Having a Sibling Makes Boys Selfless, Study Suggests

Seeing ADHD On A Spectrum, Not A Disease Category

[Source: Psych Central]

A new study suggests that there is a natural spectrum of attention function in the general population, with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at one extreme.
 

Accordingly, a genetic analysis may be able to predict children who will be a high risk for ADHD.

If this opinion is accurate the concept has broad implications for psychiatric diagnoses and perhaps for society.
 

Researchers at Cardiff University School of Medicine and the University of Bristol in the U.K. believe there is a spectrum of attention, hyperactivity/impulsiveness, and language function in society.

Siblings of Children with Autism Can Show Signs at 18 Months  

[Source: Science Daily]

About 20% of younger siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will develop the condition by age 3. A new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers has found that 57% of these younger siblings who later develop the condition already showed symptoms at age 18 months.

Early Intervention Could Boost Education Levels 

Taking steps from an early age to improve childhood education skills could raise overall population levels of academic achievement by as much as 5%, and reduce socioeconomic inequality in education by 15%, according to international research led by the University of Adelaide.
 

Better Academic Support in High School Crucial for Low Performers with ADHD 

[Source: Medical News Today]

New research reveals that high school students with attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are using an unexpectedly high rate of services for their age group, yet many low achievers with ADHD are not getting the academic supports they need. Scientists from UNC's Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) and several other universities published the findings in School Mental Health after examining data for a large national sample of high school students with ADHD.

Desiree W. Murray, FPG scientist and lead author of the study, said previous studies have demonstrated that children with ADHD often have difficulty completing work and performing at the level of their actual academic ability.

Kids' Poor Decision-Making May Predict Teen Issues   

[Source: Psych Central]
 

A new study suggests a display of poor decision making during primary school increases the risk of interpersonal and behavioral difficulties during adolescence.
 

However, experts view decision-making as a skill and something that can be taught during youth.

Joshua Weller, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the School of Psychological Science at Oregon State University found that when a 10 or 11 year-old shows poor judgment, the potential for high-risk health behavior in their teen years escalates.
 

"These findings suggest that less-refined decision skills early in life could potentially be a harbinger for problem behavior in the future," said Weller.

Hot Job:  EI Speech-Language Pathologist, Dover, Delaware 

Hot Job:  Pediatric Outpatient SLP - Midlothian, TX 

Hot Job:  School Based OT - McHenry, IL 

Pinterest Pin of the Week:  Space People  

Book Review:  Once Upon an Alphabet  

[Source: The Montreal Gazette via Mind Shift]
 

Alphabet books are a staple of children's literature. We're all familiar with the basic "A is for apple, B is for bear" approach but some of us, myself included, revel in alphabet books that set themselves apart from the norm - that assign X to more than the usual xylophone image and Z to something other than zebra.

Oliver Jeffers, an illustrator easily identified by the hand lettering that graces his books and by the characters with stick arms and legs, has created some remarkably unique picture books. Born in  

Activity of the Week:  Frankenstein Contact Paper Sticky Wall  

[Source:  I Heart Crafty Things]
 

It's been a while since we've made contact paper sticky wall art. Since I've had Halloween on the brain, I came up with this idea to use different materials to create a Frankenstein. My daughter had so much fun and ended up with a unique looking, spooky creature.

Halloween Tip:  For Kids w/Allergies: The Teal Pumpkin Project