FORT MYERS, Fla. – ADHD and sleepwalking are in the news this week! Here to discuss the interesting revelations disclosed is Dr. Annette St. Pierre-MacKoul. Children with ADHD learn better when fidgeting: UCF study Fidgeting helps retain information. Fidgeting helps in working out complex cognitive tasks. Past = disruptive and hyperactive behavior. Now = ? assists in learning process. ————— Typical ADHD: Affects 11 perent of children ages 4-17. (CDC statistic) Signs: restlessness, constant talking and interrupting, inability to pay attention. New info: excessive movement seen when using executive functions in the brain. When moving the most = they perform the best! ———————— Children with ADHD more likely to have eating disorder: Loss of control eating syndrome = similar to binge eating disorder Similar biological mechanism in ADHD and binge eating. Impulsivity = loss of control over food consumption Children with ADHD were 12 x more likely to have binge eating disorder. Obese children were 7 x more likely to have ADHD. —————————- Results: Children with ADHD and binge eating – severe ADHD Genetic predisposition for impulsive behavior. New treatment strategies are needed to treat both! ———————- Study identifies genetic risk for childhood sleepwalking: 17 percent of children sleepwalk compared to 4 percent of adults Peak age is 3-7 years old for sleepwalking Peak age for sleep terrors is 4-12 years old Increase risk if parents sleepwalked Genetic predisposition? Also include sleep terrors (night terrors) ——————- Results: 56.2 percent of 1.5-13 yr old’s have night terrors. 29.1 percent of 2.5-13 yr old’s sleepwalk. Night terrors increase risk of sleepwalking. Parent history of sleepwalking increases child’s risk. 3 x risk if 1 parent sleepwalked 7 x risk if both parents sleepwalked