Moms-to-be on The Patch linked to higher ADHD rates in kids

Moms-to-be on The Patch linked to higher ADHD rates in kids

By Dr. George Traitses

Smoking during pregnancy presents well documented dangers to the health of a mother’s unborn child, and when it comes to ADHD, nicotine replacement therapy isn’t much better, a news study shows. Analyzing more than 80,000 children born between 1996 and 2002, their mothers were interviewed during pregnancy to note their smoking or nicotine replacement therapy habits.  Years later, through 2011, hospital records were analyzed for diagnoses of ADHD or use of ADHD medication among the children. While only 2% of the children were diagnosed with ADHD, children of smokers were 83 percent more likely to develop it compared with those born of nonsmoking parents. Mothers who used nicotine replacement products had children with a similarly increased risk.

Researchers were careful to point out that nicotine was not necessarily causal to ADHD and that many factors can influence risk.  The most important, theorized the study’s lead researcher, is genetics.   Also of note, children born to women who were on nicotine replacement therapy had much healthier birth weights than those born to smokers. Nonetheless, cold turkey is always the way to go for moms-to-be (and all your patients), and Chiropractic care can help.

Source: “Nicotine patch use during pregnancy tied to higher ADHD risk,” Foxnews.com, July 23, 2014.
For more information on health and safety visit the Ontario Chiropractic Association; Website at www.chiropractic.on.ca or call 1877-327-2273.

Dr. George Traitses, 416-499-5656, www.infinite-health.com