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Kids aged 4 to 18 may be prescibed drugs for ADHD, but health officials stress behavioral therapy

The next step to ensure an obedient workforce will to start drugging babies in the delivery room. A lot of kids are diagnosed as ADHD because they don't want to sit still for hours a day doing boring worksheets. Their "noise" is a sign of health.

by Kathleen Lucadamo

Children as young as 4 can be put on Ritalin for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but therapy should be the first line of treatment, according to new guidelines the American Academy of Pediatrics will release this week.

The leading pediatrics group will declare that doctors can diagnose and treat ADHD in children ages 4 to 18, reversing previous guidelines that limited the condition to children ages 6 to 12.

"Treating children at a young age is important because when we can identify them earlier and provide appropriate treatment, we can increase their chances of succeeding in school," said Mark Wolraich, a pediatrician who conducted research for AAP on the issue.

Still, he said, preschoolers with ADHD should get behavioral therapy first. If the behavior doesn't improve, those with moderate to severe treatment may move on to a low dose of Ritalin, the AAP will suggest.

The new guidelines will create a buzz because Ritalin isn't FDA approved for children younger than 6, said Andrew Adesman of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. The AAP is asking pediatricians to "weigh the risks of starting medication at an early age against the harm of delaying diagnosis and treatment" he said.

klucadamo@nydailynews.com

— Kathleen Lucadamo
New York Daily News
2011-10-16
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2011/10/16/2011-10-16_kids_aged_418_may_be_prescibed_drugs_for_adhd_but_health_officials_stress_behavi.htm

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