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Pediatric Group Issues Updated ADHD Guidelines

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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is in the news a lot, and now newer research has prompted a leading pediatricians’ group to update its guidelines for diagnosing and treating the disorder for the first time since 2011. Dr. Mark Wolraich, lead author of the guidelines, noted that there weren’t any dramatic differences between these and previous guidelines. But, he said, these latest updates keep the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines in sync with the same diagnostic and treatment criteria used by child and adolescent psychiatrists. ADHD “is not a ‘new’ diagnosis. It’s a real diagnosis that needs treatment,” said Wolraich. “There are two forms of treatment effective for ADHD: medications, especially stimulant medications; and behavioral treatments. Neither treatment is curative,” he said, but they can help manage the symptoms. Wolraich is an emeritus professor at the University of Oklahoma, in Oklahoma City. More than 9% of U.S. children between the ages of 2 and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, according to the guideline authors. Boys are more than twice as likely as girls to be diagnosed with the disorder. Kids with ADHD often have symptoms of another mental disorder, such as depression or anxiety, and they may also have learning and language problems. Updates to the guidelines include: Changing the age at which symptoms need to have first started. Previously, symptoms needed to begin before age…  read on >

Health Tip: Reducing Eyestrain

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(HealthDay News) — Eyestrain occurs when your eyes get tired from intense use, says Mayo Clinic. Usually, eyestrain is not serious and goes away once you rest your eyes or make lifestyle changes. To reduce eyestrain, Mayo suggests: Blink often to refresh your eyes. Take breaks. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Adjust lighting to reduce glare on your computer monitor. Enlarge type on your screen for easier reading. Adjust the contrast and brightness of electronics to a comfortable level.

Health Tip: Seasonal Flu Vaccine Fast Facts

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(HealthDay News) — Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and death, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An annual seasonal flu shot is the best way to protect against the disease. The CDC offers these facts on the seasonal flu vaccine: Seasonal flu vaccine protects against the type of flu that’s predicted to be most common. Any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine is recommended. Everyone 6 months or older should get a flu vaccine, with few exceptions. People with severe, life-threatening allergies to the vaccine should not be given the shot. The vaccine takes about two weeks to begin working. It is possible, although less likely, to get the flu despite receiving the vaccine.

Sticking to One Sport Could Up Injuries Among Teen Athletes

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Here’s a good reason to encourage your teenager to play more than one sport: New research finds kids who concentrate on only one sport may be at risk for stress fractures, tendinitis and knee injuries. “It’s wonderful for a child to love a sport and to want to engage in it, but we must keep in mind the number of hours spent playing,” said study author Alison Field, a professor of epidemiology and pediatrics at Brown University. “They add up pretty quickly.” The findings are a result of following more than 10,000 older children throughout the United States. The bottom line is that kids who do the most hours of intense activity per week, and that happens to be those focusing on a single sport, are the most likely to be injured. Field hopes that coaches, parents and doctors urge children to engage in less intense, less specialized training. The best advice is that kids should spend only a moderate amount of time in vigorous physical activity. If they have to specialize, they should replace some training with different types of exercise, such as yoga and conditioning, she suggested. The risk for injury differed for girls and boys. For girls, no sport stood out as being extra risky. Specializing, however, increased girls’ risk of injury by about 30%. Specialization did not significantly increase boys’ risk…  read on >

Close Friendships Boost Your Self-Esteem, and Vice Versa: Study

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People with strong self-esteem are more likely to develop deep, supportive friendships, and new research suggests that the connection works the other way, too. “For the first time, we have a systematic answer to a key question in the field of self-esteem research: Whether and to what extent a person’s social relationships influence his or her self-esteem development, and vice versa,” study author Michelle Harris said in an American Psychological Association news release. She’s a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. It turns out, Harris said, that self-esteem and friendship are mutually reinforcing. That conclusion comes from a review of 52 studies that examined the impact of self-esteem and friendships among more than 47,000 men and women. The studies were conducted between 1992 and 2016, across a wide range of countries, including the United States. Six out of 10 participants were white, and ages ranged from early childhood to seniors. For both men and women of all ages, having strong social support and acceptance translated into having strong self-esteem. And vice versa. The reverse also appeared to hold: Poor self-esteem undermined one’s ability to develop strong social connections, the team found. And weak friendships appeared to undermine one’s sense of self-esteem. The cycle may have deep roots in the way kids are raised, the study authors said. Parents who instill a strong…  read on >

