December webinar to help dentists collect what they produce

Dentists sometimes have patients concerned about financing treatment plans, even though many practices have policies, programs or systems in place to help the patient.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/october/december-webinar-to-help-dentists-collect-what-they-produce

This drug is driving rapid rise in opioid deaths

New report shows fentanyl is a major factor in the deadliest drug crisis in U.S. history

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fentanyl-opioid-overdose-deaths-rapid-increase/

Mayo Clinic Minute: Nipple-sparing mastectomy, pre-pectoral reconstruction

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsTiKUaJ-qY

$295 million settlement reached in Stericycle class action

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on Oct. 26 granted preliminary approval for the settlement.

From: By Kelly Soderlund http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/october/295-million-settlement-reached-in-stericycle-class-action

ADA commends White House for declaring public health emergency on opioids

The American Dental Association issued a statement Oct. 27 commending President Donald Trump for declaring a public health emergency on the opioid crisis.

From: By Jennifer Garvin http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/october/ada-commends-white-house-for-declaring-public-health-emergency-on-opioids

Gene Therapy May Fight Brain Cancer's Return

A new form of gene therapy shows promise in battling recurrent brain cancer.

From: https://www.webmd.com/cancer/brain-cancer/news/20171027/gene-therapy-may-fight-brain-cancers-return?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Spiders, Snakes, and Clowns: Facing Your Phobias

Millions have fears of specific things, places or situations. Only a fraction, however, let it impact their lives.

From: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20171027/spiders-snakes-and-clowns-facing-your-phobias?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Mayo Clinic Arizona: Hospital South Expansion Construction Project

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRhQQk12EsE

Meet the Investigator: Pashtoon M. Kasi, M.D.

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpXU6ooTeqE

The safest time of day to get heart surgery

Researchers compared how patients did after heart surgery in either the morning or the afternoon – and found a big difference

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/heart-surgery-safer-time-of-day-afternoon/

Spine Talks – Spondylolisthesis, Episode 2

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BelvXOTRe-M

Pot Smokers May Have Better Sex Lives

The old image of the "pothead" who's too blissed out to make it in the bedroom may need revising.

From: https://www.webmd.com/sex/news/20171027/pot-smokers-may-have-better-sex-lives?src=RSS_PUBLIC

More Kids Have Food Allergies, Especially Peanuts

The number of U.S. children allergic to peanuts has increased by 21 percent since 2010, with nearly 2.5 percent of youngsters now having this type of allergy, a new study has found.

From: https://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20171027/more-kids-have-food-allergies-especially-peanuts?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Can Man's Best Friend Chase Away Eczema, Asthma?

Two new studies suggest man's furry best friend might actually provide some protection against allergic diseases.

From: https://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20171027/can-mans-best-friend-chase-away-eczema-asthma?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Drop Off Your Unused Meds Saturday on 'Take Back Day'

On Saturday, Oct. 28, you can safely dispose of unwanted medicines at sites across the country as part of the next "Take Back Day," sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state and local partners.

From: https://www.webmd.com/drug-medication/news/20171027/drop-off-your-unused-meds-saturday-on-take-back-day?src=RSS_PUBLIC

With Severe Flu Season Lurking, Shots a Must

Early signs suggest that the United States will see a severe flu season, so it's especially important for Americans to get their shots, health experts say.

From: https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20171027/with-severe-flu-season-lurking-shots-a-must?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Newer Eczema Treatments Offer Relief

Children and adults with eczema shouldn't suffer in silence because new, improved treatments can do more to help ease the uncomfortable, itchy rash associated with the skin condition.

From: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/eczema/news/20171027/newer-eczema-treatments-offer-relief?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Organized Dentistry comments on HHS strategic plan

Washington — The Organized Dentistry Coalition has recommendations for how the U.S. Department of Health and Human can best serve the oral health and well-being of Americans.

From:

By Jennifer Garvin

http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/october/organized-dentistry-comments-on-hhs-strategic-plan

Trump: Opioid Epidemic a Public Health Emergency

In his first major speech Thursday on the opioid epidemic in the United States, President Donald Trump declared the crisis a public health emergency.

From: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20171026/trump-opioid-epidemic-a-public-health-emergency?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Ohio to require people with HIV to tell sex partners

Court rules the state has a valid interest in curbing HIV transmission to sexual partners who may be unaware of the risk

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/court-rules-ohio-can-require-people-with-hiv-to-tell-sex-partners/

Insys Therapeutics founder accused of bribing doctors to prescribe opioids

The most prominent pharmaceutical executive to be criminally charged in the opioid epidemic is now free on bail. John Kapoor, founder of Insys Therapeutics, is accused of racketeering, conspiracy, fraud and other felonies. Prosecutors say Kapoor helped devise a plan to bribe doctors into prescribing the potent opiate to non-cancer patients. Jim Axelrod reports.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/insys-therapeutics-founder-accused-of-bribing-doctors-to-prescribe-opioids/

Severe Injury May Rapidly Change Gut Bacteria

After a severe traumatic injury, the composition of a patient's intestinal bacteria quickly changes -- a phenomenon that could affect the patient's prognosis, new research suggests.

