ADHD drugs are being prescribed too quickly to preschoolers, experts warn
Experts reveal side-effects of prescribing ADHD medication too early in a child’s life
- Experts warn that drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are being prescribed too quickly to preschool children in the United States.
- Current guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend six months of behavioural therapy for children aged three to five before medication is considered.
- Stanford Medicine researchers found that 42.2 per cent of young children diagnosed with ADHD were prescribed medication within a month.
- Early medication for young children can lead to more side effects and a higher likelihood of treatment failure, as their bodies process drugs differently.
- A lack of access to behavioural management training for families is cited by doctors as a reason for prescribing medication sooner, despite its limitations in teaching long-term skills.