Seasonal Drinks With a Lighter Touch

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With pumpkin spice lattes already hitting coffee shops, it’s never too soon to rethink favorite seasonal sips and cut calories without sacrificing flavor. Here are four to try from now until the holidays really begin! Each recipe makes two drinks. Pear Bellini: Pears make the perfect puree to add to champagne, Prosecco or sparking rose. Peel and core a ripe pear. Cut it into slices, reserving two for the garnish. Place the remaining pear slices in a blender along with one ounce of a pear liqueur and two tablespoons of cold water. Blend until smooth and divide between two champagne glasses. Top off each glass with the bubbly of your choice and place a pear wedge on each rim. Peppermint Hot Chocolate: In a small saucepan, whisk two cups skim milk, two tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, two tablespoons sugar or the equivalent amount of substitute and a few drops of mint extract (it’s very strong, so taste as you go to keep it from overpowering the cocoa). Heat slowly until warm, about three minutes. Pour into two mugs. Mulled Wine: Heat one cup good quality red wine, a half teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 12 cloves and two quarters of an orange over medium heat for about two minutes until quite warm. Strain into heatproof glass mugs. Real Pumpkin Latte: In a saucepan, whisk together four…  read on >

Link Seen Between Infertility, Prostate Cancer

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Could male infertility contribute to a higher risk for prostate cancer? Yes, according to new Swedish research that suggests that men who become fathers through assisted reproduction treatments may be more likely to develop prostate cancer in midlife. The conclusion follows a review of data collected by a Swedish national registry between 1994 and 2014. In all, 1 million children had been born during that time frame, mostly to men in their 30s. Most (97%) were conceived through natural means. But 1.7% of the fathers (about 20,600 men) had undergone in vitro fertilization, while another 1.3% (nearly 15,000 men) conceived through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) techniques. Prostate cancer risk during the two decades following birth was less than 1% across the board. However, while just 0.28% of dads who had conceived naturally went on to develop the disease, that figure was 0.37% among those from the in vitro group. Prostate cancer affected an even greater percentage (0.42%) of men in the sperm injection group. The team pointed out that sperm injection is usually reserved for men struggling with the most serious types of infertility. The findings held up even after taking into account a range of factors, including age, educational background and history of prior cancer. The team was led by researchers Yahia Al-Jebari, now at Stanford University in California, and Yvonne Lundberg Giwercman, from…  read on >

Gum Disease Might Raise Your Blood Pressure

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Here’s a compelling reason to keep those dreaded appointments with your dentist: New research suggests that red, tender or bleeding gums could trigger high blood pressure. In a review of 81 studies that included more than 250,000 people, U.K. scientists found that those who had moderate to severe gum disease (periodontitis) had a 22% increased risk for high blood pressure, and those with severe gum disease had a 49% higher risk. “Oral health is closely linked to general health,” explained researcher Dr. Francesco D’Aiuto, head of the periodontology unit at University College London’s Eastman Dental Institute. “Looking after your teeth and gums is often neglected, but [it] should be as important as managing other general health risks,” he added. Among people with periodontitis, systolic pressure (top number) was 4.5 mm Hg higher and diastolic pressure (bottom number) was 2 mm Hg higher, on average, than people without gum disease, the researchers found. In five of the studies analyzed, researchers found that blood pressure dropped when periodontitis was treated. Blood pressure also dropped in patients treated for gum disease who didn’t have hypertension, they added. But whether treating periodontitis really is the cause of a drop in blood pressure isn’t certain, D’Aiuto said, since the study did not prove a cause-and-effect link. “Bad brushing and bacteria accumulation around teeth causes gum bleeding and disease, but also…  read on >

Radiation Right After Surgery Might Not Help Prostate Cancer Patients

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In the largest investigation of its kind, researchers conclude that subjecting prostate cancer patients to radiation therapy immediately after surgery doesn’t give them an advantage in staying cancer-free. The finding stems from a review of four studies that together tracked outcomes for more than 3,500 prostate cancer patients from multiple countries. If the findings help change standard practice, “the good news is that, in future, many men will avoid the side effects of radiotherapy,” said study first author Chris Parker, of the Institute of Cancer Research in London. His team was to present its findings Friday at the European Society for Medical Oncology annual meeting, in Barcelona. Parker stressed that radiation side effects can be troublesome. They “include urinary leakage and narrowing of the urethra, which can make urination difficult,” he said in a meeting news release. “Both are potential complications after surgery alone, but the risk is increased if radiotherapy is used as well.” Curbing cancer’s spread One prostate cancer specialist explained why doctors have often ordered radiation for patients who’ve undergone prostate removal (prostatectomy). “Many men that undergo radical surgery for prostate cancer may have a spread of the disease beyond the capsule of the prostate, or invasion [of the tumor] into the seminal vesicles or lymph nodes,” said Dr. Louis Potters, deputy physician-in-chief at Northwell Health Cancer Institute, in Lake Success, N.Y.…  read on >

Health Tip: Don’t Eat Too Much Meat

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(HealthDay News) — Eating too much meat can make you sick, says New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Too much red meat — especially processed meats like sausages, bacon, salami and hot dogs — contribute to chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Overeating animal products often means the underconsumption of fiber, which is only found in plant-based foods. Fiber helps the digestive system, help lowers cholesterol and helps you feel full. New York-Presbyterian says most of your calories should come from foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.