Treatment options for children and adolescents with ADHD include
medication, psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and social skills
training. There are times when the entire family of a child with
ADHD can benefit from support groups, or parenting skills training.
The Learning Disabilities Association of America does not take
any position with regard to the treatment of ADHD. ADHD is not a
specific learning disability. The information in this section is
provided by the National Institute of Mental Health, from their
publication Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Revised
September 2002, NIH Publication No. 03-3572.
No single treatment is the answer for every child. A child may
sometimes have undesirable side effects to a medication that would
make that particular treatment unacceptable. And, if a child with
ADHD also has anxiety or depression, a treatment combining medication
and behavioral therapy might be best. Each child’s needs and
personal history must be carefully considered.
Medications
For decades, medications have been used to treat the symptoms of
ADHD. Medications for ADHD help many children focus and be more
successful at school, home, and play. Avoiding negative experiences
now may actually help prevent addictions and other emotional problems
later.
About 80 percent of children who need medication for ADHD still
need it as teenagers. Over 50 percent need medication as adults.
The medications that seem to be the most effective are a class
of drugs known as stimulants. Following is a list of the stimulants,
their trade (or brand) names and their generic names. “Approved
age” means that the drug has been tested and found safe and
effective in children of that age.
| Trade Name |
Generic Name |
Approved Age |
| Adderall |
amphetamine |
3 and older |
Concerta
|
methylphenidate
(long acting) |
6 and older |
| Dexedrine |
dextroamphetamine |
3 and older |
| Dextrostat |
dextroamphetamine |
3 and older |
| Focalin |
desmethylphenidate |
6 and older |
| Metadate ER |
methylphenidate
(extended release) |
6 and older |
| Metadate CD |
methylphenidate
(extended release) |
6 and older |
| Ritalin |
methylphenidate |
6 and older |
| Ritalin SR |
methylphenidate
(extended release) |
6 and older |
| Ritalin LA |
methylphenidate
(long acting) |
6 and older |
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a medication
for ADHD that is not a stimulant. The medication, Strattera, or
atomoxetine, works on the neurotransmitter norepinephrine; whereas
the stimulants primarily work on dopamine. Both of these neurotransmitters
are believed to play a role in ADHD. More studies will need to be
done to contrast Strattera with the medications already available
but the evidence to date indicates that over 70 percent of children
with ADHD given Strattera manifest significant improvement in their
symptoms. – National Institute of Mental Health, 2002
For more information on ADHD or to order their 47 page booklet,
contact the National Institute of Mental Health, http://www.nimh.nih.gov
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