WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-New guidelines for treating ADHD in kids

October 20, 2011

Michael Katevatis, 10, takes medication for his ADHD. Doctors diagnosed him with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder when he was 5.

"He was having trouble focusing; any sound he would hear he would be distracted," mom Rachel Katevatis said.

Hyperactivity, lack of impulse control and lack of attention are all classic signs of ADHD. But treating preschoolers who exhibited those symptoms used to be tricky because there were no formal guidelines until now. The American Academy of Pediatrics just released recommendations for treating the disorder in children as young as 4.

More than 5 million children ages 4 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives. Nearly 3 million take medication for the disorder. Under the new guidelines, the first treatment should be behavior therapy. If that doesn't work and the symptoms are pretty bad, doctors should consider medication.

"The hope is that with earlier identification and with behavioral interventions as a first line treatment, that children will be able to function better, be better accepted by their peers, do better in a classroom setting," said Dr. Andrew Adesman of Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York.

Michael struggled during kindergarten and had to repeat the grade. His mother wishes he had gotten help sooner.

"At 4, had he been diagnosed with ADHD, I could have saved myself and my son a lot of grief," Rachel Katevatis said.

Now in fourth-grade, he's doing well in school.

Previous guidelines were for children 6-12. The new ones cover kids from 4-18.