CDC Issues Treatment Plan for ADHD Kids

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be incredibly disruptive to families, classrooms and other situations where the child interacts with people.

Medicating ADHD children with Ritalin, Adderall and other powerful drugs is often the first and only treatment they receive. But the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasized this week that behavior therapy should be the first step in treatment “and it is most effective when delivered by their parents.”

The CDC is concerned because its latest report contains statistics that show less that half of all young ADHD kids, ages 2-5, receive any behavior therapy, much less as a first line of treatment. Here’s what’s currently happening:

• 49 percent of children receive medication only
• 27 percent receive medication with behavior therapy
• 15 percent receive therapy only
• 9 percent receive no treatment at all

According to Dr. Anne Schuchat, CDC Principal Deputy Director, “Parents of young children with ADHD need support, and behavior therapy is an important first step. It has been shown to be as effective as medicine, but without the risk of side effects.

“We are still learning about potential side effects of long-term use of ADHD medicine on young children. Until we know more, the recommendation is to refer parents for training in behavior therapy for children under 6 years of age with ADHD," Dr. Schuchat concluded.

Known side effects of ADHD drugs include poor appetite, stomach aches, irritability, sleep problems, and slowed growth.

The CDC is working to remove stigmas for parents by noting that they do not cause ADHD, but play a key role in its treatment.

So, how should a parent get started with behavior therapy? The CDC recommends:

• Talk with their child’s healthcare provider about the benefits of being trained in behavior therapy for their young child with ADHD.
• Learn and use these strategies to support their young child with ADHD.

Online resource for Behavior Parent Training, National Council for Behavioral Health

--Image via CDC