Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can often be managed with the right treatment. The main options are behavior therapy — including training for parents — and medication, and what works best depends on the child, the family and their surroundings. Parents after a diagnosis do best working closely with the others in their child's life: health care providers, teachers, coaches and family.
Need help? CDC funds the National Resource Center on ADHD, a program of CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), whose call center — 1-866-200-8098 — has trained staff to answer questions. It also offers advice for parents.
What's recommended at each age
These are the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
| Age | First-line treatment |
|---|---|
| Under 6 | parent training in behavior management, before any medication |
| 6 and older | medication and behavior therapy together — parent training for children up to 12, other behavior therapy and training for teens — plus classroom interventions and school supports |
Why behavior therapy comes first for young children
- It gives parents the skills and strategies to help their child.
- It has been shown to work as well as medication for ADHD in young children.
- Young children have more side effects from ADHD medicines than older children.
- The long-term effects of ADHD medicines on young children haven't been well studied.
Experts advise using medication in children under 6 only after behavior therapy has been tried, because it may not work as well and side effects may be worse. More: behavior therapy first for young children.
For school-age children and teens
Several kinds of behavior therapy work:
- parent training in behavior management
- behavioral interventions in the classroom
- peer interventions focused on behavior
- organizational skills training
They often work best combined, fitted to the child and family. A good plan tracks whether and how much treatment helps, and changes as needed — with parents, providers and the school working together. More: AAP recommendations for clinical care.
Medication
Medicine can help children manage symptoms day to day and control behaviors that cause trouble with family, friends and school. Several types are FDA-approved for children from age 6:
| Type | What to know |
|---|---|
| Stimulants | the best-known and most widely used; fast-acting. 70–80% of children with ADHD have fewer symptoms on them |
| Nonstimulants | approved for ADHD in 2003; slower to work than stimulants, but the effect can last up to 24 hours |
Medicines affect children differently: one child may do well on one medicine and not another, and side effects can include trouble sleeping and loss of appetite. Providers may need to try different medicines and doses, adjusting to balance benefits against side effects — so parents should work closely with them.
Parent training in behavior management
ADHD affects more than paying attention or sitting still at school; it strains relationships with family and other children, and can bring very disruptive behavior. Behavior therapy aims to build positive behaviors, reduce problem ones and strengthen self-regulation — and it's often worth starting as soon as ADHD is diagnosed. In young children it works best when parents deliver it. It can include therapy with the child and classroom interventions; for children in early childhood programs, parents and caregivers working together usually helps most. More: parent training in behavior management.
Tips for parents
| Tip | For example |
|---|---|
| Keep a routine | the same schedule every day, from waking up to bedtime |
| Get organized | schoolbags, clothes and toys in the same place every day, so they get lost less |
| Manage distractions | TV and social media off, less noise, a clear workspace for homework — though some children with ADHD learn better moving or with background music; watch what works |
| Limit choices | only a few options — this outfit or that one, this meal or that one — so your child doesn't feel overwhelmed |
| Be clear and specific | show you're listening by repeating back what you heard; give clear, brief directions |
| Help your child plan | break big tasks into short, simple steps; start long tasks early and take breaks |
| Set goals, give praise | a chart of realistic goals and positive behaviors, with praise or other rewards — small steps count |
| Discipline effectively | instead of scolding, yelling or spanking, use clear directions, time-outs or loss of privileges as consequences |
| Create positive opportunities | find and encourage what your child does well — school, sports, art, music or play |
| Keep them healthy | good food, plenty of activity and enough sleep help keep symptoms from getting worse |
CDC also tracks trends in ADHD diagnosis and treatment. More: ADHD in children, Understanding ADHD on healthychildren.org and the National Institute of Mental Health.
Sources
Based on "Treatment of ADHD," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain. Stock photographs and a logo are left out.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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