Therapy for ADHD in Children
Treatment options for ADHD have improved significantly in recent years. A multimodal approach may combine the following components:
Psychoeducation – Information and Counseling
Parental training – educational training (also for teachers*)
Psychotherapy – often in the form of behavioral therapy.
Drug therapy – various medications for ADHD
Appropriate therapeutic measures are important for ADHD so that affected children can develop appropriately for their age.
This allows those affected to better integrate into their environment (family, school, leisure activities) and complete schooling and professional training that matches their talents. The parent-child relationship can also be improved, and a stable sense of self-esteem can be achieved.
ADHD has no cure, but it can be effectively treated:
With the right support, children with ADHD can develop as much as their peers.
ADHD symptoms may decrease with proper treatment and with increasing age.
Children with ADHD can often lead completely normal adult lives later if they receive therapy early.
Psychoeducation provides information about ADHD to affected children, parents, and family members. The doctor discusses the goals of possible treatment with everyone involved and which forms of therapy are most appropriate to achieve those goals.
Psychoeducation is used in the concept of multimodal treatment to create the basis for other therapeutic approaches.
Usually, those affected also contribute their own ideas – and the older they are, the more pronounced their contribution will be. Depending on the severity of ADHD, different components of treatment are used simultaneously or sequentially, as needed.
In multimodal therapy, various measures are adapted to the individual needs of the affected person in order to reduce suffering and support the performance and social life of children.
The concept of multimodal therapy aims to individually treat the main symptoms of hyperactivity, attention deficit, and impulsivity.
The selection of specific therapeutic measures depends on the child's age and current needs. Possible co-occurring symptoms, such as aggression, speech or learning difficulties, can also be treated.
In some children, non-medication measures, such as education and counseling (psychoeducation) of parents and educational measures, can already achieve an improvement in symptoms.
The need for medication treatment will be discussed on a case-by-case basis, in conjunction with the pediatrician or child and adolescent psychiatrist responsible for the treatment.o.
If measures such as psychoeducation or psychotherapy do not produce satisfactory improvement, symptoms continue to impair daily life and development, and there is a high level of suffering, medication therapy should be considered.
