Tonsilectomy/adenoidectomy "cures" ADHD?!??!

jym626
Thu, 06 Apr 2006 19:45:14 +0000

While the relationship between poor sleep (and subsequent fatigue) and inattention is obvious, it seems that there is also a relationship between obstructive sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and kids diagnosed with ADHD.
Here are the links to the New York Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/health/04tons.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

and the main article in the Journal “Pediatrics” http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/109/3/449?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=ADHD+Tonsillectomy&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT

(note: This entire issue of “Pediatrics” is dedicated to this topic)

These recent articles have been the topic of lively discussions on some of my professional listservs over the past few days. Without getting mired in technical mumbo jumbo, the findings suggest physiological/cellular changes secondary to decreased oxygenation. Hmmmmmm. Food for thought…