The Government has released new guidelines which warn against the use of drugs to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children.

The guidelines, which originally stated in 1997 that medication was a suitable treatment for medication, have been changed to instead advise that “Medication should not be used as first-line treatment for ADHD in preschool-aged children.”

Professor David Forbes, head of the RACP who updated the guidelines, said he expected that some children would now be taken off the drugs. He commented that “not all kids should get medication,” and highlighted that insufficient research had been done on the use of exercise and diet to control ADHD.

More then 350,000 children and adolescents in Australia have been diagnosed with ADHD.

From the Couriermail.

Writer Tristan Boyd, Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.

The Government has released new guidelines which warn against the use of drugs to treat ADHD in children.

The guidelines, which originally stated in 1997 that medication was a suitable treatment for medication, have been changed to instead advise that “Medication should not be used as first-line treatment for ADHD in preschool-aged children.”

Professor David Forbes, head of the RACP who updated the guidelines, said he expected that some children would now be taken off the drugs. He commented that “not all kids should get medication,” and highlighted that insufficient research had been done on the use of exercise and diet to control ADHD.

More then 350,000 children and adolescents in Australia have been diagnosed with ADHD.