Jim Liebelt's Youth Culture Watch

Just 10% of Kids with ADHD Outgrow It, Study Finds

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on MedicalXpress.

Most children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) don't outgrow the disorder, as widely thought. It manifests itself in adulthood in different ways and waxes and wanes over a lifetime, according to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Study authors from 16 institutions in the United States, Canada, and Brazil said decades of research characterize ADHD as a neurobiological disorder typically first detected in childhood that persists into adulthood in approximately 50% of cases. But this study found just 10% of children completely outgrow it.

"Although intermittent periods of remission can be expected in most cases, 90% of children with ADHD in the Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD continued to experience residual symptoms into young adulthood," they wrote.

ADHD is characterized by two main clusters of symptoms, according to researchers. The inattentive symptoms look like disorganization, forgetfulness, and having trouble staying on task. Then there are also the hyperactive, impulsive symptoms. In children, those symptoms look like having a lot of energy, such as running around and climbing on things. In adults, it manifests more as verbal impulsivity, difficulty with decision-making, and not thinking before acting. The disorder affects people differently and looks different depending on what phase of life someone's in.

This study followed a group of 558 children with ADHD for 16 years—from 8-years old to 25 years old. The cohort had eight assessments, every two years, to determine whether they had symptoms of ADHD. The researchers also asked their family members and teachers about their symptoms.

Lead researcher Margaret Sibley, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a researcher at Seattle Children's Research Institute said medication and therapy are the two main treatments for ADHD. But, Sibley said, people can pursue their own healthy coping skills as well.

Researchers found that most people who technically no longer meet the criteria for ADHD in adulthood still have some traces of ADHD, but they were managing well on their own.

"The key is finding a job or a life passion that ADHD does not interfere with," Sibley said. "You are going to see a lot of creative people have ADHD because they're able to be successful in their creative endeavors despite having ADHD, whereas people who might be required to do very detail-oriented work at a computer all day—that could be a really hard combination for a person with ADHD."

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-08-kids-adhd-outgrow.html

Get Your Kids on a School-Ready Sleep Schedule

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on HealthDay.

After a year of learning online in their pajamas at home, many kids may struggle to wake up early for class as schools reopen this fall, an expert says.

"I think the biggest concern is that the virtual environment of last year led to some unstructured schedules since it did not need a full morning routine that requires waking up early, getting dressed, preparing lunches, and transport to schools," said Dr. Philip Alapat, an assistant professor of sleep medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

He offers some advice on how to help students make the transition this school year.

First, it's important to know the recommended hours of sleep kids and teenagers need per age group: ages 3-5, 10-13 hours; ages 6-13, 9-11 hours; ages 14-17, 8-10 hours.

Too little sleep has been linked to poor academic performance, mood changes, and car accidents among students who drive.

Try to set new sleep habits before the start of the school year, Alapat suggested. Establish new bedtime and wake-up times at least a week before classes begin to help students adjust to the first few days of school when they need to rise earlier.

It can be challenging to create a new sleep schedule after the summer break, so setting the alarm and slowly moving the wake-up time earlier by 15 minutes each day can help.

"When you move the wake-up time earlier by 15 minutes each day, you allow your body to adjust more comfortably," Alapat said in a Baylor news release.

Once a sleep schedule has been set, it's important to maintain it.

Parents also need to set an example by keeping a regular sleep schedule.

"Perhaps working together as a family will help the set an example for kids and make the transition a little easier," Alapat said.

Source: HealthDay
https://consumer.healthday.com/b-8-15-get-your-kids-on-a-school-ready-sleep-schedule-2654657503.html

What's Hot? 08/13/21

Trending Today on Twitter - 8/13/21
1. Friday the 13th
2. #ReinstatementDay
3. #fridaymorning
4. Afghanistan
5. yujin
6. #LeftHandersDay
7. #MyHorrorMovieSurvivalPlan
8. Good Friday
9. #FlashbackFriday
10. Lizzo
Source: Twitter

Trending Today on Google - 8/13/21
1. Patriots
2. Britney Spears
3. Eagles
4. Free Guy
5. Brendan Fraser
6. Afghanistan
7. Matthew Taylor Coleman
8. Don't Breathe 2
9. Machine Gun Kelly
10. Hunter Biden
Source: Google

