Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Dec 20:5:1-17.
doi: 10.4137/JCNSD.S6691. Print 2013.

Pharmacological treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: clinical strategies

Anna C Shier, Thomas Reichenbacher, Harinder S Ghuman, Jaswinder K Ghuman

Pharmacological treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: clinical strategies

Anna C Shier et al. J Cent Nerv Syst Dis. .

Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood that can result in significant functional impairment, and if not adequately treated can lead to impaired quality of life. Pharmacotherapy is considered the first-line treatment for ADHD in children and adolescents. We review both recent literature and seminal studies regarding the pharmacological treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents. There is ample evidence for the efficacy and safety of both stimulants and non-stimulants in the treatment of ADHD. We review important aspects of evaluation and assessment and discuss first-line pharmacological treatments and as well as when to consider using alternative pharmacological agents. Treatment approaches to manage frequently seen comorbid disorders with ADHD are also covered.

Keywords: ADHD; adolescents; children; clinical strategies; non-stimulants; stimulants.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Woodruff TJ, Axelrad DA, Kyle AD, Nweke O, Miller GG, Hurley BJ. Trends in environmentally related childhood illnesses. Pediatrics. 2004;113(Suppl 4):1133–40. - PubMed
    1. Charach A, Yeung E, Climans T, Lillie E. Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and future substance use disorders: comparative metaanalyses. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2011;50(1):9–21. - PubMed
    1. Fuemmeler BF, Kollins SH, McClernon FJ. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms predict nicotine dependence and progression to regular smoking from adolescence to young adulthood. J Pediatr Psychol. 2007;32(10):1203–13. - PubMed
    1. Pliszka S. Issues AWGoQ. Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007;46(7):894–921. - PubMed
    1. Faraone SV, Perlis RH, Doyle AE, Smoller JW, Goralnick JJ, Holmgren MA, et al. Molecular genetics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Jun 1;57(11):1313–23. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources