Attention deficit hyperactive disorder is the most common psychiatric disorder seen in children in which the child expresses inattentiveness and hyperactivity as the core behaviour characteristics. It affects about 4-12% of all school-age children and is also among the most prevalent chronic psychological condition affecting school-aged children. Managing a child diagnosed with ADHD is quite challenging regardless of the situation presented. Behavioural techniques for managing a child with ADHD are not intuitive for most parents and teachers. It is futile and damaging to try to force a child with ADHD to be like most children. It is possible, however, to limit destructive behaviour and to instil in the child a sense of self-worth that will help overcome negativity. This review article encompasses various techniques for managing a child with ADHD under different practical scenarios and guides parents, teachers and also clinicians to accommodate and modify the behaviour of the child, which includes nondrug therapies, dietary changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, the importance of zinc and other behavioural approaches to manage and modify the child with ADHD.
Author(s) Details:
Veena Shivanna
Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Sri Siddhartha Dental College and Hospital, Agalakote, Tumkur, Karnataka, India
Yogeesh Mallenahalli Chikkanna
Taluk Health Officer, Belur, Karnataka, India.
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Recent Global Research Developments in Understanding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Prevalence of ADHD in Children and Adolescents:
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that approximately 7.6% of children aged 3 to 12 years and 5.6% of teenagers aged 12 to 18 years have ADHD [1] .
The prevalence based on the DSM-V criterion is higher than previous diagnostic criteria.
Advances in ADHD Research:
Diagnostic criteria have evolved over the past two decades, with recent changes in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases.
Meta-analytic evidence suggests consistent ADHD rates across Western countries.
Genome-wide significant risk loci for ADHD have been identified.
The pathophysiological conceptualization has shifted from individual brain region alterations to complex dysfunction in brain networks.
Pharmacological treatments show short-term efficacy, with differences in efficacy and tolerability between children/adolescents and adults.
Some non-pharmacological treatments effectively address ADHD-related impairments, such as parent training for oppositional behaviors and cognitive training for working memory deficits [2] .
Adult ADHD:
Recent research highlights disruptions in white matter pathways in adults with ADHD [3] .
Global Trends:
Diagnoses of ADHD in children and adolescents have increased globally over the past 30 years [4] .
References
- Salari, N., Ghasemi, H., Abdoli, N. et al. The global prevalence of ADHD in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ital J Pediatr 49, 48 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-023-01456-1
- Cortese, S., & Coghill, D. (2018). Twenty years of research on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): looking back, looking forward. BMJ Ment Health, 21(4), 173-176.
- Pagán, A.F., Huizar, Y.P., Short, T.R. et al. Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: a Narrative Review of Biological Mechanisms, Treatments, and Outcomes. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 23, 451–460 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-023-01280-4
- Kazda, L., Bell, K., Thomas, R., Hardiman, L., Heath, I., & Barratt, A. (2024). Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children: more focus on care and support, less on diagnosis. bmj, 384.
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