Doctors are often prescribing medications to young children for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) shortly after the children are diagnosed with the disorder, according to a new study.
That goes against treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which advise that young children should start therapy before being prescribed medication.
“We found that many young children are being prescribed medications very soon after their diagnosis of ADHD is documented,” Dr. Yair Bannett, assistant professor of pediatrics at Stanford Medicine and the lead author of the paper, said in a statement. “That’s concerning, because we know starting ADHD treatment with a behavioral approach is beneficial; it has a big positive effect on the child as well as on the family.”…