What is ADHD Treatment?

ADHD is a very common disease among children, but it is also a disease that has a great impact on the children with the disease. It often manifests as children being too lively, especially restless and unable to sit still, having trouble concentrating and easily distracted, and having very poor concentration on one thing, etc. This disease has a very bad impact on children who suffer from it, and it poses a great threat to their future psychological and physiological health development. So, how to treat ADHD? Here are some treatments for ADHD.

1. Psychotherapy

There are two main approaches: behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. The patient has poor relationships with peers, uses aggressive language and behavior toward others, and has poor self-control. Behavioral therapy utilizes the principle of operant conditioning to promptly provide positive or negative reinforcement to the patient's behavior, enabling the patient to learn appropriate social skills and replace inappropriate behavior patterns with new and effective behaviors. Cognitive behavioral therapy mainly addresses patients' impulsive problems, allowing patients to learn how to solve problems, identify whether their behavior is appropriate, and choose appropriate behavior.

2. Medication

Medications can improve attention deficits, reduce activity levels, improve academic performance to some extent, and improve relationships with family members in the short term.

(1) The first-line treatment drugs for central nervous system stimulants are currently mainly methylphenidate and its controlled-release tablets in China.

Methylphenidate, trade name Ritalin. Low doses can help improve attention, while high doses can improve hyperactivity and impulsivity and reduce behavioral problems.

Central nervous system stimulants are limited to patients over 6 years of age. Because of its central nervous system stimulant effect, it should not be used at night. Side effects of the drug include decreased appetite, insomnia, headache, irritability and anger, and it is not yet certain whether it affects growth and development. Central nervous system stimulants may induce or aggravate tic symptoms in patients and are not recommended for patients with comorbid tic disorders. The issue of substance abuse must also be considered when using CNS stimulants for a long time.

(2) The representative drug of selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor is atomoxetine. The efficacy of atomoxetine is comparable to that of methylphenidate, with fewer adverse reactions and good tolerability. It has been listed as a first-line treatment for ADHD.

3. Behavior management and education

Teachers and parents need to carry out effective behavior management and psychological education based on the characteristics of the patients, avoid discrimination, corporal punishment or other rough educational methods, and appropriately use praise and encouragement to improve the patients' self-confidence and self-consciousness.

4. Education and training for parents

It is suitable for patients with conduct disorders or other psychological problems, whose parents do not agree to drug treatment or whose parents' education methods are inappropriate. Education and training can take the form of individual families or small groups.

I believe that through the above introduction, everyone has a certain understanding of ADHD and its treatment methods. I hope it will be helpful. In fact, for children with ADHD, love is also an indispensable treatment method. Parents must pay more attention to and care about their children, provide correct guidance for their growth and development in a timely manner, spend more time with their children, and cultivate their children's healthy and good living habits and sentiments.