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BackgroundMisconceptions about ADHD stigmatize affected people, reduce credibility of providers, and prevent/delay treatment. To challenge misconceptions, we curated findings with strong evidence base.MethodsWe reviewed studies with more than 2000 participants or meta-analyses from five or more studies or 2000 or more participants. We excluded meta-analyses that did not assess publication bias, except for meta-analyses of prevalence. For network meta-analyses we required comparison adjusted funnel plots. We excluded treatment studies with waiting-list or treatment as usual controls. From this literature, we extracted evidence-based assertions about the disorder.ResultsWe generated 208 empirically supported statements about ADHD. The status of the included statements as empirically supported is approved by 80 authors from 27 countries and 6 continents. The contents of the manuscript are endorsed by 366 people who have read this document and agree with its contents.ConclusionsMany findings in ADHD are supported by meta-analysis. These allow for firm statements about the nature, course, outcome causes, and treatments for disorders that are useful for reducing misconceptions and stigma.

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed developmental disorders and is common among referrals to child guidance clinics. Aim: This study aimed to study the impact of the lockdown during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mother’s understanding of ADHD and the burden faced by her. Materials and Methods: A mixed-methods design with a combination of a qualitative and quantitative approach was adopted. An in-depth in-person semi-structured interview with the participant’s mother was conducted. The qualitative and quantitative part of the study consisted of burden assessment by the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale. The responses were transcribed, and themes were identified. Results: As far as understanding the disorder was concerned, the major themes identified were “Knew about the child’s problems from teachers but online schooling made me see the child’s issues in person” and “Knew about the illness but more time led to bonding and understanding the child.” When questioned about the burden faced, the major themes that evolved were “Increased exhaustion taking care of a child 24/7” and “Increased burden as one felt angry and irritated with the child, the school, and the family.” The Zarit caregiver questionnaire revealed a statistically significant difference in the burden of care before and after the pandemic, with a greater number of mothers falling in the mild to moderate and severe categories of burden. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic increased the caregiver burden for mothers of children with ADHD. Their understanding of their child’s disorder increased significantly as they could spend more time and devise different ways and means of helping their child in academics and other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study complementary effect of sleep training program in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) receiving tablet methylphenidate with respect to sleep, quality of life (social, behavioral, emotional, and executive functioning of children), and their parent's emotional state. Methods and Materials: It was a comparative and prospective study, and it was conducted in child mental health services of a tertiary care municipal hospital. The children (age 8−12 years) were diagnosed with ADHD using DSM 5 criteria. The children's sleep habit questionnaire (CSHQ) and Kiddie-SADS-PL questionnaire (K-SADS-PL) were used to select 100 consecutive participants (parent–child dyad). They were randomly equally divided into two groups: A and B. Semi-structured proforma was filled and different scales were applied for children; these scales include Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PQLI), Stroop test (ST) and Verbal fluency test (VFT), and to parent-Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). The participants in group A received a validated sleep intervention and the scales were reapplied after 12 weeks. We used Chi-square test, paired t-test, unpaired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman's correlation test, and logistic regression analysis for data analysis. p- Value <.05 was taken as significant. SPSS version 20 software was used for data analysis. Results: We found significant post-intervention improvement in sleep, quality of life, social, emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning in children and emotional factors in parents. Conclusion: The combination of sleep intervention and tablet methylphenidate were more effective in improving these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quarter of children with Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) have a comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which impacts the testing of intelligence. ADHD is therefore treated before proceeding with the assessment of intelligence. It is expected that the treatment of ADHD will mitigate its effects on intelligence testing. Though this is frequently done in clinical practice, we could not find any study comparing IQ profiles of children having SLD with and without ADHD after treating ADHD to look for any changes between them. Therefore, we planned this study to compare the cognitive profiles of children having SLD with and without ADHD and describe any difference in their profiles. It was a retrospective cross-sectional study. We compared 695 children having SLD with treated ADHD to 721 children having SLD without ADHD on their WISC III profiles. We found that children having SLD with treated ADHD scored significantly lower on Digit Span and Coding. We suggest routine use of Cognitive Working Memory Training, peer tutoring, and task modifications in children having SLD with ADHD along with medicines and remedial education for better outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neuro-behavioral disorder characterized by a classical triad of hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention prevalent in 5% of school-going children, mostly in boys. It is a chronic disorder with persistent of symptoms in a significant proportion of children diagnosed in childhood and impairing in most domains of socio-occupational functioning. Challenges in diagnosis occur due to symptoms domains of ADHD representing extremes of developmental processes of hyperactivity and inattention. Temperament is another construct that is important while evaluating a child with ADHD to avoid misdiagnosis and/or overdiagnosis. There is literature to support that the presentation of ADHD is not just limited to the triad of symptoms described in DSM 5, but it manifests a plethora of symptoms which, in the majority of cases, often go unnoticed. These symptoms may be a result of executive function deficits, emotion dysregulation, the presence of comorbid disorders, and/or psychosocial issues. Impairments of ADHD continue into adolescence and adulthood. However, ADHD in adults is still an under-researched area. The article aims to provide a bird's eye view of the various hidden difficulties inherent in ADHD but which often is missed in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Sleep disturbances in children with ADHD impact their functioning and overall Quality of Life. This paper's purpose is to study the occurrence of sleep disturbances in children with ADHD, in comparison to their healthy siblings and further, within the ADHD group, to look for correlation between sleep disturbances and age, severity of symptoms, presentations of ADHD and illness parameters. Methods: The parents of 120 children of age group between 5-16 years, (60 children diagnosed with ADHD as per DSM-5 criteria and 60 of their healthy siblings) consecutively enrolled from a hospital's Child Psychiatry Outpatient services were interviewed using Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and severity of ADHD symptoms was rated using ADHD - RS. Results: Sleep disturbances are more prevalent in pharmacologically treated children with ADHD than their healthy siblings, reduce with increasing age and are found more in the Predominantly Hyperactive/impulsive presentation of ADHD. Conclusion: Sleep disturbances are more prevalent in pharmacologically treated ADHD, making it an important aspect of ADHD management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific learning disorders (SLDs) are an important cause of scholastic backwardness among children and often go unrecognized. Few studies have examined knowledge and attitudes toward ADHD and SLD among school-aged children. To address this deficit, 120 school-aged children, attending a child guidance clinic in Mumbai, were interviewed using a questionnaire that examined children's knowledge and attitudes about ADHD and SLD. The results were compared both qualitatively and quantitatively with a frequently occurring medical illness, common cold. Approximately 80% to 100% of children were aware of their illness; however, a large variation was noted in the proportion of children (15%-80%) who could describe their symptoms, provide accurate attributions for their illness, and identify treatment modalities. Children with ADHD reported greater control over their illness. The study identified a significant lack of knowledge about ADHD and SLD among school-aged children in India and discusses implications of this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]