In general, a combined therapy using medication and behavior therapy or medication alone outperforms behavioral therapy in treating ADHD, but one must look at the child's characteristics to determine the best type of therapy for ADHD, said Peter Jensen, director of the Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health, in an invited session at the CEC convention. For children with ADHD or conduct disorder, behavior therapy only showed no gains. Though the study shows that medication is effective for children with ADHD, many parents and educators are still reluctant to use it. As a result, children may receive lower dosages than they need to suppress their symptoms, Jensen said. He also countered the argument that placing children on Ritalin or other medication for ADHD may lead to substance abuse.
Children get into substance abuse through delinquency.
With proper medication, kids make it in the real world. To determine the best treatment for a child with ADHD, one must consider all factors, such as whether the child has anxiety or if there are circumstances occurring in the home that may affect the child, Jensen said. He concluded by recommending that each child with ADHD receive an intensive evaluation and frequent monitoring to ensure the most appropriate treatment. Reading While we have made great strides in learning how to teach children to read, the battle is far from over. Researchers have identified methods that help the majority of young children learn to read, but we do not know how to prevent reading difficulties in all children, according to Joe Torgesen, professor at Florida State University.