Monday, 15 August 2011

Treatment Of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD/ADD)

Standard treatments for children with ADHD are medications and counseling. Easing the effects of other treatments for symptoms of ADHD are particularly accommodation in class, and support of family and community.

Medicine

Today, stimulant medication (psychostimulants) and non-stimulant medication atomoxetine (Strattera) are the drugs most commonly prescribed to treat ADHD.

Stimulant medication for ADHD are:

Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Daytrana)

Dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall)

Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, Dextrostat)

Stimulants appear to increase and balance the levels of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. ADHD drugs against these help improve the main symptoms of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity - sometimes dramatically. But these drugs only work for a limited period. In addition, the appropriate dose varies from child to child, so it may take a little time to start finding the right dose.

Stimulants are available in short forms and long duration of action.

Short-acting forms will take about four hours, while long-acting preparations usually last between six and 12 hours.

Methylphenidate is available as a long-acting transdermal patch, which can be worn on the side (Daytrana). Drugs offers about nine hours. Although long-term effects mean that your child does not need to take drugs more often, can take up to three hours to start working. To make it work in the morning, the patch may be necessary to implement at the earliest, when the child is still asleep.

Side effects of stimulant drugs

The most common side effects of stimulant drugs in children include:

Appetite

Weight loss

Sleep Problems

Irritability drugs because of the effect tapers

Some children may develop jerky muscle movements such as grimacing or twitching (tics), but these usually disappear when the drug dose is lowered. Stimulant medications may also be associated with a slightly lower growth in children, but in most cases, growth is not permanently assigned.

ADHD drugs and heart problems

Although rare, several heart-related deaths of children taking stimulants. The increased risk of sudden death is supposed to be with people who already have heart disease or underlying heart failure. On your child's doctor will ensure that your child has no signs of heart disease, and ask questions about family risk factors for heart disease before prescribing a stimulant medication.

No stimulant drugs

Atomoxetine is generally given to children with ADHD when stimulant medications are ineffective or cause side effects. In addition to reducing symptoms of ADHD, atomoxetine can also reduce anxiety. Given once or twice a day, side effects include nausea and sedation atomoxetine. It can also cause loss of appetite and weight loss.

Side effects of stimulant medication does not

Atomoxetine is linked to rare side effects that include liver problems. If your child is taking atomoxetine and develop yellow skin (jaundice), dark urine, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

They may also have a slightly increased risk of suicidal thoughts in children and adolescents taking atomoxetine. Contact your child's doctor if you notice any signs of suicidal thoughts or other signs of depression.

Other medications used for ADHD are:

Antidepressants. These drugs are commonly used in children who do not respond to stimulants or atomoxetine, or have a mood disorder and ADHD.

Clonidine (CATAPRES) and guanfacine (Intuniv, Tenex). These include high blood pressure drug shown to help with symptoms of ADHD. They can be prescribed to reduce tics or insomnia due to other ADHD drugs, or assaults caused by the treatment of ADHD.

Giving medications safely

Make sure your child is taking the right amount of prescription drugs is very important. Parents may be concerned about the incentives and the potential for abuse and dependence. The dependence has not been demonstrated in children taking these drugs for good cause and the correct dose. This is because drug levels in the brain increases too slowly to produce a "high". On the other hand, there are concerns that siblings and classmates of children and adolescents with ADHD may abuse stimulant drugs. To prevent your child's medicines safely and to ensure that your child receives the correct dose of medication at the right time:

Administer medications with caution. Children and adolescents should not be responsible for their own medication for ADHD.

At home, keep the drugs locked in a childproof container. An overdose of stimulants is a serious and potentially life-threatening.

Do not send supplies of drugs to school with your child. Provide any drug yourself to the school nurse or health office.

ADHD counseling and treatment

Children with ADHD often benefit from behavioral therapy or counseling, which can make a psychiatrist psychologist, social worker or other mental health professional. Some children with ADHD may have other conditions such as anxiety disorder or depression. In these cases, counseling may help both ADHD and in parallel with the problem.

Counseling types include:

Behavior therapy. Teachers and parents can learn from the behavior-changing strategies to deal with difficult situations. These strategies may be a sign of reward systems, and timeouts.

Psychotherapy. This allows older children with ADHD to talk about issues that bother them, explore negative behaviors and learn to manage their symptoms.

The education of children. This can help parents develop ways to understand and control the child's behavior

Family Therapy. Family therapy can help parents and siblings deal with the stress home with someone who has ADHD.

Social skills training. This can help children learn appropriate social behaviors.

Support groups. Support groups for children with ADHD and their parents, a network of support, information and social education.

The best results usually occur when a team approach is used, teachers, parents and therapists or physicians working together. You can help by doing everything with your child's teachers, and are turning to reputable sources of information to support their efforts in the classroom.

Symptoms often diminish with age. But most people do not outgrow their ADHD symptoms.

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