Research has shown that even though there are people who are hesitant to take the medication route, medicinal treatment for ADHD can be effective.

Medication can help reduce symptoms of ADHD such as hyperactivity, impulsivity and a lack of attention and concentration in children and adults. However, it’s important to realise that medication comes with side-effects and that it may be a case of trial and error to find the right dose and combination.

Ritalin, the trade name of the stimulant methylphenidate is the most commonly described medication for ADHD. Different doses and formulations can be created for every individual case and are prescribed after a thorough evaluation by a psychiatrist.

But there is no “magic pill” for ADHD, and experts suggest a combined approach – behavioural therapy, lifestyle changes and medication used together to help alleviate symptoms. There might be side-effects such as a change in appetite and sleep patterns.

Here are some lifestyle changes that could increase the effectiveness of medication:

1. Practise patience and be informed

Know that medication alters the chemical reactions in the brain, and that the effects will be different in every case. When, after a few months, the medication appears not to be working, talk to your psychiatrist or doctor.

2. Exercise regularly

According to research, exercise as been proven to help manage ADHD. Not only will it help someone with ADHD establish a healthy routine, but it may also increase dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin levels in the brain, which may aid focus and concentration.

3. Get enough sleep

Regular sleep and quality rest may help improve ADHD symptoms. If your child has ADHD, establish a set bedtime routine and allow them to wind down before they go to bed.

4. Invest in therapy

Along with medication, behavioural therapy can be helpful. A registered therapist specialising in ADHD may help you and your child learn new skills to cope with symptoms and change habits that cause problems. Both you and your child may also benefit from stress management techniques or techniques to help control anger and impulsive behaviour.

5. Eat a healthy diet

According to Harvard Medical School, diet isn’t the driving force behind aggravated ADHD symptoms, and traditional research hasn’t found that radical diets have any benefits. However, healthy diet choices may be helpful in the long run, as healthy foods may aid basic cell function, heart health and immunity. There is limited data on the link between ADHD and diet, but foods that are good for the brain and body will probably be good for ADHD as well.

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Marelize Wilke

Want to get more fish in your diet with a lot more flavour? This two-step technique yields a crispy outside and flaky fish within.

Cooking fish in a skillet is a fast and flavourful way to prepare this healthy, low-calorie protein. The trick to searing fish and getting a crisp top is to start with a light dusting of flour. This alternative to breading also saves a lot of calories. Then, to get the same type of crunch without deep-frying, give your fillets a short blast in the oven.

If you’ve shied away from cod in the past, it’s time to try it again. It’s a high-protein, low-fat fish, and a good source of B12 and niacin.

Crispy cod with spinach

• 2 tablespoons gluten-free or whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed or safflower oil
• 2 6-ounce cod filets
• Cooking spray
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (200 Celsius).

Place flour on a plate and mix with salt, black pepper and paprika. Dip fillets into flour mixture and transfer to another plate.

Add the oil to an oven-safe skillet and warm over medium-high heat for about one minute. Add the fillets and cook, without turning, for four to five minutes until crispy. Flip the fillets in the pan and slide the pan into the oven. Bake for five minutes more until the flesh is cooked through and flakes when pressed with a fork.

While fish cooks, coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add garlic and cook two to three minutes, stirring often until the garlic starts to brown.

Cook spinach in batches, adding handfuls to the skillet and tossing to wilt, about one to two minutes per batch, then transfer to a large bowl. When all the spinach is cooked, add the butter and toss well to coat. Serve immediately with the fish.

Yield: two servings

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Scientists from the Case Western Reserve University digital imaging lab, already pioneering the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to predict whether chemotherapy will be successful, can now determine which lung-cancer patients will benefit from expensive immunotherapy.

The motion means the NHS will be lobbied to scrap home visits from doctors’ contractual obligations.

A surprising new study upends the notion that antibodies passed from mother to foetus protect infants from measles for as much as a year.

