ADHD Interventions

ADHD is a chronic disease that can last for several years or even become life long. It is typically developed during childhood and symptoms can be seen through adulthood if not outgrown. Symptoms include persistent limited attention and hyperactivity and can be the leading cause to low self-esteem, troubled relationships, and difficulty with focus driven activity such as work or school. (DSM-5) Due to the lack of scientific testing and other coexisting problems with similar symptoms, ADHD is a multistep process in diagnosing a child or adolescent. In the beginning stages of diagnosing ADHD, the primary care physician examines the child’s behavior by evaluating the child and consulting with adult figures in the child’s daily life. During the

Normalization of skills such as learning and applying knowledge were not associated with stimulant medication (Loe and Feldman, 2007). Behavioral interventions for ADHD, including behavioral parent training, behavioral classroom interventions, positive reinforcement and response cost contingencies, are effective in reducing core ADHD symptoms according to Loe and Feldman’s 2007 study. Behavior management was found to be as effective as medication at reducing core symptoms (Loe and Feldman, 2007). Loe and Feldman’s (2007) study determined that more research is needed to determine which modifications would benefit more in the

As mentioned previously in the review, the most commonly used interventions for the treatment of symptoms associated with ADHD are behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapeutic medication regimens. While both methods have been shown to produce positive outcomes ²individually, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a combination of both methods when treating symptoms. Pelham, Burrows-MacLean, Gnagy, Fabiano, Coles, Tresco, Chacko, Wymbs, Wienke, Walker, & Hoffman (2005) examined the effect of transdermal methylphenidate treatment combined with behavioral modification methods on ADHD-symptomatic children.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often seen in children of preschool age to twelve years of age. This disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes one to have excessive amounts of hyperness and difficulty focusing. This disorder not only affects the child, but also the family and educators. While mainly treated with drug therapy, new forms of treatment are forming and promise to become successful (Ghuman, 2017).

The second form of treatment options that are available include therapy. Thompson and Miller (2012) explain that behavioral therapy is the best form of therapy for an individual who has ADHD (pg 4). Behavioral therapy can be defined as a form of therapy designed to teach an individual to react to situations in the correct form with the help of positive reinforcement and a reward system. When a negative response is produced the therapist will not reward the individual, but instead try to get the individual to produce the correct response to the given situation. Behavioral therapy can be used in any setting, whether it be in a therapist’s office, at home, at school, in public, or at work. Thompson and Miller (2012) explains that the combination of both medication and behavioral therapy can be extremely beneficial and can produce the best results (pg 5).

The Triple-P proves its significance in the ADHD treatment with the results of the therapy. Thus, the outcome of the program allows the child to assess the situation as less critical and is a necessary mental resource for a rational approach to it. Moreover, it allows parents to show emotional sensitivity, compassion and impartiality in their interactions with children, as a result of which the child becomes more subjectively safe and stress-resistant. Nevertheless, it is significant to note particular restrictions for using the Positive Parenting Program in ADHD. A relative contraindication for using the method is the low motivation of parents to participate in it.

Psychosocial interventions. The psychosocial interventions used in children with ADHD are behavioral treatment, behavior modification and intensive contingency management. The small number of randomized studies available does not indicate an advantage of behavioral treatments compared to non-treatment or usual care. There are no randomized studies of specific techniques such as behavior modification or intensive contingency management.

Researchers haven’t found any cure for ADHD until now, but there are available treatments which can reduce the symptoms and increase functioning well (4). First type of treatment is medication, there are four types of medications that are officially licensed for treating ADHD. These medications are, methylphenidate, dexamphetamine, dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine, and atomoxetine. These medications can help ADHD patients focus better, concentrate more, and feel more comfortable, but, they are not a permanent cure for ADHD. Another type of therapy is psycho education. This types of therapy help a patient to cope more with their disorder and live more comfortably. In addition, behavioral therapy is another type of treatment. Behavioral therapy provides support for ADHD patients’ parents, teachers, colleagues, friends, and the patient himself. This type of treatment includes rewarding the patients to encourage them to control their disorder. For children, this type of therapy can identify and choose which type of behavior you want to encourage. It also includes how to manage and structure the child’s activities

