text: ...quite a bit to read, but skip to the bottom if you prefer...\n\n\nBackground\n\nFew topics to do with kid's health arouse more controversy than Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder – or ADHD (also called Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD).\n\nDoctors vary in the way they apply the definition of the condition to individual children. Some experts argue that it's a set of behavioural characteristics and not a medical condition at all.\n\nAlso, it is usually treated with a class of drugs – psychostimulants – that are considered to be addictive and dangerous in adults.\n\nBut many people who have lived with ADHD, or have kids with it, say that since they were diagnosed and treated, their lives have been transformed. Where once they were unmanageable, they can now lead normal lives.\n\nTreatment\n\nChildren diagnosed with ADHD are given a management plan, with the aim of reducing the effects of ADHD on the child's social, emotional and academic functioning.\n\nThe most common treatment for ADHD is psychostimulant medication such as dexamphetamine (trade name Dexadrine) or methylphenidate (Attenta, Ritalin). These are thought to act by normalising the imbalance in the brain's neurotransmitter chemicals. In general, only psychiatrists and paediatricians are allowed to prescribe them. They are given daily (in two to three doses) in tablet form and may need to be continued for months or years.\n\nRitalin LA (long-acting capsules) have recently been released in Australia. They only need to be taken once a day.\n\nIn many cases (about three-quarters of cases where the child has been correctly diagnosed) they work wonders – the child becomes much calmer and more controlled. Teachers especially notice the difference as the child is much more focussed on their work (although there's no evidence that school performance is actually improved).\n\nLike all medications the stimulants can have side effects. The most common include loss of appetite and difficulty falling asleep. Some children initially become irritable, teary and withdrawn – this usually settles. In general, side effects are less common with methylphenidate (Ritalin) than with dexamphetamine. Children taking stimulant medication should be monitored.\n\nThe long-term effect on the development of the child's brain and nervous systems isn't known. And this is cause for concern amongst parents and some paediatricians, who worry that too many children are being treated with stimulants. Australia has about 50,000 children taking stimulants for ADHD, which makes it (per capita) the third highest consumer in the world after the United States and Canada. Consumption is especially high in Western Australia, where there are five times as many as children on stimulants than in Victoria.\n\nSome paediatricians believe this is too high and that there should be more effort made to look at other possible social causes of the child's symptoms. If there are problems in the family or at school, then these need to be addressed, rather than having the child put on stimulants.\n\nSome people turn to alternative therapies, and a diverse range of complementary and alternative therapies are used. None have been subjected to scientific research trials. Some of these therapies can be expensive, and some practitioners offer parents unrealistic hopes of a cure.\n\nNot all children with ADHD require medication and those that do shouldn't be treated with medication alone. Parenting behaviours may need to change. Some suggestions for parents of a child diagnosed with ADHD include:\n\nAccept the situation; be patient. \nSet non-negotiable rules for behaviour and clearly state the consequences of not following the rules. If the rule is broken, warn, then act calmly and without argument. \nSet a routine and stick to it. \nGive praise and rewards for good behaviour. \nBe tolerant; ignore all but the important misbehaviours.