At the moment, there are no known cures for ADHD, but there are treatments to help lower the severity of it. "For children 6 years of age and older, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends both behavior therapy and medication as good options, preferably both together. For young children (under 6 years of age) with ADHD, behavior therapy is recommended as the first line of treatment, before medication is tried." (CDC, 2017). These are the treatments recommended at first to see if they work on the child. But, since everyone is different, the way treatments are used or what kind of treatments are used depends on what works best at slowing the ADHD.
Medication is the most common treatment for ADHD. Some doctors will give prescriptions to older children rather than trying behavior therapy. The most common prescriptions given are Adderall and Ritalin. These are both stimulants, which means that they increase energy and activity in the body. The energy from the medication counteracts the ADHD and helps increase focus and decrease hyperactivity.
The other type of medication is nonstimulants, such as Strattera and Intuniv. The effect of these medicines is an increase of the chemical norepinephrine in the brain. This chemical helps control how alert a person is, which is great for someone with ADHD.
Medication is the most common treatment for ADHD. Some doctors will give prescriptions to older children rather than trying behavior therapy. The most common prescriptions given are Adderall and Ritalin. These are both stimulants, which means that they increase energy and activity in the body. The energy from the medication counteracts the ADHD and helps increase focus and decrease hyperactivity.
The other type of medication is nonstimulants, such as Strattera and Intuniv. The effect of these medicines is an increase of the chemical norepinephrine in the brain. This chemical helps control how alert a person is, which is great for someone with ADHD.