March 11, 2004 – Cognitive training sessions four times a week may help children who are hyperactive or have attention deficit disorder (ADD / HD) to remedy their concentration problems. The new approach, cognitive remediation, would reduce the intake of Ritalin in young children.
The latest research shows that there is a cognitive deficit in children with AD / HD, such as language delays and difficulty concentrating. Since these problems can be detected right from the daycare, the parents of these children are consulting more and more early. According to a psychiatrist and a psychologist at the Attention Disorders Clinic at Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital, instead of prescribing Ritalin, the effects of which are not stable, we could opt for cognitive remediation, which involves the parents.
The method consists of stimulating the child’s attention through concentration exercises, which are done at the Clinic and repeated at home or at school. For young children aged three to five, cognitive remediation consists of short stories, which are told by parents before going to sleep. For older children, therapy aims to train them to support their attention to better control their behavior. They also have exercises to do four times a week (20 minutes per session) on the school computer. “Cognitive remediation teaches children to develop their attention and concentration skills autonomously and permanently,” says Dr.r Philippe Lageix, psychiatrist at the Clinic.
In addition, a study on the genetic and environmental factors associated with ADD / HD is underway at Sainte-Justine Hospital in Montreal (Quebec). Children aged 6 to 12, of French Canadian origin and with AD / HD, are being sought to participate in the first part of this program. It consists of a two to three hour interview in the hospital, with the child and one of his parents, and a blood test from both. The interview will assess the child’s IQ and diagnostic profile as well as draw up a portrait of his living environment. The results will then be sent to the attending physician, who will inform the parents. Interested families can contact Marie Labrèque (research assistant) at (514) 345-4931, extension 3678, or by email at recih@JUSTINE.UMontréal.CA
Aline Charest – PasseportSanté.net
According to Medical News
