Is there a treatment for ADHD.?!
Question: Is there a treatment for ADHD!.!?
if a adult is found having adhd then can it be treated by giving him some medicine!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children::
The American Academy of Pediatrics, to compliment the policy statement on Diagnosis and Evaluation of the Child With ADHD, has released a policy statement on the Treatment of the School-Aged Child With ADHD!. Together, these two policy statements offer physicians evidence based recommendations to diagnose and treat their patients with ADHD!.
Among the conclusions and recommendations that are stated in this policy statement are that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder should be recognized as a chronic condition and that a child-specific, individualized treatment program should be developed for children with a goal of maximizing function to improve relationships and performance at school, decrease disruptive behaviors, promote safety, increase independence and improve self esteem!.
Other recommendations include that stimulant medications and/or behavior therapy are appropriate and safe treatments for ADHD and that children should have regular and systematic follow-up to monitor goals and possible side effects!. One of the strongest, and I think most helpful, recommendations in the policy statement is what to do with children who don't respond to standard treatments!. Too often, if a child doesn't respond to a medication or continues to have problems, the treatment is stopped and he is left to continue to do poorly at school, have behavior problems and poor relationships with others!. Instead, the AAP recommends that 'when the selected management for a child with ADHD has not met target outcomes, clinicians should evaluate the original diagnosis, use of all appropriate treatments, adherence to the treatment plan, and presence of coexisting conditions!.'
For children with ADHD who continue to have problems with core symptoms, including inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, if medication wasn't part of the initial treatment plan, then a stimulant medication should be considered and behavior therapy should be reinforced!. Children who are already on a stimulant medication and are doing poorly, may be changed to a different stimulant medication!.
Many of the statements and conclusions of this policy statement should be reassuring to parents, including that:
* review and analysis of several studies have shown that stimulant medications
* do work for the core symptoms of ADHD and in many cases 'improves the child's ability to follow rules and decreases emotional overactivity, thereby leading to improved relationships with peers and parents!.'
* side effects of stimulant medications are usually 'mild and short lived,' and for parents that worry about the effects of stimulant medications on their child's growth, that there is 'no significant impairment of height attained' in adult life!.
The AAP policy statement also includes a brief review of medications used in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, including stimulants, which are first line treatments, and antidepressants, which are second line treatments and might be considered if 2 or 3 stimulant medications don't work for your child!.
Stimulants include different formulations of methylphenidate:
* short acting, such as Ritalin and Focalin, with a duration of 3-5 hours
* intermediate acting, such as Ritalin SR, Metadate ER, and Methylin ER, with a duration of 3-8 hours
* long acting, such as Concerta, Rilatin LA and Metadate CD, with a duration of 8-12 hours and which can be used just once a day
The other type of stimulant includes different formulations of amphetamine:
* short acting, such as Dexedrine and Dextrostat, with a duration of 4-6 hours intermediate acting, such as Adderall and Dexedrine spansule, with a duration of 6-8 hours
* long acting, such as Adderall-XR
With all of the different types of medications available to treat ADHD, and many new ones, how do you choose which one to use for your child!? Which one works best!? In general, there is no one 'best' medicine and the AAP states that 'each stimulant improved core symptoms equally!.'
The other question is what dosage to use!. Unlike most other medications, stimulants are not 'weight dependent,' so a 6 year old and 12 year old might be one the same dosage, or the younger child might need a higher dosage!. Because there are no standard dosages based on a child's weight, stimulants are usually started at a low dosage and gradually increased to find a child's best dose, which 'is the one that leads to optimal effects with minimal side effects!.' These side effects can include a decreased appetite, headaches, stomachaches, trouble getting to sleep, jitteriness, and social withdrawal, and can usually be managed by adjusting the dosage or when the medication is given!. Other side effects may occur in children on too high a dosage or those that are overly sensitive to stimulants and might cause them to be 'overfocused on the medication or appear dull or overly restricted!.' Some parents are resistant to using a stimulant because they don't want their child to be a 'zombie,' but it is important to remember that these are unwanted side effects and can usually be treated by lowering the dosage of medication or changing to a different medication!.
And because 'at least 80% of children will respond to one of the stimulants,' if 1 or 2 medications don't work or have unwanted side effects, then a third might be tried!. If a child continues to respond poorly to treatment, then a reevaluation might be necessary to confirm the diagnosis of ADHD or look for coexisting conditions, such as oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities!. If necessary, at this time, second line treatments might be tried, including tricyclic antidepressants (Imipramine or Desipramine) or bupropion (Wellbutrin)!. Clonidine is also sometimes used, especially for children with 'ADHD and coexisting conditions, especially sleep distrubances!.'
In addition to stimulants, the policy statements recommends the use of behavior therapy, which might include parent training and '8-12 weekly group sessions with a trained therapist' to change the behavior at home and in the classroom for children with ADHD!. Other psychological interventions, including play therapy, cognitive therapy or cognitive-behavior therapy, have not been proven to work as well as a treatment for ADHD!.
