Parent's goals for ADHD child's treatment key to decision

The treatment goals of parents with children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder should be discussed with pediatricians, U.S. researchers suggest. Dr. Alexander G. Fiksm, Stephanie Mayne and Elena DeBartolo of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania said U.S. parents with a child with ADHD who want to improve school achievement tend to seek a drug-based treatment. Parents whose goal was improving their child with behavior and interpersonal relationships were more likely to choose behavior therapy. After six months of treatment, the parents of children who chose either ADHD medication or behavioral-based therapy both had decreased academic and behavioral goals, suggesting that the chosen treatment was effective at helping parents reach their goals. Based on these findings, study authors concluded that when seeking out ADHD treatment options, it is important for families to be involved in the shared decision-making process with their pediatrician. This involves the active participation of both families and pediatricians before initiating treatment, discussing risks and benefits of particular therapies, and the likelihood of achieving desired outcomes. The findings were published online ahead of the October print edition of the journal Pediatrics.