|
Page 1 of 2 Detailed overview of ADHD treatments including therapy for ADHD, ADHD medications and their side effects in children and adults, plus experimental treatments for ADHD.
ADHD Treatment
Optimal treatment for ADHD is a matter of intense debate. Current treatments typically involve therapy, medication or both.
Therapy for ADHD
Children and adults with ADHD often greatly benefit from counseling or behavior therapy, which may be provided by a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or other mental health care professional. Some people with ADHD may also have other conditions such as anxiety disorder or depression. In these cases, counseling may help both ADHD and the coexisting problem.
Counseling therapies may include:
- Psychotherapy. This allows older children and adults with ADHD to talk about issues that bother them, explore negative behavioral patterns and learn ways to deal with their symptoms.
- Behavior therapy. This type of therapy helps teachers and parents learn strategies (contingency management procedures) for dealing with children's behavior. These strategies may include token reward systems and timeouts. Behavior modification using contingency management techniques has proved especially beneficial for people with ADHD.
- Family therapy. Family therapy can help parents and siblings deal with the stress of living with a child who has ADHD.
- Social skills training. This can help children learn appropriate social behaviors.
- Support groups.Support groups can offer adults and children with ADHD and their parents a network of social support, information and education.
- Parenting skills training. This can help parents develop ways to understand and guide their child's behavior.
The best results usually occur when a team approach is used, with teachers, parents, and therapists or physicians working together. You can help by making every effort to work with your child's teachers and by referring them to reliable sources of information to support their efforts in the classroom.
ADHD Medications
Drugs known as psychostimulants are the most commonly prescribed medications for treating ADHD in children and adults. Sometimes antidepressants may also be used — especially for adults and for children who don't respond to stimulants or who are depressed or have other problems.
Although scientists don't understand exactly why these drugs work, stimulants appear to boost and balance levels of the brain chemicals dopamine, which is associated with activity, and serotonin, which is associated with a sense of well-being. Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), the primary medication used to treat ADHD, seems to increase levels of dopamine in the brain by blocking the activity of dopamine transporters, which remove dopamine after it has been released. Besides methylphenidate, ADHD medications include d- and l-amphetamine racemic mixture (Adderall), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and the nonstimulant drug atomoxetine (Strattera).
All these medications may help alleviate the core symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity — sometimes dramatically. But drugs don't address other problems, such as lack of academic achievement, poor social skills or conflict at home. In addition, some doctors question giving stimulants to young children, especially when no studies have been done to determine the long-term safety of these drugs.
The number of children treated with psychostimulants has increased dramatically in recent years. Many of those children are very young — between 2 and 4 years of age. Yet studies have shown that without behavior therapy and educational services, medication alone isn't likely to be effective in improving a child's long-term outcome.
|
