Behavioral Therapy is a must for many children with ADHD
The AAP (American Academy of Pediatricians) now recommends behavioral therapy first for preschoolaged children, with short-acting methylphenidate prescribed if therapy does not sufficiently improve symptoms.
Here are the findings of a study in April 2015 by The Journal of Pediatrics:The goal of this study was to: (1) describe the prevalence of medication, behavioral therapy, and dietary supplement use for ADHD among a national sample of children with special health care needs. (2) identify differences in prevalence by relevant demographic factorsand (3) assess the alignment of treatment patterns to the AAP’s age group–specific guidelines.
Most children with ADHD received medication treatment or behavioral therapy; just under one-third received both. Multimodal treatment was most common for CSHCN with severe ADHD and those with comorbidities. Approximately one-half of preschoolers received behavioral therapy, the recommended first-line treatment for this age group. (J Pediatr 2015;
Among children between the ages of 4 and 17 years old with ADHD, about 4 in 10 were treated with medication alone, 3 in 10 received a combination of medication, and behavioral therapy and 1 in 10 received only behavioral therapy, according to the study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics.The study also found that almost 25% of preschoolers — children between the ages of 4 and 5 — with ADHD received medication alone for treatment.
However, about half of preschoolers did receive behavioral therapy.
The CDC findings are significant because, in 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics released ADHD treatment guidelines recommending behavioral therapy alone for children under the age of six, given that the long-term effects of the medications on children that age is not known.
- Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder commonly managed by pediatricians. Professional guidelines describe best practices for diagnosis and treatment. The 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines were expanded to include all children aged 4-18 years, with special considerations for preschoolers and adolescents. The AAP now recommends behavioral therapy first for preschoolaged children, with short-acting methylphenidate prescribed if therapy does not sufficiently improve symptoms.
This is an important finding, given previous research suggesting the benefits of multimodal (medication plus behavioral therapy) treatment for childhood ADHD on core and peripheral features of the disorder and the AAP’s recommendation of combination therapy for children aged 6-11 years.
Getting your child the best treatment that leads to a higher level of functioning is the goal. One key strength of this study is the analysis of a large, nationally representative sample, the more you know.