Other interesting facts about ADHD mentioned in this policy statement include that:
* 60-80% of children with ADHD continue to have symptoms in adolescence
* 4-12% of school age children are thought to have ADHD
* Commonly used stimulants do not require 'serologic, hematologic or electrocardiogram monitoring!.' Although monitoring of liver function tests was required for children taking Cylert (which isn't commonly used anymore), the use of other stimulants doesn't require any routine blood tests!.
* Stimulants can cause unpredictable effects on motor tics, which transiently occur in 15-30% of children taking stimulants, but the 'presence of tics before or during medical management of ADHD is not an absolute contradindication to the use of stimulant medications!.'
Although not a blueprint for how to treat children with attention deficit hyeractivity disorder, the AAP policy statement on the Treatment of the School-Aged Child With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is very helpful for physcians taking care of children with this challenging and often controversial disorder!. It can also help to educate parents about what treatment options are available, and when they should seek additional help!.
Since it is a newer medication, this policy statement did not address the use of Strattera, which is not a stimulant, for the treatment of kids with ADHD!.
Causes and Treatment of ADHD:
http://www!.justparents!.co!.uk/parenting/c!.!.!.
http://www!.athealth!.com/Consumer/farticl!.!.!.
Behavioral Treatment for ADHD: An Overview
http://web4health!.info/en/answers/adhd-m!.!.!.
What is ADHD!? ADHD Symptoms and ADHD treatment
http://www!.adhdhelp!.org/
Answers for ADHD Questions
http://www!.adhdnews!.com/adhd-treatment!.h!.!.!.
ADHD Treatments
http://www!.learningbreakthrough!.com/inde!.!.!.
Attentional Disorders: ADD & ADHD
http://www!.healing-arts!.org/children/ADH!.!.!.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children:
Homeopathic Remedies & Treatments for ADHD/ADD
I hope this helps!.!.Keep Smiling!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
The American Academy of Pediatrics, to compliment the policy statement on Diagnosis and Evaluation of the Child With ADHD, has released a policy statement on the Treatment of the School-Aged Child With ADHD!. Together, these two policy statements offer physicians evidence based recommendations to diagnose and treat their patients with ADHD!.
Among the conclusions and recommendations that are stated in this policy statement are that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder should be recognized as a chronic condition and that a child-specific, individualized treatment program should be developed for children with a goal of maximizing function to improve relationships and performance at school, decrease disruptive behaviors, promote safety, increase independence and improve self esteem!.
Other recommendations include that stimulant medications and/or behavior therapy are appropriate and safe treatments for ADHD and that children should have regular and systematic follow-up to monitor goals and possible side effects!. One of the strongest, and I think most helpful, recommendations in the policy statement is what to do with children who don't respond to standard treatments!. Too often, if a child doesn't respond to a medication or continues to have problems, the treatment is stopped and he is left to continue to do poorly at school, have behavior problems and poor relationships with others!. Instead, the AAP recommends that 'when the selected management for a child with ADHD has not met target outcomes, clinicians should evaluate the original diagnosis, use of all appropriate treatments, adherence to the treatment plan, and presence of coexisting conditions!.'
For children with ADHD who continue to have problems with core symptoms, including inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, if medication wasn't part of the initial treatment plan, then a stimulant medication should be considered and behavior therapy should be reinforced!. Children who are already on a stimulant medication and are doing poorly, may be changed to a different stimulant medication!.
Many of the statements and conclusions of this policy statement should be reassuring to parents, including that:
* review and analysis of several studies have shown that stimulant medications
* do work for the core symptoms of ADHD and in many cases 'improves the child's ability to follow rules and decreases emotional overactivity, thereby leading to improved relationships with peers and parents!.'
* side effects of stimulant medications are usually 'mild and short lived,' and for parents that worry about the effects of stimulant medications on their child's growth, that there is 'no significant impairment of height attained' in adult life!.
The AAP policy statement also includes a brief review of medications used in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, including stimulants, which are first line treatments, and antidepressants, which are second line treatments and might be considered if 2 or 3 stimulant medications don't work for your child!.
Stimulants include different formulations of methylphenidate:
* short acting, such as Ritalin and Focalin, with a duration of 3-5 hours
* intermediate acting, such as Ritalin SR, Metadate ER, and Methylin ER, with a duration of 3-8 hours
* long acting, such as Concerta, Rilatin LA and Metadate CD, with a duration of 8-12 hours and which can be used just once a day
The other type of stimulant includes different formulations of amphetamine:
* short acting, such as Dexedrine and Dextrostat, with a duration of 4-6 hours intermediate acting, such as Adderall and Dexedrine spansule, with a duration of 6-8 hours
* long acting, such as Adderall-XR
With all of the different types of medications available to treat ADHD, and many new ones, how do you choose which one to use for your child!? Which one works best!? In general, there is no one 'best' medicine and the AAP states that 'each stimulant improved core symptoms equally!.'
