Hyperkinetic children

Similar to caffeine, theophylline produces improvement on sustained attention tasks (Bryant et al. 1998), but caffeine appears to be a more potent CNS stimulant (Yu et al. 1991). Caffeine improves the accuracy of reaction time tasks in hyperkinetic children (Reichard and Elder 1977). 

Hypercoagulability, blood, 330 Hyperkinetic children, 88 Hyperthyroidism, 240 Hypoglycemia, 136 Hypothyroidism, 95... 

There is good evidence that the facilitation of peripheral sympathetic nervous system transmission prcxluced by the amphetamines also occurs in the CNS.The possibihty that amphetamines act indirectly (i.e., by releasing monoamines) at monoaminergic synapses in the brain and spinal cord seems likely. However, amphetamine has effects beyond displacement of catecholamines these include inhibition of neuronal amine uptake, direct stimulation of dopamine and serotonin receptors, antagonism of catecholamine action at certain subtypes of adrenoceptors, and inhibition of monoamine oxidase. Interestingly, none of these actions explains the therapeutic benefit of the amphetamines in hyperkinetic children. 

Gunning, B. (1992) A controlled trial of clonidine in hyperkinetic children. Thesis, Academic Hospital Rotterdam-Sophia Children s Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 

Sprague, R.T. and Sleator, E.K. (1977). Methylphenidate in hyperkinetic children differences in dose effects on learning and social behavior. Science 198 1274-1276. 

Eisenberg, L., Gilbert, A., Cytryn, L., and Moiling, PA. (1961) The effectiveness of psychotherapy alone and in conjunction with perphenazine or placebo in the treatment of neurotic and hyperkinetic children. Am J Psychiatry 117 1088-1093. 

Gittleman-Klein, R., Klein, D.F., Katz, S., Saraf, K., and Pollack, E. (1976) Comparative effects of methylphenidate and thioridazine in hyperkinetic children I clinical results. Arch Gen Psychiatry 33 1217-1231. 

Roche AF, Lipman RS, Overall JE, Hung W. The effects of stimulant medication on the growth of hyperkinetic children. Pediatrics 1979 63(6) 847-50. 

Dickinson LC, Lee J, Ringdahl IC, Schedewie HK, Kilgore BS, Elders Ml. Impaired growth in hyperkinetic children receiving pemoline. J Pediatr 1979 94(4) 538-41. 

Brenner A A study of the efficacy of the Feingold diet on hyperkinetic children. Clin Pediatr 16 652-656,1977... 

Figure 3.2 W/zy re CNS stimulants prescribed to hyperkinetic children "Stimulant" is perhaps a misnomer for the actions of amphetamine-like drugs. Although the drugs were first characterized with regard for their ability to stimulate CNS functions, the effects of these drugs are actually very complex. In animal studies, amphetamines accelerate behavior which is slow in the absence of drug and suppress rapid behavior patterns. It has been hypothesized that the sedative effects of amphetamines in hyperkinetic children are due to inhibition of "fast-rate" behavior, and that amphetamine-induced acceleration of "slow-rate" behavior in children with attention deficit disorder may account for improved learning and memory skills.

Several investigators have evaluated the locomotor response of Pb-exposed animals to a number of psychoactive drugs, many of which are used in the diagnosis and treatment of hyperkinetic children. ... 

In 1995, Bramble published a study on the prescription frequency of antidepressants by British child psychiatrists (Bramble, 1995). A brief postal questionnaire was circulated to 350 members of the British Royal College of Psychiatrists, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Sections. There was a 71% response rate, and 85% of the 238 respondents had employed antidepressants, the most popular of these being amitriptyline and imipramine. Nearly one-third of the psychiatrists at that time used neuroagents occasionally, and the SSRIs were used only very rarely. The antidepressant medication was used for a wide range of child and adolescent disorders beyond those of depression and nocturnal enuresis. Approximately 20% of the prescriptions were given for ADHD (hyperkinetic disorder), conduct disorder, and a few cases of autistic disorder. Clomipramine was apparently given for OCD. On the basis of these 1994 data. Bramble concluded that British child psychiatrists tend to use antidepressant medication far less often than American psychiatrists. 

Amfetamine psychosis is relatively rare in children, even in hyperactive children taking large doses of amfetamine amfetamine psychosis has been reported in an 8-year-old child with a hyperkinetic syndrome (SED-8,12). Large doses of amfetamine can cause disruption of thinking, but amfetamine psychosis is not usually accompanied by the degree of disorganization normally seen in schizophrenia (SED-9, 8). 

David TJ Reactions to dietary tartrazine. Arch Dis Child 62 119-122, 1987 Egger], Graham P], Carter CM, et al Controlled trial of oligoantigenic treatment in the hyperkinetic syndrome. Lancet 1 540-545,1985 Eich WF, Thim EB, Crowder JE Effect of the Feingold Kaiser Permanente diet in minimal brain dysfunction. Journal of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama 49 16-20, 1979... 

Hyperactivity—Hyperactive, or in medical terminology hyperkinetic, is a label that has been applied to between 5 and 20% of all school-age children in the United States. Unfortunately, hyperactivity is a vague term and some ill-mannered children have been conveniently labeled as hyperactive. Hyperactive children are described as being significantly more restless, easily distracted, inattentive and emotionally labile relative to their peers. Attention is drawn to hyperactive children in situations which require sedentary and attentive behavior thus, these children usually come under medical and psychological evaluation because of behavioral problems and learning difficulties at school. Furthermore, the hyperactive child may be physically sound but have difficulty with motor skills and coordination. 

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