Treatment of AD/HD

Effective treatment of AD/HD requires a multimodal approach including behavioral therapy, environmental adjustments and pharmacological agents. The goal is to decrease the impact of AD/HD upon a child's daily function, to teach the child specific coping mechanisms and to teach educators and caregivers effective behavior modification techniques.

With this approach 60-90% of children respond to therapy (2). Improvements have been documented in attention span, conduct, social interaction, impulsive behavior, self control, aggression and academic performance. (35, 46-48).

Some highly motivated families may decline medication and choose to treat using behavioral and environmental techniques. These parents should understand that stimulants may make it easier for the child to respond to their efforts 4.

Treatment with pharmacological agents, without concomitant behavioral therapy and environmental adjustments, has never been shown to affect the long-term prognosis children with AD/HD.

The child's school staff must be educated about the child's diagnosis and become a member of the treatment team. Additionally, school staff can be an invaluable resource for feedback regarding the child's response to treatment. Please click here for more information regarding interaction with the school system.