OVER the years several treatments have been proposed for ADHD. Some of these have focused on diet. However, some studies suggest that food additives do not usually cause hyperactivity and that nutritional solutions are often ineffective. Other methods of treating ADHD are medication, behavior modification, and cognitive training.a

Medication. Since ADHD apparently involves a brain malfunction, medication for restoring the proper chemical balance has proved helpful to many.b However, medication does not take the place of learning. It merely helps the child focus his attention, giving him a foundation upon which to learn new skills.

Many adults with ADHD have likewise been aided by medication. However, caution is in order—with youths and adults—since some stimulant medication used to treat ADHD can be addictive.

Behavior modification. A child’s ADHD does not absolve parents from the obligation to discipline. Though the child may have special needs in this regard, the Bible admonishes parents: “Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) In her book Your Hyperactive Child, Barbara Ingersoll notes: “The parent who simply gives up and lets his hyperactive child ‘run wild’ does the child no favor. Just like any other child, the hyperactive child needs consistent discipline coupled with respect for the child as a person. This means clear limits and appropriate rewards and penalties.”

It is therefore important that parents provide solid structure. Furthermore, there should be a strict routine in daily activities. Parents may wish to give the child some latitude in making up this schedule, including a time for homework, study, bath, and so forth. Then be consistent in following through. Make sure that the daily routine is adhered to. Phi Delta Kappan notes: “Physicians, psychologists, school officials, and teachers have an obligation to the child and the child’s parents to explain that the classification of ADD or ADHD is not a license to get away with anything, but rather an explanation that may lead to legitimate help for the child in question.”

Cognitive training. This includes helping the child to change his view of himself and his disorder. “People with attention-deficit disorder feel ‘ugly, stupid, and bad’ even if they are attractive, intelligent, and good-hearted,” observes Dr. Ronald Goldberg. Therefore, the child with ADD or ADHD needs to have a proper view of his worth, and he needs to know that his attention difficulties can be managed. This is especially important during adolescence. By the time a person with ADHD reaches the teenage years, he may have experienced much criticism from peers, teachers, siblings, and perhaps even from parents. He now needs to set realistic goals and to judge himself fairly rather than harshly.

The above approaches to treatment can also be pursued by adults with ADHD. “Modifications are necessary based on age,” writes Dr. Goldberg, “but the underpinnings of treatment—medication where appropriate, behavior modification, and cognitive [training]—remain valid approaches throughout the life cycle.”

Even if a diagnosis is made, parents would do well to weigh the pros and cons of medication. Ritalin can eliminate undesirable symptoms, but it can also have unpleasant side effects, such as insomnia, increased anxiety, and nervousness. Thus, Dr. Richard Bromfield cautions against being too quick to medicate a child simply to eliminate his symptoms. “Too many children, and more and more adults, are being given Ritalin inappropriately,” he says. “In my experience, Ritalin use seems to depend largely on parents’ and teachers’ ability to tolerate children’s behavior. I know of kids who have been given it more to subdue them than to meet their needs.”