View clinical trials related to Hyperkinesis.
Filter by:In 2004, the Developmental Clinic of the Child Psychiatric Unit at Srinagarind Hospital, had 80 new pediatric cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) come for evaluation and intervention. The children were between 7-12 years of age. Most of them were treated with stimulant medication, (i.e. methylphenidate) to help reduce hyperactivity; however, both the parents and children needed special help to develop some techniques for behavioural management. Meditation has been used as an attention training method for many thousands of years, and was mostly involved with religious or spiritual practices in various parts of the world, especially in the eastern countries. Breathing meditation is a popular method which can be applied to all people without instructions that are too complicated. If meditation therapy, by breathing meditation which is specified to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, benefits this group of patients, it would be very useful, culturally appropriate, cost-effective and would reduce the drugs used which will save the child from drug side effects.
ADHD is often associated with sleep difficulties. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common problem presented to children mental health services. The disorder affects approximately 5 % of school-age children. The core symptoms of this disorder include varying degrees of inattention, impulsiveness and restlessness. In addition to the core symptoms, ADHD is associated with other problems (e.g. academic underachievement, poor social relations and sleep disturbances). Despite clinical observations of sleep problems in children with ADHD, there is little empirical research on this topic. The prevalence, type of sleep problems, and significance of these sleep disturbances in children with ADHD remain undocumented. The objective is to determine the relationship of sleep problems to attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, comorbid disorders, and the effect of stimulant treatment.
In the present study, we examine the question “Will day-time aggression in children improve when their night-time sleep is treated with pharmacological intervention (i.e. clonidine)?” There is considerable anecdotal evidence that clonidine may provide an effective alternative to neuroleptics for treating aggression in children -- first by improving the overall quality of their sleep, and second by providing a safer and more readily tolerated medication with fewer side-effects and a greater probability of long-term compliance. This study uses a double blind placebo controlled design to gather scientific evidence that will help elucidate the mechanisms underlying this treatment effect and will help clarify the relationship between sleep disorders and aggression in children. Our results are expected to help physicians make informed treatment decisions regarding the use of clonidine to improve the quality of sleep and possibly treat problems with aggression in their pediatric patients
Poor inhibitory control has been proposed to be central to the cognitive deficits and symptomatology associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a highly heritable disorder with an increased incidence among the siblings of affected individuals. In the current proposal we investigate the expression of genetic susceptibility for ADHD in brain functioning. We will study cognitive functioning in patients with ADHD, their unaffected siblings and healthy matched controls. Our aims are 1) to determine whether increased familial risk for ADHD is associated with differential patterns of brain activation compared to normally developing children, during the performance of tasks designed to probe cognitive functions that are compromised in ADHD and 2) to determine whether differential patterns of activation are similar for boys with ADHD and their unaffected siblings.
The primary purpose of this study is to investigate brain whether ADHD represents a disruption or a delay of brain development. Children and adolescents both with and without ADHD are asked to participate in several MRI sessions, two years apart. This will allow us to chart brain development over time, both in typical development and ADHD, and therefore to address whether ADHD represents a disruption or a delay of typical brain development.
Specific nutrient deficiencies have been described in children with ADHD including zinc, magnesium, calcium, and essential fatty acids. In addition, children with ADHD have been noted to behave and concentrate better in some studies when the ratio of protein compared with carbohydrate in their diets was increased, however, this was anecdotal information noted from studies designed to study other factors, so its not clear if the increased protein is actually the cause of the improved behavior. In our clinical practice, we have noted a high incidence of what appears to be carbohydrate "craving" among children with ADHD, which can put children at risk for obesity, diabetes type II, and additional dysregulation of mood and concentration. Carbohydrate craving is a well-documented phenomenon in adults, particularly those with certain patterns of obesity, mood disorders, or those undergoing smoking cessation programs. It has not been studied in children, however. Thus, this initial study was designed to determine 1) whether or not children with ADHD have different patterns of nutrient intake compared with children in the same family and children in families without a child with ADHD, 2) if the described nutrient deficiencies are due to decreased intake, and 3) whether there is an increased occurrence of carbohydrate craving, based on parents' perceptions, eating patterns, and actual intake, among children (or certain subgroups of children) with ADHD. The information gained from this study will be used to design additional studies to test causative hypotheses and intervention strategies.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unlike X-rays and CT-scans does not use radiation to create a picture. MRI use as the name implies, magnetism to create pictures with excellent anatomical resolution. Functional MRIs are diagnostic tests that allow doctors to not only view anatomy, but physiology and function. It is for these reasons that MRIs are excellent methods for studying the brain. In this study, researchers will use MRI to assess brain anatomy and function in X and Y chromosome variation, healthy volunteers, and patients with a variety of childhood onset psychiatric disorders. The disorders include attention deficit disorder, autism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, childhood-onset schizophrenia, dyslexia, obsessive compulsive disorder, Sydenham's chorea, and Tourette's syndrome. Results of the MRIs showing the anatomy of the brain and brain function will be compared across age, sex (gender), and diagnostic groups. Correlations between brain and behavioral measures will be examined for normal and clinical populations.