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October 18th, 2011, 07:10 GMT · By

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Even 4-Year-Olds Can Be Diagnosed with ADHD

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New ADHD guidelines stop short of giving strong medication to 4-year-olds Enlarge picture - New ADHD guidelines stop short of giving strong medication to 4-year-olds
The American Academy of Pediatrics has just released a new set of guidelines on how to diagnose and treat attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). The document provides the necessary foundation for experts to diagnose the condition in children as young as 4.

According to the new document, pediatrics experts are allowed to place the diagnostic for young kids, but they cannot prescribe drugs to the little ones. They can however recommend behavioral treatments that parents can then apply until their children grow up.

“Treating children at a young age is important, because when we can identify them earlier and provide appropriate treatment, we can increase their chances of succeeding in school,” explains the lead author of the new report, Mark Wolraich, MD.

“Because of greater awareness about ADHD and better ways of diagnosing and treating this disorder, more children are being helped,” he goes on to say, as quoted by PsychCentral.

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READER COMMENTS:


Comment #1 by: Ablechild on 25 Oct 2011, 17:53 UTC reply to this comment

These policies should have been discussed on a national level. This is dangerous stuff to allow to happen without the public input. The right to refuse psychiatric treatment has never been more important than it is today. The origins of ADHD can be found in the Hearings in 1970 in Congress, The Use of Behavioral Drugs on School Age Children. This is a poltiical issue.


Comment #2 by: Mom who knows on 25 Oct 2011, 20:30 UTC reply to this comment

This is a crime and a shame. There are no boys that age that could escape a diagnosis based on a checklist if a teacher took a dislike to their active, chatty personality. Pure baloney.


Comment #3 by: drnels on 26 Oct 2011, 22:39 UTC reply to this comment

This gives the whole psychiatric profession a bad name. Whoops, too late!

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