Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents | American Academy of Pediatrics

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents | American Academy of Pediatrics

AAP releases new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has revised its clinical care guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. CDC supported the review of the evidence that was used to update the recommendations, released on September 30, 2019. A few highlights:

The new guidelines strengthen the recommendations for behavior therapy for children and adolescents with ADHD. Parent training in behavior management is recommended as the first-line treatment for preschoolers, and as an important part of treatment combined with medication for older children. The new guidelines emphasize the importance of the school environment. The new guidelines emphasize the importance of the school environment. Educational interventions and supports that are tailored to the student are necessary parts of any treatment plan. These are best if combined with behavioral classroom management. The new guidelines add recommendations for pediatricians to address co-occurring disorders. Pediatricians can make a diagnosis or refer the child to the appropriate subspecialist.

The AAP also identifies challenges that clinicians face when trying to implement the guidelines, and provides suggested strategies to overcome barriers to care. Further Reading Read the clinical care guidelines here: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-2528 Read more about the recommendations here: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/guidelines.html Read more about ADHD in the classroom: Helping children succeed in school Read more about CDC’s work on improving access to children’s mental health care