The American Academy of Pediatrics recently expanded its guidelines for diagnosing and treating kids with attention- deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), recommending that doctors evaluate all patients age four to 18 that show signs of the condition. These new guidelines update the previous recommendations that focused on diagnosing and managing ADHD in kids age six to 12. Drafted by a 14-member committee, the new recommendations say pediatricians should consult with parents, teachers, and other adults in the community about kids’ behavior or school-related problems because affected children may not always show symptoms in the doctor’s office. The authors recommend that parents of four- and five-year olds with ADHD be trained in techniques to help manage kids’ behavior and only when that does not work, and moderate or severe ADHD persists, should young kids be put on medication. In school-aged kids, teachers or parents can also provide behavior therapy but some children may require special education plans. Stimulant medications (i.e., Ritalin) have also been shown to be effective alone or alongside therapy in this age group. The authors suggest that implementing both medication and behavior therapy will probably be the most effective in school-aged kids and adolescents. Lastly, medication and individual behavior therapy are recommended for teens with ADHD and the authors emphasize that doctors need to keep their eyes open for any signs of drug or alcohol abuse in this group.
