ADHD therapy in children

Immediately following the diagnosis of ADHD, parents are faced with a decision to be made on the proper treatment. Currently, there is no cure for ADHD. That's why the focus is on treating ADHD symptoms. The foremost objective is, in particular, to normalise the child's hyperactive, inattentive and impulsive behaviour patterns - as far as possible. This is important so that affected children can develop age-appropriately and be integrated into their social environment (family, school, leisure time).

Multimodal therapy concept

In recent years, possible treatment options for ADHD have significantly improved. Various treatment modules can be combined as part of a multimodal therapy:

• Information and consultation (psychoeducation)
• Behaviour therapy
• Educational training for parents and teachers
• Medication treatment

The multimodal therapy concept aims at normalising the core symptoms of hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder and impulsiveness. Academic performance and behaviour in school are to be improved as well. Another important benchmark for the therapy success is the child's personal development, as well as its social relationships to friends and within the family.

The ADHD therapy of the primarily inattentive type is not fundamentally different from that of the combined or the primarily impulsive-hyperactive type.

ADHD therapy without medication?

Whether treatment with medication is required will always be discussed, in the individual case, with the treating physician in child and adolescent medicine or with the child and adolescent psychiatrist. With some children, non-medication measures may already result in an improvement – measures such as information and counselling (psychoeducation) of parents as well as educational measures.

However, medication therapy (e.g. with methylphenidate) is indicated if general measures fail to result in a satisfactory improvement and the child continues to be significantly impaired in its daily life and development by the symptoms, and if the affected persons are subject to high psychological strain. Such medication therapy often provides the foundation for other treatment modules to be successfully applied at all. In critical situations, the treating physician may also take an immediate treatment with suitable medication into consideration.