The other question is what dosage to use!. Unlike most other medications, stimulants are not 'weight dependent,' so a 6 year old and 12 year old might be one the same dosage, or the younger child might need a higher dosage!. Because there are no standard dosages based on a child's weight, stimulants are usually started at a low dosage and gradually increased to find a child's best dose, which 'is the one that leads to optimal effects with minimal side effects!.' These side effects can include a decreased appetite, headaches, stomachaches, trouble getting to sleep, jitteriness, and social withdrawal, and can usually be managed by adjusting the dosage or when the medication is given!. Other side effects may occur in children on too high a dosage or those that are overly sensitive to stimulants and might cause them to be 'overfocused on the medication or appear dull or overly restricted!.' Some parents are resistant to using a stimulant because they don't want their child to be a 'zombie,' but it is important to remember that these are unwanted side effects and can usually be treated by lowering the dosage of medication or changing to a different medication!.
And because 'at least 80% of children will respond to one of the stimulants,' if 1 or 2 medications don't work or have unwanted side effects, then a third might be tried!. If a child continues to respond poorly to treatment, then a reevaluation might be necessary to confirm the diagnosis of ADHD or look for coexisting conditions, such as oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities!. If necessary, at this time, second line treatments might be tried, including tricyclic antidepressants (Imipramine or Desipramine) or bupropion (Wellbutrin)!. Clonidine is also sometimes used, especially for children with 'ADHD and coexisting conditions, especially sleep distrubances!.'
In addition to stimulants, the policy statements recommends the use of behavior therapy, which might include parent training and '8-12 weekly group sessions with a trained therapist' to change the behavior at home and in the classroom for children with ADHD!. Other psychological interventions, including play therapy, cognitive therapy or cognitive-behavior therapy, have not been proven to work as well as a treatment for ADHD!.
Other interesting facts about ADHD mentioned in this policy statement include that:
* 60-80% of children with ADHD continue to have symptoms in adolescence
* 4-12% of school age children are thought to have ADHD
* Commonly used stimulants do not require 'serologic, hematologic or electrocardiogram monitoring!.' Although monitoring of liver function tests was required for children taking Cylert (which isn't commonly used anymore), the use of other stimulants doesn't require any routine blood tests!.
* Stimulants can cause unpredictable effects on motor tics, which transiently occur in 15-30% of children taking stimulants, but the 'presence of tics before or during medical management of ADHD is not an absolute contradindication to the use of stimulant medications!.'
Although not a blueprint for how to treat children with attention deficit hyeractivity disorder, the AAP policy statement on the Treatment of the School-Aged Child With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is very helpful for physcians taking care of children with this challenging and often controversial disorder!. It can also help to educate parents about what treatment options are available, and when they should seek additional help!.
Since it is a newer medication, this policy statement did not address the use of Strattera, which is not a stimulant, for the treatment of kids with ADHD!.
Causes and Treatment of ADHD:
http://www!.justparents!.co!.uk/parenting/c!.!.!.
http://www!.athealth!.com/Consumer/farticl!.!.!.
Behavioral Treatment for ADHD: An Overview
http://web4health!.info/en/answers/adhd-m!.!.!.
What is ADHD!? ADHD Symptoms and ADHD treatment
http://www!.adhdhelp!.org/
Answers for ADHD Questions
http://www!.adhdnews!.com/adhd-treatment!.h!.!.!.
ADHD Treatments
http://www!.learningbreakthrough!.com/inde!.!.!.
Attentional Disorders: ADD & ADHD
http://www!.healing-arts!.org/children/ADH!.!.!.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children:
Homeopathic Remedies & Treatments for ADHD/ADD
I hope this helps!.!.Keep Smiling!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Of course adult with ADHD can be treated!. But as for the best medicine for them, the answer is there is no such thing!. No 2 individuals are the same - what works for one person may not work for the other and vice versa!. The best course of action is to see a doctor who is well versed in ADHD!. Choose carefully, because most doctors know nuts about this disorder!.
To be able to think rationally and make informed decisions, its always best to get as much info about ADHD as possible, in terms of causes, treatment available, etc!. You can get all these from this site:
http://www!.adhdquestionsandanswers!.com
Hope this helps!. Have a nice day!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
To be able to think rationally and make informed decisions, its always best to get as much info about ADHD as possible, in terms of causes, treatment available, etc!. You can get all these from this site:
http://www!.adhdquestionsandanswers!.com
Hope this helps!. Have a nice day!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
The newest ADD medicine out there is focalin!. It's kind of like the new generation of ritalin minus all the bad stuff!.
Virtually no side effects except for lack of hunger and weight loss!.
Docs don't hand this out like candy though, the government REALLY hates stimulants!. You'll be going to see your psychiatrist every month to get a new script!. And no other doctor will EVER give you ADD meds except a psychiatrist!. It's not cheap either, better hope you have good insurance!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Virtually no side effects except for lack of hunger and weight loss!.
Docs don't hand this out like candy though, the government REALLY hates stimulants!. You'll be going to see your psychiatrist every month to get a new script!. And no other doctor will EVER give you ADD meds except a psychiatrist!. It's not cheap either, better hope you have good insurance!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
duh, haha!.
http://www!.adultadd!.comWww@Answer-Health@Com
http://www!.adultadd!.comWww@Answer-Health@Com