Study Indicates ADHD Children May Just Need Sleep, Not Medication

Agape Press ^ | 10.06.05 | Jim Brown

[Coleus]

(AgapePress) - A study by Israeli researchers shows treatment of sleep apnea and other sleep disorders in children can lead to a significant reduction in symptoms associated with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

The study found that children diagnosed with ADHD had much higher levels of sleeplessness during the day than did non-ADHD youngsters. Dr. Giora Pillar is head of the Pediatric Sleep Lab at the largest hospital in northern Israel, and an associate professor at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, which conducted the study.

Pillar says sleep apnea or sleep disturbances can lead to daytime sleepiness -- and children who are sleep throughout the day do not fall asleep unintentionally like adults, but rather become hyperactive.

"They start to be fidgety and nervous, and these are actually the symptoms of ADHD," Dr. Pillar explains. "[W]hen you treat [and correct] the sleep problem, they all of a sudden become more alert during the day. They are more focused, they can concentrate better, they behave better -- and their symptoms of ADHD are actually relieved."

Pillar and his team studied 66 children with an average age of 12, 34 of whom had already been diagnosed with ADHD. The remainder served as a control group. The researchers found the ADHD-diagnosed children had significantly higher levels of sleepiness during the day than those in the control group.

According to Pillar, children with even mild sleep deprivation can develop symptoms of ADHD. And ADHD-diagnosed children, he adds, often just need quality sleep instead of medication. But he emphasizes that drugs like Ritalin -- a common treatment for ADHD -- do have their place.

"We are not against Ritalin. We think that Ritalin is a very good and appropriate medication when indicated," the researcher says. "But in cases when the ADHD is secondary to sleep problems like sleep apnea, then children should not get Ritalin in the morning, but rather [treatment for] the sleep disorder in the evening."

For example, he says if children diagnosed with ADHD kick their legs frequently or periodically during the night, they may have Periodic Limb Movement Disorder, which has relatively better treatment than Ritalin. The researchers urge parents to apply other treatments -- such as enforcement of good sleeping habits and restriction from caffeinated drinks at night -- before considering medication.

The research team's findings were published in the February 2004 issue of the journal SLEEP.

Read related article from the American Technion Society

[Coleus]

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ADHD Children

[mtbopfuyn]

Could very well be onto something there. Parents today don't bother with strict bedtimes and let their kids stay up all night playing PS2, watching tv, talking on the phone, or hanging out who knows where.

[k2blader]

I still think ADHD is an excuse made by people who are either undisciplined or poor parents.

[dinok]

They need two parents (1 each male and female) who will lay down the law and have the courage to enforce it. Children need structure and steady guidance; not drugs and daycare.

[Buck W.]

Perhaps they need Rital-out.

[farlander]

No sh*t. Gee, let me see - a kid's bouncing of the walls - maybe less coffeine would be in order ? Naw. Let's just shove down some mellow-you-out drug down their throats.

[trailboss800]

ping

[RedFred In A Blue State]

Won't happen... Parental responsibility? C'mon!!!

[Tax-chick]

Sleep apnea is not cured by "strict bedtimes," but more commonly by removal of tonsils and adenoids, allergy treatment, diet adjustments, or other measures to improve breathing.

[MrNeutron1962]

"They need two parents (1 each male and female) who will lay down the law and have the courage to enforce it."

Children need structure, discipline, consistency, love, moral guidance and to suffer the consequence's of their actions from an early age. The number of parents they have is irrelevant. If you have two crappy parents, you can still turn out alright, if someone gives you the above.

In my case, I had two crappy parents, but had other show me the right path. My own two children now have only me, and it is up to me to show them the way.

[vpintheak]

Holy crap! You mean putting kids to bed on time, and having a schedule can really help kids out? No way! OK I know there may be some serious problems with sleep disorders out there, but in my experience I have found too many parents just don't keep their kids on a good schedule. It is just good parenting to do so. And no I didn't learn that from "The Nanny" just good old fashioned advice, and experience.

[FormerACLUmember]

Many ADHD kids simply cannot sleep "normally" to begin with... they are little human pinballs bouncing off the walls at night. And I don't buy for one second that they have sleep apnea.

Most are pure unadulterated boys, forbidden by our society from being boys, discriminated against by FemiNazi dominated schools, and marginalized. That being said, some do need Ritalin, Strattera, Adderal as part of a comprehensive approach. Let's not get all scientology here.

[msnimje]

What about less sugar? My son was never ADHD but the less sugar he gets the more attentive he is.

[visualops]

Many of these problems with kids that are diagnosed as ADHD simply require a structered disciplined environment for the child. Good food at regular meals, outdoor exercise, being taught self-discipline, etc etc.
Nowadays just too many parents think that raising a child can be done easily with minimal effort, while they spend their time either obsessed with themselves or their career.

[pwatson]

We have had 3 ADHD kids in our family, my Bother, Sister and Brother in Law's kids. All of them were up all night, and high on sugar and soda Pop and junk food. Everything was wrong. Two of them being Southern Baptist tried the rod to no avail. You can not overcome diet and sleep with discipline.
It was not until they got older and quit the sweets and started eating more like the South Beach diet did they finally improve.

[tfecw]

I did too. They need spankings.

Of course i made the mistake of letting a friends mom know that I believed that ADD/ADHD is a made up disease. She then informed me that she specializes in ADD and works in that field.

Slightly embarrassing to tell someone to their face that i believe their whole line of work is a fraud, so I excused myself from the room. :)

[Wiseghy]

In my experience, Ritalin is a dangerous sledge hammer to use with this problem, that contributes significantly to sleeplessness. Symptoms will disappear rapidly, but long term use can be dangerous, especially in anxious children.

Try 1/2 Wellbutrin 1x, in AM (only), and 100mg. Ginkgo Biloba (Great Earth brand), and omega 3 fish oils. Keep diet high in protein and soy. This will improve circulation and metabolism in the affected areas of the brain much more naturally and subtly. Use with consistent behavioral program and favor less distracting environments.

[Politicalmom]

You know NOTHING. I lived with "He just needs to be spanked." from the time my son was a year old. I guess I could spank him all the time, and have NO relationship with him, but that still wouldn't help. My parents even admit this. He has a PROBLEM, and everything we have tried up until medication was to no avail. My son went from having to be forced to read, to a child who got nearly straight As and was the top reader in his school that year. The teachers thought he was a different child.

Some of you are so ignorant I can hardly stand it. My son has two parents, rarely has sweets or caffeine, has been disciplined, and so on. We tried diet, occupational therapy, discipline plans......

You have no idea what kind of hell a child with a chemical balance can put a family through. Too bad. Maybe you would be a little kinder.

The comments on this thread are truly sickening.

[Wiseghy]

BTW, it is NOT made up. However, it may not really be a "disease" either. I think of it as a behavioral problem that will make the academic life of your child deeply frustrating and difficult unless it is addressed patiently and consistently.

[ShadowDancer]

I have and still get comments from people about the time my kids go to bed. Like I care. A decent bedtime is not only good for them but for me. I also refuse to allow TV's and video games in their rooms. Ooooooh, I'm soooo mean.