Current Approaches to Management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

1996 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick C. Jarman
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Stimulant Medication ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Behaviour Modification ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
School Based ◽  
Long Term Prognosis

AbstractThe last five years in Australia have been marked by an explosion in the diagnosis and treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The use of stimulant medication for ADHD has increased exponentially across all states, raising questions about the appropriate role of drug treatment and its relationship to other therapies in these children. Despite widespread consensus that multimodal therapy is the preferred option for intervention, many treatments advocated for ADHD lack scientific evidence to support their use. Because no two children with ADHD or their families are the same, an individualised approach to management is advocated that targets both the primary symptoms of the disorder, its cornorbid pathology, and the secondary problems that have developed. Evidence indicates that stimulant medication used in conjunction with parent training, family support, and school based behaviour modification offers the best prospects for improving the disturbing long-term prognosis in these children.

Stimulant medication in ADHD: what do children and their parents say?

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine McElearney ◽  
Carol Fitzpatrick ◽  
Niamh Farrell ◽  
Mary King ◽  
Bryan Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Stimulant Medication ◽  
Medication Compliance ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Children’S Views

AbstractObjectives: The prescription of stimulant medication to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder remains topical. Few reports target children's views about taking long-term medication. The aim was to assess child and parent views of stimulant medication. To compare attitudes to medication between two groups of children, those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder taking stimulant medication and those with epilepsy taking anti-epileptic medication.Method: Forty children (n = 40) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on stimulant medication, and 40 children (n = 40) with epilepsy on anti-epileptic medication formed the study population. A semi-structured interview was carried out with each child and parent. Each parent completed the Dosage and Side-effects Questionnaire and the Attitude to Medication Questionnaire. Each child completed the Attitude to Medication Questionnaire.Results: Sixty per cent of children (n = 24) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and 62.5% (n = 25) of those with epilepsy knew the name and purpose of their medication. Forty per cent (n = 16) of children in the stimulant group and 32.5% (n = 13) in the anti-epileptic group reported themselves as being non-compliant with medication. In both groups children reported positive aspects to taking medication. More children with epilepsy reported negative aspects. Only 32.5% (n = 13) of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder said that they would tell a friend about their medication, while 55% (n = 22) of the children with epilepsy indicated that they would do so. In both groups parents were better informed than their children were about the purpose of the medication. Parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder tended to be more positive about medication than their children and than the parents in the comparison group.Conclusions: The majority of children and their parents express positive views about the stimulant medication. Children's views about medication compliance and side-effects should be sought, as they may differ significantly from those of their parents. Where parents have noticed positive changes, but children have not, this information can be used therapeutically to help children feel more in control of their behaviour.

scholarly journals Do food bioactives play a role in attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder?

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus W. Lange
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Omega 3 Fatty Acids ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Common Diagnosis

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common diagnosis in children, which may persist into adulthood. Short-term benefits of pharmacological treatment have been shown, but concerns regarding long-term efficacy and safety have led to a search for alternative treatments. Nutrition may be an important factor in psychiatric disorders. At group level, food bioactives do not appear to play a significant pathogenetic or therapeutic role in ADHD. Benefits of treatment with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals may be confined to individuals deficient in these micronutrients. Dietary patterns may be of greater importance than individual nutrients. However, both diet and consumption of certain nutrients may be precursors or consequences of ADHD. The controversy surrounding the clinical and pathogenetic heterogeneity of ADHD complicates the assessment of food bioactives. The identification of a potential role of food bioactives in ADHD is hindered by the ill-defined nature of the disorder and the lack of biological markers underpinning its validity. The therapeutic efficacy of food bioactives cannot be tested by evaluating their effect on the pathophysiology of ADHD but only by observing their effects on symptom severity.

Long-Term Stimulant Medication Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 448-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Barbaresi ◽  
Slavica K. Katusic ◽  
Robert C. Colligan ◽  
Amy L. Weaver ◽  
Cynthia L. Leibson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Stimulant Medication ◽  
Medication Treatment ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder
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