Improve Kids’ Attention, Impulsivity
Noticeable improvement in symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity was seen in foster children who are place n stable and loving homes, compared to children who get moved around a lot. “Stability is a tremendous factors that contribute to better adjustment for these symptoms, are the parenting environment and the numbers of homes,” claims L. Oriana Linares, lead author of a study appearing in the March issue of Pediatrics.
An associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, Linares noticed that the children in the study did not actually have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, known better as ADHD, but showed signs of impulsivity and inattention. These signs are very prevalent in children who are placed in foster homes.
“When the foster mom returns the child to the agency and says the child is unmanageable, is a common reason for what is known as failed placement,” Linares said. Experts have little information on whether the symptoms lessen over time, or worsen and what it is that affects that trajectory.
