Premium
Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Are we medicating for social disadvantage? (For)
Author(s) -
Isaacs David
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2006.00919.x
Subject(s) - disadvantage , medicine , stimulant , psychosocial , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , psychiatry , context (archaeology) , attention deficit disorder , atomoxetine , incidence (geometry) , methylphenidate , physics , optics , law , biology , paleontology , political science
The diagnosis of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is based on well defined criteria, which describe a number of symptoms. It is important to consider the context of the symptoms, in terms of the influence of the child’s family and school. Although stimulant medications benefit selected children they may not benefit all children with symptoms of ADHD. The incidence of ADHD increases with social disadvantage. There is a potential danger of using stimulant medication alone to treat children with complex psychosocial problems, associated with social disadvantage, including Aboriginal children. We desperately need better training in the management of ADHD and better access to child psychiatrists.