ADHD exists in people of all ages yet it has a special place in affecting the lives of young children of elementary age and younger. Elementary school students can show many different signs of the disorder and as a result, can find it hard to succeed in a classroom. Although doctors and researchers are still unsure as to what exactly causes ADHD, we do know that the symptoms can range from physical, emotional, and of course mental disabilities. Scholars, teachers, doctors, and parents have long since argued, and have not come to a clear, un-opinionated conclusion on the best treatment for this disorder. Many favor pharmacological treatment such as stimulant drugs, but these can have physical and emotional side effects. Some insist that options such as a change in diet, change in scenery, or an addition of physical activities such as yoga and massage are more effective. Some feel that there should be no treatment whatsoever and that the children simply grow out of it. With so many options and not a clear answer, it is difficult to know what to do. However, I will say that the best treatment for an elementary level student with ADHD, first and foremost,

Once a comprehensive assessment has been conducted, a clinician can begin to develop an individualized treatment plan to target the child’s specific symptomology. Behavioral modifications are considered to be a first line of treatment for young children with ADHD. When parenting techniques are proven to be ineffective or the symptoms are too severe to be corrected with behavioral modifications alone, pharmacological interventions may take precedence (Connor, 2002). Contrarily, multimodal treatment packages have been a main focus for the last decade (Mash & Barkley, 2006; Hinshaw, Klein, & Abikoff, 2007). The Multimodal Treatment of ADHD (MTA) study is arguably the most influential study regarding evidence-based treatment for ADHD. The MTA study evaluated the effectiveness of four different treatment groups: medication management, intensive behavioral treatment, combination of medication and behavior treatment, and routine community care (control) (Jensen et al., 2001; MTA Cooperative Group, 1999). Initially, combination treatment and medication alone were found to be superior to behavior treatment and routine community care and yielded no significant difference for managing ADHD symptoms (MTA Cooperative Group, 1999). After secondary analyses, the combination treatment group was shown to have the greatest incremental effects and was also effective in managing comorbid symptoms (Jensen et al., 2001).

ADHD can be treated using medication or behavioral therapy, but a combination of both is often best.

“This comprehensive approach to treatment is often called “multimodal” and consists of parent and child education about diagnosis and treatment, behavior management techniques, medication, child and/or family counseling, and school programming and supports.” http://www.chadd.org/Understanding-ADHD/For-Parents-Caregivers/Treatment-Overview/Managing-Medication.aspx. Treatment should be tailored to the unique needs of each child and family. Reports on medication use vary. For some, the benefits are extraordinary; for others, medication is quite helpful; and for still others, the results are more modest. “Attention span, impulsivity and on-task behavior often improve, especially in structured environments. Some children also demonstrate improvements in frustration tolerance, compliance and even handwriting.” http://www.chadd.org/Understanding-ADHD/For-Parents-Caregivers/Treatment-Overview/Managing-Medication.aspx. Relationships with parents, peers and teachers

The preconceived notions that I had about ADHD prior to hearing Dr. Barkley’s (2016) lecture is not much different from my experience with working with children diagnosed with ADHD. Sadly, the truth of the matter is that most parents and caregivers simply prefer not to have to deal with children that display ADHD behaviors. The parent may believe their child is displaying normal child behavior saying “he is just acting his age and will grow out of it” or “that’s my boy” and the caregiver prefers not to deal with this child at all. Although many believe that the HD actions of the child is simply “he/she is a child”. However, Dr. Barkley explains this is not true and provides vital information about the behavior of children that suffer from

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, is a behavior disability that affects children from 6-12 years of age and continues to show symptoms later in their adult life. Even though large amounts of the population are affected by ADHD, it is still unknown as to what the exact cause of ADHD. Depending on what type of diagnostic is used, there are anywhere from 1-2% to 6-7% of children around the world that have ADHD. Even though the exact cause of ADHD is not known, there are many people that believe that it is a combination of genetics and environment. ADHD is currently unable to be cured, but there are several treatment plans that work to combat the symptoms and help children maintain focus in a classroom. Many of these

Apart from this, Schultz et al (2011), noted some limitations that make many of the available strategies ineffective in treating ADHD among school going children. These included confusion between accommodation and intervention, practical limitations, and the slow rate of educators and mental health caregivers of embracing evidence-based interventions. However, their research showed promise in behavioral interventions implemented by adult figures in the children’s environment. Schultz et al (2011) paper shows significant lag in the process of coming up with cognitive and psychological intervention programs that are not only based on pharmacology as well as incorporating the available techniques in the day to day practices of both educators and institution-based mental health