Top Five on Spotify - 8/13/21
1. STAY (with Justin Bieber) - The Kid LAROI
2. INDUSTRY BABY (feat Jack Harlow) - By Lil Nas X
3. Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish
4. good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo
5. Need To Know - Doja Cat
Source: Spotify

Top Five on Apple Music - 8/13/21
1. STAY (with Justin Bieber) - The Kid LAROI
2. Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish
3. INDUSTRY BABY (feat Jack Harlow) - By Lil Nas X
4. Wants and Needs (feat. Lil Baby) - Drake
5. Volvi - Aventura & Bad Bunny
Source: Apple Music

TV Shows Trending on Streaming Services - 8/13/21
1. Reservation Dogs - Hulu
2. The White Lotus - HBOMax
3. What If...? - Disney+
4. Ted Lasso - Apple TV+
5. Yellowstone - Peacock
Source: Reelgood

Trending Today on YouTube - 8/13/21
1. Lizzo - Rumors feat. Cardi B
2. #LEOMESSI: First steps and first training
3. World's Most Overpowered Weapons!
4. Upgrading LUCA THE MOVIE Into GOD (GTA 5)
5. Elijah Wood Tastes the Lava of Mount Doom While Eating Spicy Wings
Source: YouTube

Netflix Top 5 in the U.S. Today - 8/13/21
1. Outer Banks
2. The Kissing Booth 3
3. Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami
4. Hit & Run
5. All American
Source: Netflix

Physical Activity Protects Children From the Adverse Effects of Digital Media on Their Weight Later in Adolescence

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on ScienceDaily.

Children's heavy digital media use is associated with a risk of being overweight later in adolescence. Physical activity protects children from the adverse effects of digital media on their weight later in adolescence.

A recently completed study shows that six hours of leisure-time physical activity per week at the age of 11 reduces the risk of being overweight at 14 years of age associated with heavy use of digital media.

Obesity in children and adolescents is one of the most significant health-related challenges globally. A study carried out by the Folkhälsan Research Center and the University of Helsinki investigated whether a link exists between the digital media use of Finnish school-age children and the risk of being overweight later in adolescence. In addition, the study looked into whether children's physical activity has an effect on this potential link.

The results were published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.

The study involved 4,661 children from the Finnish Health in Teens (Fin-HIT) study. The participating children reported how much time they spent on sedentary digital media use and physical activity outside school hours. The study demonstrated that heavy use of digital media at 11 years of age was associated with a heightened risk of being overweight at 14 years of age in children who reported engaging in under six hours per week of physical activity in their leisure time. In children who reported being physically active for six or more hours per week, such a link was not observed.

Source: ScienceDaily
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210809144112.htm

Ultra-processed Foods Now Comprise 2/3 of Calories in Children and Teen Diets

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on MedicalXpress.

The calories that children and adolescents consumed from ultra-processed foods jumped from 61% to 67% of total caloric intake from 1999 to 2018, according to a new study from researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University. Published in JAMA, the study analyzed dietary intake from 33,795 children and adolescents nationwide.

"Some whole-grain breads and dairy foods are ultra-processed, and they're healthier than other ultra-processed foods. Processing can keep food fresher longer, allows for food fortification and enrichment, and enhances consumer convenience," said senior and corresponding author Fang Fang Zhang, nutrition epidemiologist at the Friedman School. "But many ultra-processed foods are less healthy, with more sugar and salt, and less fiber, than unprocessed and minimally processed foods, and the increase in their consumption by children and teenagers is concerning."

The largest spike in calories came from such ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat dishes as takeout and frozen pizza and burgers: from 2.2% to 11.2% of calories. The second-largest spike in calories came from packaged sweet snacks and desserts, the consumption of which grew from 10.6% to 12.9%.

Over the study period, calories from often healthier unprocessed or minimally processed foods decreased from 28.8% to 23.5%. The remaining percentage of calories came from moderately processed foods such as cheese and canned fruits and vegetables, and consumer-added flavor enhancers such as sugar, honey, maple syrup, and butter.