In fact, infants’ immunity wanes much more rapidly than once thought, researchers report in the December issue of Pediatrics. The finding drives home the importance of community-wide immunisations.

Below protective threshold

“Measles is a serious disease, particularly among infants. Not only do they have a higher risk of infection, but also complications and hospitalisations. They’re also most vulnerable to death,” said senior study author Shelly Bolotin, a scientist at Public Health Ontario, in Toronto, Canada.

For the study, the researchers tested blood samples from 196 infants under 12 months of age to determine the presence of measles antibodies. The results were unexpected.

In their first month of life, 20% lacked sufficient antibodies to protect against the highly contagious virus, the study found. At 3 months, 92% had antibody levels below the protective threshold. By six months, none had antibodies at levels that could protect against measles.

Typically, babies have been presumed to be immune to measles for a year due to their mothers’ antibodies.

The authors attributed the quicker-than-expected loss of immunity to the type of protection received in the womb from their mothers.

Measles has been eliminated since 1998 in Canada, where the study took place. As such, mothers in the study probably got their protection from a shot and not through a previous infection, which may produce more antibodies. Nor would the mothers’ immunity have been boosted from measles circulating in the community.

Measles declared eradicated

“This study really underscores the need to protect infants in the first year of life,” Bolotin said.

Measles – a serious viral disease whose initial symptoms include a rash and fever – is highly contagious, especially among very young children. Though rare, complications – including pneumonia, hearing loss and death – are most common among vulnerable populations, such as infants, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In 2000, the CDC declared measles eradicated in the United States, thanks largely to a nationwide vaccination programme. But the disease is present in other countries, and unvaccinated visitors sometimes bring the virus with them. That happened earlier this year, sparking repeated outbreaks that threatened the nation’s eradication status.

Among the 1 200-plus cases reported during the 2019 outbreaks, the median age of infected individuals was six. Median means half were younger, half were older. More than 90% of cases occurred in people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown, according to the CDC.

The worst outbreak happened in New York City when visitors from Israel and Europe – sites of recent outbreaks – mingled with Orthodox Jewish communities where many were unvaccinated.

While vaccine refusal is most often rooted in parents’ religious beliefs, the recent “anti-vaxxer” trend – popularised by celebrities in the media – can also influence parents’ decisions regarding vaccines. The World Health Organization recently identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to global health.

Herd immunity

Vaccine refusal and hesitancy threaten herd immunity: the community-wide resistance to disease that takes hold when a high proportion of people are vaccinated. Roughly 95% of the population needs to be protected to maintain herd immunity against measles, according to Dr Sean O’Leary, an expert on paediatric infectious diseases.

“If we maintain a highly vaccinated population, measles outbreaks are not going to be an issue,” said O’Leary, an associate professor at University of Colorado School of Medicine, in Aurora. “If measles is not circulating, it would be very rare for a young infant to be exposed to the virus.”

That’s because herd immunity protects vulnerable individuals, such as infants who are too young to be vaccinated. The CDC recommends babies receive the first of two shots for measles, mumps and rubella starting at 12 months of age.

With the new evidence that immunity from mom wanes sooner than previously thought, why not give babies their shots sooner?

O’Leary explained that even if antibodies from mom are no longer at a protective level, those still present may prevent a live vaccine from working very well. The vaccinated infant might then be unable to ward off measles if exposed, he said.

That’s why it’s so important that individuals who can get vaccinated against measles, do, experts agree.

“Because it’s been eliminated for the better part of two decades, people don’t remember measles’ devastating effects,” said study author Bolotin.

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The planned investment would double current annual funding for dementia research.

The information provided does not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. You should consult a medical practitioner or other appropriate health care professional for a physical exmanication, diagnosis and formal advice. Health24 and the expert accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or personal harm you may suffer resulting from making use of this content.

It had been hoped the first students would be training this year at a new school in Londonderry.