ADHD treatment can help smoking ADHD children by controlling inattention.

Inattention and smoking in ADHD children

Inattentive ADHD children are twice as likely to be smokers by 21 years of age. Inattention and hyperactivity are primary ADHD symptoms. Unfortunately it is only the ADHD children with hyperactivity that are identified early. Many parents feels they can tolerate the the 'hyperactive child syndrome' and avoid ADHD treatment with medication. They believe that parent training and  natural ADHD treatment will control their hyperactive children. However, in doing so they lay their ADHD children open to the adverse effects of inattention, a core symptom of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

ADHD children may manifest only inattention without the 'hyperactive child syndrome'.  Inattention does not respond to parent training alone. Inattention is caused by neurochemical deficitis, especially dopamine and noradrenaline. ADHD tretment is essential to correct this imbalance. At this critical inattention phaseimpacts learning and leads to subsequent difficulties through the 80+ life span of the ADHD children. ADHD treatment addresses both ADHD symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity. ADHD treatment is proven to improve academic performance when started early enough.

Attention deficity hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is known to be associated with substance abuse including nicotine dependence. Research now shows that smoking and nicotine dependence are especially assoicated with inattention in ADHD children. ADHD treatment specifically addresses inattention and improves learning. Reducing the number of smoking children is another reason to initiate ADHD treatment, at least when the ADHD children are in primary school.

Suicide attempts are more likely in mothers infected with the cat parasite, Toxoplasmosis gondii. The risk increases with increasing titres of the infection at the time of delivery.

1. Marianne G. Pedersen, MSc; Preben Bo Mortensen, DrMedSc; Bent Norgaard-Pedersen, DrMedSc; Teodor T. Postolache. Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Self-directed Violence in Mothers. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2012;():1-8. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2012.668 Published online July 2012
2. Adriana Lopez, Vance J. Dietz, Marianna Wilson, Thomas R. Navin, Jeffrey L. Jones. Preventing Congenital Toxoplasmosis. MMWR. Reccommendations and Reports. March 31, 2000 / 49(RR02);57-75

Suicide Attempts in Mothers with Cat Parasite Infection

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects the brain affecting approximately one-third of people worldwide. Cats have been identified as the primary source of T gondii. Humans are infected by ingestion of T gondii from feces of infected cats (eg, contaminated sandbox, eating unwashed vegetables). The ingested parasite spreads from the intestine to the brain. There the parasite hides within neurons and glial cells of multiple brain structures, including the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. These areas play a leading role in emotional and behavioral regulation. T gondii infection disrupts modulation of mood and behavior and thus elevates risk of suicide.

What to do if you are pregnant and have a cat

1. Wear gloves when gardening and during any contact with soil or sand because cat waste might be in soil or sand. After gardening or contact with soil or sand, wash hands thoroughly.
2. Avoid changing cat litter if possible. If no one else is available to change the cat litter, use gloves, then wash hands thoroughly.
3. Change the litter box daily because Toxoplasma requires several days to become infectious.
4. Keep your cat inside and do not adopt or handle stray cats.
5. Cats should be fed only canned or dried commercial food or well-cooked table food, not raw or undercooked meats.

Quit smoking with fruit and vegetables? Higher fruit and vegetable consumption means fewer cigarettes smoked per day and a longer time for relapse to smoking.

Fruits and vegetables help quit smoking

Smokers lack essential vitamins and minerals in their diets. This lower nutrient intake contributes further to the higher rates of cancer and heart disease seen among smokers. This pattern of eating behaviour may reflect different personality types or the effect of smoking on taste.Those who continue to smoke have less regard for their health, including their diet.

1. Jeffrey P. Haibach Gregory G. Homish,. and Gary A. Giovino. A Longitudinal Evaluation of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Cigarette Smoking. Nicotine Tob Res (2012) doi: 10.1093/ntr/nts130 First published online: May 21, 2012
2. J E Cade and B M Margetts. Relationship between diet and smoking--is the diet of smokers different? J Epidemiol Community Health. 1991 December; 45(4): 270–272.

Teenagers using cannabis are especially prone to schizophrenia. Recognising when 'experimental use' has become 'problem use' will help prevent this adverse outcome.

1. WHO. The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders: Clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines. F10 - F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use. WHO. Geneva. 1992
2. Marijuana Anonymous World Services. Accessed 03-Jun-2012

Recognising cannabis addiction

12 signs of cannabis addiction

• Has smoking pot stopped being fun?
• Do you ever get high alone?
• Is it hard for you to imagine a life without marijuana?
• Do you find that your friends are determined by your marijuana use?
• Do you smoke marijuana to avoid dealing with your problems?
• Do you smoke pot to cope with your feelings?
• Does your marijuana use let you live in a privately defined world?
• Have you ever failed to keep promises you made about cutting down or controlling your dope smoking?
• Has marijuana caused problems with memory, concentration, or motivation?
• When your stash is nearly empty, do you feel anxious or worried about how to get more?
• Do you plan your life around your marijuana use?
• Have friends or relatives ever complained that your pot smoking is damaging your relationship with them?