Once the programme is in place, progress usually needs to be reviewed every three to four months. Parents and teachers often need help with how to understand and manage difficult behaviour parent support groups can be invaluable. The child will require specialist individual help to acquire skills which will enable him to focus attention and control overactivity and impulsiveness. These should be monitored every three to four months while medication continues. When treatment is provided, the benefit is often dramatic.
Some children are able to discontinue medication after one year without relapse or loss of skills.
Others require more long-term help. Children who do not receive the help they need may face a future blighted by educational failure, relationship problems and delinquency. Problems can persist into adulthood1 when disorganisation, poor concentration and inability to complete tasks are more troublesome than overactivity. Significant additional problems are common and include delinquency, affective disorders and substance misuse 7 . Conclusion ADHD can be at the root of much family conflict and have an adverse effect on the child s development.