From: https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/news/20171026/severe-injury-may-rapidly-change-gut-bacteria?src=RSS_PUBLIC

7-year-old with 3-D printed to make big play at World Series

The second grader, born with a rare condition known as Poland syndrome, is ready for the challenge

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/world-series-game-4-first-pitch-hailey-dawson-3d-printed-hand/

5 things parents and teachers need to know about ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a childhood disorder that affects as many as one out of 10 children in the United States. Even though it’s fairly common, many misconceptions still persist. So here are five important things you should know if you are a parent or a teacher of a child with ADHD.

1. The hallmark symptoms of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Most kids are inattentive, impulsive, and hyperactive at times. But for a diagnosis of ADHD, these symptoms must interfere significantly in multiple places, such as at school and at home. This is a childhood disorder, meaning the symptoms must be present before adolescence. The symptoms can start in preschool, but most kids aren’t diagnosed until later in childhood. The symptoms may change over time, with hyperactivity and impulsivity being more pronounced in young children, while high-schoolers and young adults often display more difficulty with attention. Many children (perhaps as many as half) will outgrow their symptoms but others do not, so ADHD can affect a person into adulthood.

2. There are different types of ADHD: predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation; predominantly inattentive presentation; combined presentation. Most children with ADHD have a combination of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity and would be diagnosed with ADHD-combined presentation. Other children who struggle most with hyperactivity and impulsivity would get the diagnosis of ADHD-hyperactive-impulsive presentation. A third group has predominantly problems with attention. While you often will hear these children described as ADD (attention deficit disorder), the correct term is ADHD-predominantly inattentive presentation. Girls tend to have inattentive symptoms more than boys.

3. ADHD is a brain-based disorder. Kids can’t overcome symptoms of ADHD by “trying to concentrate harder” or by willing themselves to “pay attention.” Brain imaging studies have shown that people with ADHD have structurally different brains than people without ADHD. It also runs in families. Children whose parents have ADHD have a 40% to 60% chance of also having ADHD. Sometimes a child’s diagnosis can be the first clue that a parent may have ADHD.

4. The symptoms of ADHD can make school, family, and social relationships difficult. School requires attention and organizational skills, things that can be difficult for kids with ADHD. They may lose homework, have difficulty organizing their thoughts, and have problems thinking ahead and planning. In addition, it’s common for children with ADHD to also have learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, that make schoolwork even more challenging. While kids with ADHD don’t generally have a specific problem with social skills, difficulty with emotion regulation and impulsivity can interfere with personal relationships, and so it can be hard for them to keep and maintain friendships. It can also be hard for them to follow social rules, control their emotions, or say the appropriate thing. Finally, problems with organization, planning, and focusing on what’s being said to them can make many aspects of home life quite difficult. Relationships with parents and siblings can take a lot more work.

5. There are great treatments available for children with ADHD. There are a variety of research-backed therapies that can help relieve symptoms of ADHD. Some of the most effective approaches combine several therapies, for example:

• Medication: Many parents are fearful of trying medication, but ADHD medications are some of the most well-studied across all areas of medicine. Stimulant medications (such as Ritalin, Adderall, or Concerta) are the most commonly prescribed. These drugs stimulate the parts of the brain that are understimulated. These parts of the brain are related to thinking and attention. The goals of these medications are to reduce hyperactivity/impulsivity and increase focus/attention.
• Behavior therapy: Behavior therapy teaches the child to be aware of, monitor, and eventually modify disruptive behaviors. The therapist will teach social skills, such as waiting your turn, reading facial expressions, sharing, asking for help, and reacting appropriately when teased. Cognitive behavioral therapy emphasizes mindfulness, and teaches a child to be aware of her thoughts and emotions as a way of improving attention and focus.
• Education and training: Knowing oneself, or one’s child, can help parents understand how ADHD and its symptoms affects the family unit. Parents and teachers can learn tools that can help the child learn new, pro-social, and positive behaviors. Adults can learn how to cope with inappropriate behaviors and encourage positive ones. This can help reduce ADHD symptoms.
• ADHD coaching: A coach can help students with ADHD work toward goals, see change as a positive thing, improve productivity and functioning, and keep a student accountable. This is particularly useful for older kids.

Getting informed about ADHD is the first step in finding help. For more information, see www.mghclaycenter.org and www.understood.org.

The post 5 things parents and teachers need to know about ADHD appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Ellen Braaten, PhD https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/5-things-parents-and-teachers-need-to-know-about-adhd-2017102712643