There was good news: Calories from sugar-sweetened beverages dropped from 10.8% to 5.3% of overall calories, a 51% drop.

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-08-ultraprocessed-foods-comprise-calories-children.html

Closeness with Dads May Play Special Role in How Kids Weather Adolescence

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on Penn State University.

Adolescence can be an emotionally turbulent time, but new research at Penn State found that close, supportive relationships with parents — especially dads — at key points during adolescence can help stave off certain adjustment problems.

The researchers examined how emotionally close and supportive relationships with parents — referred to in the research as “parental intimacy” — in families with mothers and fathers affected their children’s self-esteem, weight concerns, and depressive symptoms at different points across adolescence.

They found that closeness with fathers had broad, positive effects across adolescence for both daughters and sons. But while close relationships with mothers also had benefits, they were more limited by their children’s age and weren’t protective against all the adjustment issues measured in the study for both girls and boys.

The researchers recruited 388 adolescents from 202 two-parent families with both fathers and mothers for the study. Data was gathered at three checkpoints when the participants were between the ages of 12 and 20, and included information on participants’ weight concerns, symptoms of depression, and self-esteem, as well as measurements of intimacy between parents and their kids.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found several different effects of parental intimacy on their sons and daughters at different times throughout adolescence. These effects were also different between mothers and fathers.

They also found that father-youth intimacy was associated with fewer weight concerns for both girls and boys throughout most of adolescence, with the greatest effects in mid-adolescence for girls and late adolescence for boys. In contrast, mother-youth intimacy was only associated with fewer weight concerns for boys, and only in early adolescence.

Additionally, father-youth intimacy was associated with higher self-esteem from early through mid-adolescence for both boys and girls. Mother-youth intimacy was associated with higher self-esteem across most of adolescence for girls, and during early and late adolescence for boys.

The study was published in the Journal of Family Psychology.

Source: Penn State University
https://news.psu.edu/story/664558/2021/08/02/research/closeness-dads-may-play-special-role-how-kids-weather-adolescence

Children of Heavy Drinkers More Likely to Have Mental Health Problems, Display Criminal Behavior

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on StudyFinds.

Children of heavy drinkers are more likely to develop depression and other mental health problems, a new study warns. A team from Aarhus University in Denmark says these youngsters are also more likely to need hospitalization and exhibit criminal behavior later on.

“Within the last 10 years, there has been an expansion of research on consequences that extend beyond the drinker,” says co-author Dr. Julie Brummer in a media release.

“Although some studies show that harm because of strangers’ drinking may be more prevalent, harms caused by close relations, such as household family members and friends, may be more severe and distressing.”

Study authors discovered that a parent’s excessive drinking can lead to a range of poor outcomes in their children, which they call “alcohol’s harms to others” (AHTO). This phenomenon includes higher rates of mental health disorders, infant and child mortality, and criminal convictions.

The study finds academic achievements among these children are also lower, and rates of abuse, neglect, or foster care placement increase. The team report that there is an elevated risk for hospitalizations for physical illness and injury in childhood or adolescence, too.

The findings are based on a review of register-based studies of hospital and other centralized records. The data provides the fullest picture to date of the harm a family member’s alcohol abuse can cause to their children.

The study appears in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Source: StudyFinds
https://www.studyfinds.org/children-heavy-drinkers-health/

What's Hot? 08/06/21

Trending Today on Twitter - 8/6/21
1. Allyson Felix
2. #fridaymorning
3. #FridayVibes
4. yujin
5. sunmi
6. #KingsDisease2
7. #BandcampFriday
8. United Airlines
9. Independence Day Jamaica
10. #StrangerThings
Source: Twitter

Trending Today on Google - 8/6/21
1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Suicide Squad
3. Donda
4. Messi
5. Greenville, CA
6. NFL
7. Megan Rapinoe
8. Back 4 Blood
9. River Fire
10. Bobby Eaton
Source: Google

Top Five on Spotify - 8/6/21
1. STAY (with Justin Bieber) - The Kid LAROI
2. INDUSTRY BABY (feat Jack Harlow) - By Lil Nas X
3. Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish
4. good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo
5. Kiss Me More (feat. SZA) - Doja Cat
Source: Spotify

