Hyperactivity drug guidelines issued
- 00:02:30
- ITN
Hyperactivity drug guidelines issued
A controversial drug used to calm down hyperactive children should be avoided wherever possible and not given at all to the under-fives, according to new health guidelines. Ritalin is thought to cause weight loss, insomnia, headaches and mood swings and should be reserved for severe cases only after other options have failed. Instead, parents should be taught psychological techniques for changing the behaviour of unruly children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The guidelines were issued by the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. They aim to provide a blueprint of best practice for identifying and treating children with ADHD in England and Wales and combat excess use of drugs. Up to 3 per cent of school-age children and young people are affected by the disorder in the UK. It has recently been recognised that around 2 per cent of adults also suffer from the problem. Previously they were often wrongly labelled as having a personality disorder or some other psychological condition. The causes of ADHD are unclear but thought to include both genetic and environmental influences. Diet may be involved and a link with fizzy drinks has been suggested. Problems in the womb or birth trauma could also cause damage in the brain leading to ADHD. Children with the disorder are always on the move, running, climbing or jumping, as if driven by a motor that cannot be switched off. They tend to push into queues, blurt out answers to incomplete questions, butt into conversations, and act without thinking, which makes them accident prone. At school they are easily distracted, forgetful, unfocused, and disorganised. They may also find it hard to keep friends and suffer from bullying. Dr Tim Kendall, a consultant psychiatrist from Sheffield who is joint director of the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health and helped draw up the guidelines, said: "Quite commonly people tend to revert to offering methylphenidate or atomoxetene. "When they do that it's not always because there's a good balance of risk and benefits. Its because the child has got what appears to be ADHD and that's what's available. "Its easier to prescribe a drug when other options like parent training programmes are not available."
ITN | September 24, 2008
