Health

6 Symptoms to Watch for Before Trying ADHD Testing

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can affect both adults and children. Therapists diagnose the condition by evaluating clients’ intelligence, memory, attention, behavior, and achievement.

While this diagnosis can only be made by a healthcare professional, some symptoms may point toward ADHD. Here are the symptoms to watch for before considering ADHD testing:

1. Inattention

Difficulty paying attention and sustaining focus on tasks is a core symptom of ADHD. Individuals with ADHD may find themselves overlooking relevant details and making careless mistakes because of their inability to focus.

Children may find it difficult to concentrate on tasks that require mental effort, like reading and doing homework. Adults may be unable to focus on their work and maintain lengthy conversations.

Inattention often occurs regardless of whether there are external stimuli in the environment. It may result from reduced dopamine activity in the brain’s attention network or impaired executive functioning. Consider ADHD testing if you’ve tried everything from eliminating distractions in your environment to practicing mindfulness and meditation but still can’t focus on tasks.

2. Impulsivity

Impulsivity is acting without thinking about consequences. Children with ADHD may present behaviors like speaking out of turn and interrupting others during conversations. Adults may present more risky behaviors like engaging in substance abuse, sex, and gambling without considering the potential outcomes.

Impulsivity may be brought on by executive dysfunction because of a lack of blood flow to the prefrontal cortex. It may also result from weak inhibitory control. Consider undergoing testing if you try to press pause before acting but are unable to do so.

3. Hyperactivity

Hyperactivity is characterized by restlessness and excessive physical activity. Children with ADHD may present excessive motor activity. They may appear to be constantly on the go, climbing stairs, running, and frequently getting out of their seats, even when it’s inappropriate.

It’s worth noting that these symptoms don’t always point to ADHD if your child is a toddler, as increased motor activity is expected at this developmental stage. A therapist can help you determine if your child’s hyperactivity is typical or a sign of ADHD.

Hyperactivity in adults can manifest as inner restlessness. You may feel the need to engage in multiple activities simultaneously, constantly tap your hands or feet, squirm in your seat, talk excessively, or experience the urge to keep moving. Hyperactivity can result from difficulty regulating motor activity and controlling impulses.

4. Forgetfulness

People with ADHD often have difficulty remembering information. They may abandon tasks midway because they forget they were doing them, miss appointments, lose things like car keys and wallets, and have difficulty recalling memories on demand.

You may find it difficult to remember the last book you read or the last movie you saw. This isn’t to say that experiencing memory lapses once in a while is a cause for concern. It’s normal to occasionally forget things and misplace items, as the human brain isn’t designed to remember everything. Only be concerned if memory lapses occur frequently.

Forgetfulness in ADHD may result from a weak alpha modulation when encoding and retrieving memories. Alpha waves help filter out sensory input from the environment, allowing the brain to focus on key information. With weak modulation, the brain can’t separate valuable details from unhelpful ones, making it difficult to recall information when necessary.

5. Disorganization

Individuals with ADHD often have challenges prioritizing tasks, managing time, and maintaining an orderly environment. They may find themselves with numerous half-completed projects because of their inability to organize themselves. This often leads to inefficiency and feeling overwhelmed.

Disorganization can also manifest mentally. One may make presentations or tell stories out of order and include extraneous details. Disorganization in ADHD can result from abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex.

6. Academic Challenges

People with ADHD sometimes face academic difficulties, like poor grades. ADHD symptoms like inattention and forgetfulness can interfere with a learner’s test-taking abilities. One is likely to make careless mistakes because of overlooking key details and finding it challenging to recall information when answering questions.

ADHD clients may also have trouble focusing on written text, making extracting relevant information and understanding complex concepts difficult. A therapist can administer achievement tests during your evaluation to determine if you have ADHD.

Seek ADHD Testing If You Have These Symptoms

ADHD testing can help you understand yourself or your child better. Understanding your challenges can help you and your therapist create strategies to manage the condition. Common strategies include behavioral therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes like creating routines and breaking down long tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. Seek help through testing today.

Health

Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

Health

New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Health

Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP