Effective Treatment & Research For Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD)

Research Paper On ADHD

Results of an ADHD research study show ADHD must be addressed from several different approaches simutaniously. This ADHD study shows there are many things you can do to help your child.

An ADHD study conducted by the MTA association pointed out that in the case of elementary school children who have ADHD several experiments were conducted for research purposes. These treatments included study behavioral treatment, medication, a combination of  behavioral treatment and medication and also a routine that involved the help of community care.

Three groups of children received these kinds of treatment for fouteen months and the last group was treated with the help of the community care techniques. After the study period ended, the children were assesed for observations.

It was found that cooperation between the school, the parents and the teachers in the community care based program, helped children in coping with the disease. Also, the children were rated for hyperactitiby, innatention, symptoms of anxiety or maybe depression and social skilss as well.

The children who were placed in the medication treatment alone and in the combined one were carefully assessed by doctors once for every medication visit for about thirty minutes. During these sessions, the patients met with the doctors, discussed their symptoms and were encouraged to point out any misunderstanding or discomfort that they were experiencing.

The ADHD related difficulties were also on the visit agenda. The doctors were also informed by teachers of any progress or regress in the children's ability to learn and cognitive skills. After that, the doctors who inperpreted the findings and was the one who would also point out what he or she had found out to the parents.

For the groups who were placed under bahavioral treatment, the families and the ADHD children met more than thirty times during the period of study during group sessions  to discuss their problems and possibly find out solutions. The therapists also made frequent visits to the schools frequented by the children with ADHD they had in care to study on the children's progress in school and track any possible changes.

The children were also enrolled in a summer program which lasted eight weeks in which they were on their academic skills but not only. Other activities included social and sports skiils. Intensive therapy was administered in the meantime to all children to study the effect and improve their behavior.

During this ADHD research, a combined therapy groups was also established in which patients were receiving both therapy and medication and again, the same assistance was emphasized.

In the community based group, the presence of a doctor was less emphasized in that the doctor only visited the children once or twice a year and thus, the parents and teachers almost did not interacti wht the students.

The benefits of medication combined with behavioral therapy was far more evident than the benefits of simply joining a community care group or behavioral therapy sessions at least. Therefore, it was concluded that it is best to combine alternative ways of treating the disorder than just adhere to one.

Also, skills in what regarded academic performance, parent-child relationships and how well communication is enhanced between the parents and the chid were also more poignant in the childre who had received medication and therapy. Therefore, it may seem that the combined treatment is able of giving out satisfactory results. 

An advantage of the combined system is that children get used from an early stage with the constant presence of adults and moral support in his or her life and then less medication is administered, because the child also nebefits from behavioral therapy.

The treatment of the disorder ADHD with children who are still at a preschool age is slightly different. This happens because the children are so yound and thus you want to ensure you are only administering the right treatment. You should now beforehand that safety and efficacy in treatment are crucial. Also, the NIMH association sponsors some programs for pre school childdren.

The symptoms of the disorder are used as study points for further research. Since children who are relatively smallm, like those bigger than 3 but smaller that 5, are bogged by severe symptoms that provoque a lot of pain and discomfort. Therefore, children who are known to resist the strong medication will be able to accept and be administered this medication.

Those who had concerns about medication, should resort to behavioural therapy  instead because the risks for the condition to become generalized are far greater and there is no sense in risking with your child's health.  ADHD Research is currently condutcted at a number of prestigious universities across the country such as Duke Univeristy, Caltech, University of California or John Hopkins University to further study and come up with new developments.