Child & Teen Treatment Guidelines


ADHD Child Treatment Guidelines

ADHD Teen Treatment Guidelines




LifeStance ADHD Program




Therapist in Gladstone, Oregon, Jane Rekas, Therapist | Lifestance




Treatment Standards
The gold-standard treatments for childhood ADHD, according to the most recent research:
• Stimulant medication—a very strong recommendation for the ADHD brain
• Parent training
• Classroom intervention

Treatment
LifeStance ADHD Program
"First and foremost, a strengths-based perspective! Identify first what is good and strong and healthy in a person and secondarily what requires intervention. Individual therapy is not generally found to be effective for treating children’s symptoms of ADHD, unless its purpose is to treat comorbidities or other stressors.

Family therapy can be helpful if there is chaos or dysfunctional cycles within the family or using Margaret Sibley’s STAND curriculum with the parent and adolescent.

LifeStance offers curriculum for the following groups, but clinical license is welcomed in incorporating other activities and skills into ADHD groups:
• Parenting Group—Education about ADHD, the ADHD brain, working with the education system and adopting a strengths-perspective, as well as parenting training. One-1.5 hours, 4-5 weeks. Virtual or in-person.
• Child Group—Ideally, running concurrently with the parenting group. An introduction to the ADHD brain with a strengths perspective. Beginning to learn strategies and skills. Mindfulness practices incorporated into each group to provide acceptance and improve emotional regulation, working memory, and attention. One hour, 8 weeks. 3rd through 5th graders. Virtual (slides available in
electronic binder) or in-person.
• Adolescent/Parent Family Therapy—Focus is on academic success through motivational interviewing and skills building. Week zero is for parents only, so they have an understanding of what their teens will be working on and their role. Parents are invited to join week 8 along with their teens. One-1.25 hours, 9 weeks. Virtual or in-person."
















Clarify Definition of Symptoms: 

• Vanderbilt Scales
• Conners Scales
• ADHD Rating Scales (ADHD-RS-V)
• Swanson, Nolan and Pelham (SNAP) Scale
• Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)
• Behavior Assessment Scale for Children (BASC)
Auchenbach

Neuropsychological Assessment
• Helpful for learning profile
• High false negative rate for ADHD
• False positives (other factors besides ADHD)
• Continuous Performance Test (CPT) (TOVA ®)
• The Rey–Osterrieth complex figure test (ROCF)
• Processing Speed
• Working Memory
• Impulsivity
• Poor organization
• Poor Time Management

General LifeStance intake forms, plus parent/teacher Vanderbilt (ages 6-12) or self/parent/teacher Conners (ages 13-18) which is emailed 


 


http://navigateadhd.blogspot.com/p/adhd-criteria-dsm-v.html



Strengths
  • Inventory child’s gifts, strengths, talents, abilities, interests and identify learning style. 
 

Medical Rule Outs

Medication
  • Have psychiatric evaluation to consider medication, follow doctor's recommendations.  
  • Medications | Navigate ADHD
  • Parent and child will regularly attend medication management appointments and child will take medication as prescribed, with parental assistance. 


As alternative, consider UnRitalin Solution by a chiropractor. Consider consulting Naturopath. Consider natural remedies, such as Attend homeopathic and Focus herbal.  INGREDIENTS

Sensory Integration




 1b. Screen for Sensory Processing Disorders (Sensory Integration) concerns.
Refer to occupational therapy.
Books

Education: Recommend parents read Russell Barkley’s Taking Charge of ADHD, Stanley Greenspan’s The Challenging Child, and Ross Green’s The Explosive Child, Dr. Yannick Pauli's Unritalin Solution, The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz 


  • Online Resources. 
    • CHADD: www.chadd.org
    • ADDitude Magazine: https://www.additudemag.com
  • Books:
    • Taking Charge of ADHD, Revised Edition: The Complete Authoritative Guide for Parents by Russell Barkley
    • Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary "Executive Skills" Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
    • Eagle Eyes: A Child's Guide to Paying Attention by Jeanne Gehret
    • Sometimes I Drive My Mom Crazy, but I Know She's Crazy About Me: A Self-Esteem Book for ADHD Children by Lawrence Shapiro
    • The Survival Guide for Kids with ADD or ADHD by John Taylor
  • Podcasts. 
    • "Distraction" by Edward Hallowell
    • ADDitude's "ADHD Experts Podcasts"
    • CHADD's Podcasts: "ADHD 365" and "All Things ADHD"

 Increase Support: Parents will seek out support group, such as CHADD, or through OFSN. Child will join social skills group, if available. https://chadd.org/


 Parents will implement Child Centered Special Time plan: 20 minutes per day spent with child, child chooses type of play, parents only narrates child’s play, without teaching, praising, setting limits. 



Physical Health: Develop child's core strength. Consider having child seen by a chiropractor, occupational and physical therapists. Be sure child has adequate time outside in the sun getting exercise and Vitamin D and air. Make sure child is drinking enough water. No calories from beverages. Reduce screen time (tv, computer, video games), to reduce EMF exposure, etc. 

Nutrition: Have child screened for food allergens. Consider removing dairy and wheat/gluten. Reduce high glycemic foods, including high fructose corn syrup. Heal the gut. Balance metabolism. Consider Feingold diet. 



Classroom Modifications/Accommodations


Improve Working Memory

Improve Working Memory for ADHD Children




Vision therapy (visual training, vision training) is an individualized supervised treatment program designed to correct visual-motor and/or perceptual-cognitive deficiencies which have various causes.




Homework




I like Dr. Amen on ADHD types and Dr. Barkeley on treatment.

Executive Function Skills Worksheet PDF