of life, insurance companies and families spent about $35,000 every year on therapy for an autistic child. While the child is growing up, the disease costs the family about $43,000 annually, mostly in lost parental income. However, the big costs came for adults with autism. Many people with the disorder cannot work and rely on their parents to provide care. The cost of such an arrangement translates to about $52,000 a year.

This study appears in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

Learn more about Autism and Asperger's Syndrome at YourLittleProfessor.com.

Labels: autism, parents, health_care_costs

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Parents over 40 years old have a higher chance of having an autistic child, according to a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, CA.

Women over 40 years have a 30 percent greater risk and men over 40 years have a 50 percent greater risk of having a child born with autism than parents ages 25 to 29. The researchers are uncertain why risk increases with age.

Lisa Croen and her colleagues analyzed 132,844 birth records from Kaiser Hospitals in northern California between 1995 and 1999. They adjusted for factors like the parents' educational levels, race and ethnicity before they concluded that parents' ages increases the risk for autism.

This study appears in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Aspergers schools can help children with Asperger's Syndrome, high-functioning Autism, and other conditions of the Autism Spectrum Disorders. Cedars Academy offers a year-long Aspergers school and Talisman offers a semester-long academic Aspergers school.

Labels: autism, aspergers, parents

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