Medication
Medication Guidelines
On medication with AD/HD the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) notes:
If a child or adolescent needs treatment with medication for ADHD, methylphenidate, atomoxetine and dexamfetamine are all recommended as possible choices. When deciding which to use, doctors should consider the following:
- whether the child or adolescent has other conditions such as epilepsy
- the side effects of each medicine
- factors that might make it difficult for the person to take the medicine at the right time (for example, if it is difficult to take a dose during school hours)
- the possibility that the medicine might be misused, or passed on to another person for misuse
- the individual preference of the child or adolescent and/or their family or carer.
Treatment with methylphenidate, atomoxetine or dexamfetamine should only be started after a specialist who is an expert in ADHD has thoroughly assessed the child or adolescent and confirmed the diagnosis. Once treatment has been started it can be continued and monitored by a GP.
View full NICE guidelines on medication and AD/HD here