Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - Treatments
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Learning that your child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be distressing. But ADHD can be treated. And the right treatment and support can help your child behave better.
You may worry about your child having drug treatment for this condition. We hope our treatment information will help you and your doctor weigh up the benefits and risks of each option, and decide on the best treatment for your child.
Key points about treating ADHD
- Treatments can't cure ADHD, but they should help your child behave better so that he or she can develop and learn normally.
- The two main treatments for ADHD are stimulant drugs and a talking treatment called behaviour therapy.
- Drugs such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and dexamfetamine (Dexedrine) can help your child concentrate, feel calmer and think before acting.
- About half of all children who take stimulants have mild side effects. The main ones are trouble falling asleep and loss of appetite.
- But studies on these drugs have only looked at treatment in the short term. This means that we don't know if they work for longer than about a year.
- Behaviour therapy is likely to help your child when it is combined with drug treatment. We don't know yet whether it helps on its own.
- Treatments for ADHD have mostly been studied in children over 6 years old. Very little is known about treatments for children under 6 years old.
Treatments for ADHD
Which treatments work best? We've carefully weighed up the research and divided the treatments into categories. You can find out more about each treatment by clicking on the links below. Brand names of drugs are in brackets.
For help deciding which treatment is best for your child, see .
Treatments that are likely to work
- Methylphenidate: Known by the brand names Ritalin, Equasym XL and Concerta XL, this is the drug most often used for controlling the symptoms of ADHD. It is a stimulant drug. More...
- Dexamfetamine: This is another stimulant drug used to treat ADHD. Its brand name is Dexedrine. But dexamfetamine is not used as often as methylphenidate. More...
- Methylphenidate plus behaviour therapy: This is when a child has both drug treatment and a talking treatment called behaviour therapy. More...
- Atomoxetine: This is a new treatment. It works in a different way to stimulant drugs. Its brand name is Strattera. More...
Treatments that need further study
- Behaviour therapy: Behaviour therapy helps children and their families learn to cope with and manage the behaviour caused by ADHD. More...
- Clonidine: Some studies have tested clonidine to see if it can control the symptoms of ADHD. It is not normally used for the treatment of ADHD in the UK. The brand name for clonidine is Catapres. More...
Other treatments
The following treatments have not been studied to the same scientific standards that we use to judge other treatments on our site. (See .) But we wanted to cover these treatments because many parents are interested in them. As you read this information, bear in mind that more research is needed to say whether these treatments work.
- Vitamin and mineral supplements, and special diets: These treatments include the Feingold diet and other diets in which children avoid certain foods, and dietary supplements such as fatty acids and vitamins. More...
- Complementary and alternative treatments: These include biofeedback and visual exercises. More...
- Antidepressants: These drugs are usually used to treat depression. They may also help some children with ADHD. More...
- Teaching parents how to cope with their child's behaviour: Parents or guardians can take part in a programme to help their relationship with their child. More...
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2007. All rights reserved
This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.
