Justification of Recommendations Based on Existing Clinical Practice Guidelines for ADHD

There are available clinical guidelines, especially the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines, that focus on evaluation and diagnosis. The AAP clinical guidelines for ADHD recommend an individualized approach to evaluation and diagnosis. Treatment decisions, as per the AAP, must be based on the evaluation of symptoms, history of symptoms as reported by teachers, parents, and other people around the child, and screening for any other conditions that may be related to ADHD or cause similar symptoms. As per the provided recommendations, the AAP practice guidelines provide various treatment considerations, including a suggestion for the use of FDA-approved medications. The clinical guidelines also suggest nonpharmacological interventions that focus on behavioral training.

Conclusion

Treating ADHD in children and adolescents medically is complicated due to a lack of research data from children-focused tests. This is a major reason a majority of practitioners utilize combined or either FDA-approved medications, off-label medications, as well as nonpharmacological interventions for treating ADHD in children and adolescents. Notably, it is important to consider available clinical practice guidelines to ensure safe and effective treatment for ADHD in children and adolescents.

 References

Huss, M., Chen, W., & Ludolph, A. G. (2016). Guanfacine Extended Release: A New Pharmacological Treatment Option in Europe. Clinical Drug Investigation, 36(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/S40261-015-0336-0

Steingard, R., Taskiran, S., Connor, D. F., Markowitz, J. S., & Stein, M. A. (2019). New Formulations of Stimulants: An Update for Clinicians. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 29(5), 324–339. https://doi.org/10.1089/CAP.2019.0043

Wigal, S., Chappell, P., Palumbo, D., Lubaczewski, S., Ramaker, S., & Abbas, R. (2020). Diagnosis and Treatment Options for Preschoolers with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 30(2), 104. https://doi.org/10.1089/CAP.2019.0116