As recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom, children suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should only be treated with drugs in extreme cases, and never before 5 years.
It is intended to avoid prescriptions for controversial medications, such as Ritalin or Concerta (methylphenidate), which can have harmful side effects on the health of children. And at the same time enhance psychological treatment in cases of mild ADHD, instead of resorting to medications systematically.
According to psychiatrist Tim Kendall, what is recommended is
that Ritalina is not used with children under five years of age, because we found no evidence that it is effective. But if the child suffers from severe ADHD, obviously Ritalina must be given along with psychological treatments.
Hence the importance of a correct diagnosis of this behavior disorder, the most frequent in childhood. It is estimated that it affects between 5% and 10% of the population of children and young people in the world and in England alone it is estimated that some 100,000 were prescribed some of the drugs in 2007.
Certain studies have shown that drugs such as Ritalina and Concerta (the trade names of methylphenidate) and Strattera (atomoxetine), are used systematically to calm hyperactivity in children, but experts now recommend that should only be used when severe ADHD has been diagnosed, or when other options have failed.
Among the side effects that are intended to be avoided by not prescribing these medications are nervousness, insomnia, loss of appetite and weight, nausea, dizziness, fatigue and mood swings, all important enough to consider other treatment options in mild cases.
On some of these medications, moreover, there are doubts about their true effectiveness. And there is very little research on the implications of long-term use of these drugs, so the new guidelines recommend use drugs in moderation whenever possible.
Remember that here we saw alternative treatments to hyperactivity such as music therapy, yoga, aromatherapy ... that can help in mild cases.
