| The FDA is still worried about the effects of certain | | | | have to grow up and become happy and productive |
| ADHD medications on children who are at risk. Latest | | | | members of society. One of the most important things |
| research does not seem to offer any reassurance or | | | | a parent can do is to find the best possible help at |
| hope. The latest news is that in the long term ADHD | | | | school and that means getting wised up about what |
| medications seem to offer little benefit. Their efficacy | | | | facilities are offered to ADHD children and what |
| seems to be reduced to the short term alleviation of | | | | arrangements can be made on the day to day level |
| ADHD symptoms such as behavioural problems, over | | | | with the child's teacher. This may mean drawing up a |
| excitability and disruptive behaviour. Medical authorities | | | | behavior plan and or looking at where the child sits, |
| are still worried about the ease with which | | | | preferably close to the teacher. |
| prescriptions of antipsychotics are written by doctors. | | | | While research for ADHD will bumble along for some |
| Research for ADHD is now concentrating on the | | | | time yet, parents have to think about the day to day |
| causes of ADHD but also on the safety of ADHD | | | | running of the family. Basically they will be concerned |
| medications. It should also be looking at ADHD natural | | | | with how their guidance as parents and their parenting |
| and homeopathic cures but, given the world we live in, I | | | | skills will impact on the child's behaviour. Learning to |
| think that is a faint hope ! | | | | acquire these skills can turn family life into a pleasure |
| Latest research on ADHD has homed in on the fact | | | | again. These skills can be learnt through ADHD |
| that ADHD has a strong heritable link. They are | | | | behaviour therapy where parents of the ADHD child |
| therefore looking for some genes that might be | | | | help him to learn self-management skills and emotional |
| responsible for some of the behavior disorders | | | | control. It is now recognised that any form of |
| associated with ADHD. The hope is that once they | | | | medication for ADHD can only be effective if it is |
| find these, cures can be better targeted and more | | | | carried out in conjunction with behavioural interventions. |
| effective medication can be manufactured. The | | | | All the research on ADHD up to now is pointing in this |
| IMAGE project led by Stephen Faraone is one of the | | | | direction. |
| largest ever done and involved studying over 600,000 | | | | Research for ADHD is also looking at comprehensive |
| genetic markers in 900 families. One genetic marker | | | | treatment plans for ADHD children which will include |
| has been found but there is a very long way to go. As | | | | not just medication but also diet, green time benefits, |
| ADHD is such a complex condition, researchers feel | | | | exercise and of course parental support which is |
| that there may be several genetic markers involved | | | | absolutely crucial. As there are so many doubts now |
| and that these all have small effects on the child's | | | | being raised about problems and side effects with a |
| behavior and development. | | | | pharmacological solution for ADHD, it is high time to |
| As research for ADHD progresses at a snail's pace, | | | | look perhaps at homeopathic treatment for ADHD. |
| families are faced with bringing up ADHD children who | | | | |