Top Five on Apple Music - 8/6/21
1. STAY (with Justin Bieber) - The Kid LAROI
2. Volvi - Aventura & Bad Bunny
3. Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish
4. INDUSTRY BABY (feat Jack Harlow) - By Lil Nas X
5. good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo
Source: Apple Music

TV Shows Trending on Streaming Services - 8/6/21
1. Ted Lasso - Apple TV+
2. The White Lotus - HBOMax
3. Outer Banks - Netflix
4. Yellowstone - Peacock
5. Seinfeld - Hulu
Source: Reelgood

Trending Today on YouTube - 8/6/21
1. SKINNY IMPOSTER Mod in Among Us
2. Matt Damon Sweats From His Scalp While Eating Spicy Wings
3. 30 Secret Fortnite Easter Eggs YOU MISSED
4. Khabib Nurmagomedov, Former UFC Champion | Hotboxin'
5. BTS Answer the Web's Most Searched Questions
Source: YouTube

Netflix Top 5 in the U.S. Today - 8/6/21
1. Outer Banks
2. Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami
3. Virgin River
4. Resort to Love
5. All American
Source: Netflix

Key to Kids Getting Better Grades in Math — is More Active Gym Classes?

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on StudyFinds.

Improving physical education classes at school could be the key to students’ academic success, especially in math, a new study suggests.

Dance, martial arts, and high-intensity team sports have a big impact on children’s academic prowess because they are “cognitively challenging”. Researchers say instead of just increasing the number of PE classes within a week, schools should consider improving the quality of the lessons.

Not even a quarter (24 percent) of U.S. children aged six to 17 participate in 60 minutes of physical activity every day, the level of physical activity recommended by the CDC. More intense gym classes could help children and teenagers meet the recommended level.

In their study, researchers systematically reviewed and pooled the data on the effects of specific physical education interventions on brainpower and academic prowess in children and teenagers. The study was carried out in eleven countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Italy, USA, U.K., Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and The Netherlands.

The analysis shows that interventions focused on boosting the quality of PE lessons increased brainpower, mainly among primary school students. They also increased academic prowess, mainly in math skills. By contrast, boosting the number or length of PE lessons had a marginal and insignificant effect on academic performance.

The researchers say that exercise enhances cognitive abilities through various direct and indirect neurobiological, psychological, and behavioral mechanisms. “Findings from our meta-analysis suggest that improving the quality of PE classes is a worthwhile investment in education that may lead to improvements in cognition and academic performance,” the authors write.

The study is published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Source: StudyFinds
https://www.studyfinds.org/children-better-math-grades-gym-class-pe/

Kids with Goals and Supportive Parents Less Likely to Ever Start Vaping

*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on StudyFinds.

A new study finds that children who have clear goals for their future and supportive parents are much less likely to try either vaping or traditional tobacco products.

“The use of e-cigarettes by young people is at epidemic proportions, with 27% of youth surveyed saying they’d vaped in the last 30 days,” says lead author Nicholas Szoko, M.D., a fellow in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, in a media release.

"And a lot of the traditional methods we think of for counseling youth on the dangers of tobacco and drug use may not apply to vaping. Pediatricians and parents need a better understanding of what motivates adolescents to eschew e-cigarettes.”

Szoko and his team surveyed nearly 2,500 high school students in the Pittsburgh public school system during their study. Researchers looked at how often these youngsters use e-cigarettes or smoke regular tobacco products and if one of four “protective factors” play a role in their decision to vape or smoke.

Those protective factors include:

• Future orientation: A person’s beliefs, hopes, and goals for the future
• Parental monitoring: The relationship and communication between parents and children
• Social support: The ability to rely on friends and peers
• School connectedness: The sense of belonging and inclusion at school

The results show that both future orientation and parental monitoring contribute to a 10-25 percent drop in the likelihood children start vaping. Social support or school connectedness did not show any link to young students deciding to use e-cigarettes.

Unlike vaping, all four factors contributed to fewer students using tobacco products.

The findings appear in the journal Pediatrics.

Source: StudyFinds
https://www.studyfinds.org/kids-goals-parents-vaping/