ADHD linked to social and economic disadvantage

A study by the University of Exeter Medical School discovered that a greater percentage of children with ADHD came from families below the poverty line than the UK population as a whole. The study found the odds of parents in social housing having a child with ADHD were roughly three times greater than for those who owned their own homes.The team also found that the odds of younger mothers having a child with ADHD were significantly higher than for other mothers. Mothers with no qualifications were more than twice as likely to have a child with ADHD than those with degrees, and lone parents were more likely to have a child with ADHD diagnosis than households with two live-in parents. 

Dr Ginny Russell, who led the study, said: "There is a genetic element to ADHD, but this study provides strong evidence that ADHD is also associated with a disadvantaged social and economic background.

"Some people believe that ADHD in children causes disadvantage to the economic situation of their family, but we found no evidence to support that theory. It's important to discover more about the causes of this disorder so that we can look towards prevention, and so that we can target treatment and support effectively."

Family poverty linked to children with attention disorder The Independent 26th November 2013

Belinda Phipps represented parents in House of Commons

Follow this link to watch a video of Belinda Phipps (NCT's CEO) representing parents to the House of Commons Public Account Committee session on maternity services in England: BBC Democracy Live

Traditional Breadwinner Families Now Largest Group In Poverty

According to figures from NatCen for Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), among the 1.3 million families with children living in poverty:

• 31% (400,000 families) are couple families with a single breadwinner;
• 16% (210,000 families) are dual earning couples;
• 8% (105,000 families) are working lone parents;
• The remaining families are either workless single parents or workless couples.

Another report by IPPR points out the number of single breadwinner couple families has been falling in recent decades, largely the result of social change, with more women wanting to work - but in some cases women need or want to work to make ends meet for their family. The report highlights the need to support more dual earning couples and to enable lone parents to work, or to work more hours, in order to reduce poverty.
Katie Schmuecker, Policy and Research Manager at JRF, said: “The traditional family model where one parent – usually dad – goes out to work and supports his family does not offer a guaranteed route out of poverty in Britain today. Our low pay jobs market means many families that are reliant on a single breadwinner find it hard to make ends meet.

traditional-breadwinner-families-now-largest-group-in-poverty Joseph Rowntree Foundation 13 November 2013

Midwifery workloads well above recommended levels

Health organisations recommend that each midwife should handle no more than 28 births a year in order to help ensure safe high-quality care for women. However, in 2012 only the north-east reached that level, with a rate of 28.1 births per full-time equivalent midwife. Maternity units in the NHS South Central region are furthest away from meeting that target, with each midwife handling 40 births last year. But the south-east (36.2 births each) and east of England (35.8) were also nowhere near the figure.
The amount of money going to maternity units in five of the NHS's 10 English regions of the country fell by up to 15% in 2012-13 compared with the previous year. The East Midlands saw the biggest drop, 15% less in 2012-13 than 2011-12. London, North-East, South-West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions also saw lower spending.
The National Childbirth Trust, the baby and parenting charity, accused ministers of breaking pledges to improve maternity care. "It makes no sense that, while birth rates are rising, maternity services are being cut back", said Belinda Phipps, its chief executive. "It is shocking to find that just one English region is meeting recommended staffing levels for maternity care and particularly disappointing after the pledges made by the government to increase midwife numbers", she added.
maternity-care-funding-nhs-cuts The Guardian 13th November 2013

Exercise in pregnancy boosts babies' brains

Babies' brains showed more mature patterns of activity, linked to better mental performance in later life, when their mothers took at least three 20-minute sessions of moderate exercise a week. The early stage findings are the first from a randomised controlled trial in humans to show that a pregnant mother's exercise routine could have such an impact on her baby's brain.
"We know exercise is good for all kinds of things in pregnancy. It makes mothers feel better, gives them more control over their weight gain, and also has an impact on their child's weight gain in life. We're saying here's an added bonus, that exercise gives your child a head-start in brain development," said Elise Labonte-LeMoyne at the University of Montreal.
Pregnant mothers who exercise boost babies' brains, claim researchers The Guardian 10/11/13

Pregnant women who snore give birth to smaller babies

Experts said snoring may be a sign of breathing problems which could deprive an unborn baby of oxygen. A new study led by Dr Louise O'Brien, from the University of Michigan's Sleep Disorders Centre found that pregnant women who snore are more likely to give birth to smaller babies. The study found that chronic snorers, who snored both before and during pregnancy, were two thirds more likely to have a baby whose weight was in the bottom 10%. They were also more than twice as likely to need an elective Caesarean delivery, or C-section, compared with non-snorers. Snoring is a key sign of obstructive sleep apnoea, which results in the airway becoming partially blocked, said the researchers, whose findings appear in the journal Sleep. Dr O'Brien added: "If we can identify risks during pregnancy that can be treated, such as obstructive sleep apnoea, we can reduce the incidence of small babies, C-sections and possibly NICU (neo-natal intensive care unit) admission that not only improve long-term health benefits for newborns but also help keep costs down."

Pregnant women who snore give birth to smaller babies, study reveals The Mirror 31st October 2013