(Link: www.nhs.

uk/)

Health A-Z (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/) Live Well (Link: www.nhs.uk/live-well/) Mental health (Link: www.nhs.uk/mental-health/)

Treatment
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Overview (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/)
Symptoms (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/symptoms/)
Causes (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/causes/)
Diagnosis (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/diagnosis/)
Treatment
Living with (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/living-with/)

Treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can help relieve the symptoms and make the condition
much less of a problem in day-to-day life.

ADHD can be treated using medicine or therapy, but a combination of both is often best.

Treatment is usually arranged by a specialist, such as a paediatrician or psychiatrist, although the condition may be
monitored by a GP.

Medicine
There are 5 types of medicine licensed for the treatment of ADHD:

methylphenidate
lisdexamfetamine
dexamfetamine
atomoxetine
guanfacine

These medicines are not a permanent cure for ADHD but may help someone with the condition concentrate better, be
less impulsive, feel calmer, and learn and practise new skills.

Some medicines need to be taken every day, but some can be taken just on school days. Treatment breaks are occasionally
recommended to assess whether the medicine is still needed.

If you were not diagnosed with ADHD until adulthood, a GP and specialist can discuss which medicines and therapies are
suitable for you.

If you or your child is prescribed one of these medicines, you'll probably be given small doses at first, which may then be
gradually increased. You or your child will need to see a GP for regular check-ups to ensure the treatment is working
effectively and check for signs of any side effects or problems.

It's important to let the GP know about any side effects and talk to them if you feel you need to stop or change
treatment.

Your specialist will discuss how long you should take your treatment but, in many cases, treatment is continued for as
long as it is helping.

Methylphenidate
Methylphenidate is the most commonly used medicine for ADHD. It belongs to a group of medicines called stimulants,
which work by increasing activity in the brain, particularly in areas that play a part in controlling attention and behaviour.

Methylphenidate may be offered to adults, teenagers and children over the age of 5 with ADHD.

The medicine can be taken as either immediate-release tablets (small doses taken 2 to 3 times a day) or as modified-
release tablets (taken once a day in the morning, with the dose released throughout the day).

Common side effects of methylphenidate include:

a small increase in blood pressure and heart rate

loss of appetite, which can lead to weight loss or poor weight gain
trouble sleeping
headaches (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/headaches/)
stomach aches (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/stomach-ache/)
feeling aggressive, irritable, depressed, anxious or tense

Read more about methylphenidate for adults (Link: www.nhs.uk/medicines/methylphenidate-adults/)

Read more about methylphenidate for children (Link: www.nhs.uk/medicines/methylphenidate-children/)

Lisdexamfetamine
Lisdexamfetamine is a medicine that stimulates certain parts of the brain. It improves concentration, helps focus attention
and reduces impulsive behaviour.

It may be offered to teenagers and children over the age of 5 with ADHD if at least 6 weeks of treatment with
methylphenidate has not helped.

Adults may be offered lisdexamfetamine as the first-choice medicine instead of methylphenidate.

Lisdexamfetamine comes in capsule form, taken once a day.

Common side effects of lisdexamfetamine include:

decreased appetite, which can lead to weight loss or poor weight gain
aggression
drowsiness
dizziness
headaches
diarrhoea
nausea and vomiting

Dexamfetamine
Dexamfetamine is similar to lisdexamfetamine and works in the same way. It may be offered to adults, teenagers and
children over the age of 5 with ADHD.

Dexamfetamine is usually taken as a tablet 2 to 4 times a day, although an oral solution is also available.

Common side effects of dexamfetamine include:

decreased appetite
mood swings
agitation and aggression
dizziness (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/dizziness/)
headaches
diarrhoea (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/diarrhoea-and-vomiting/)
nausea and vomiting

Atomoxetine
Atomoxetine works differently from other ADHD medicines.

It's a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), which means it increases the amount of a chemical in the brain
called noradrenaline.

This chemical passes messages between brain cells, and increasing it can aid concentration and help control impulses.

Atomoxetine may be offered to adults, teenagers and children over the age of 5 if it's not possible to use
methylphenidate or lisdexamfetamine. It's also licensed for use in adults if symptoms of ADHD are confirmed.

Atomoxetine comes in capsule form, usually taken once or twice a day.

Common side effects of atomoxetine include:

a small increase in blood pressure and heart rate

nausea and vomiting
stomach aches
trouble sleeping
dizziness
headaches
irritability

Atomoxetine has also been linked to some more serious side effects that are important to look out for, including suicidal
thoughts and liver damage.

If either you or your child begin to feel depressed or suicidal while taking this medicine, speak to your doctor.

Guanfacine
Guanfacine acts on part of the brain to improve attention, and it also reduces blood pressure.

It may be offered to teenagers and children over the age of 5 if it's not possible to use methylphenidate or
lisdexamfetamine.
Guanfacine is usually taken as a tablet once a day, in the morning or evening.

Common side effects include:

tiredness or fatigue
headache
abdominal pain
dry mouth

Guanfacine is not recommended for treating adults with ADHD without specialist advice.

Therapy
As well as taking medicine, different therapies can be useful in treating ADHD in children, teenagers and adults. Therapy
is also effective in treating additional problems, such as conduct or anxiety disorders, that may appear with ADHD.

Here are some of the therapies that may be used.

Psychoeducation
Psychoeducation means you or your child will be encouraged to discuss ADHD and its effects. It can help children,
teenagers and adults make sense of being diagnosed with ADHD, and can help you to cope and live with the condition.

Behaviour therapy
Behaviour therapy provides support for carers of children with ADHD and may involve teachers as well as parents.
Behaviour therapy usually involves behaviour management, which uses a system of rewards to encourage your child to try
to control their ADHD.

If your child has ADHD, you can identify types of behaviour you want to encourage, such as sitting at the table to eat.
Your child is then given some sort of small reward for good behaviour.

For teachers, behaviour management involves learning how to plan and structure activities, and to praise and encourage
children for even very small amounts of progress.

Parent training and education programmes

If your child has ADHD, specially tailored parent training and education programmes can help you learn specific ways of
talking to your child, and playing and working with them to improve their attention and behaviour.

You may also be offered parent training before your child is formally diagnosed with ADHD.

These programmes are usually arranged in groups of around 10 to 12 parents. A programme usually consists of 10 to 16
meetings, lasting up to 2 hours each.

Being offered a parent training and education programme does not mean you have been a bad parent – it aims to teach
parents and carers about behaviour management, while increasing confidence in your ability to help your child and
improve your relationship.

Social skills training

Social skills training involves your child taking part in role-play situations and aims to teach them how to behave in social
situations by learning how their behaviour affects others.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT (Link: www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/cognitive-
behavioural-therapy-cbt/overview/) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way
you think and behave. A therapist would try to change how you or your child feels about a situation, which would in turn
potentially change their behaviour.

CBT can be carried out with a therapist individually or in a group.

Other possible treatments

There are other ways of treating ADHD that some people with the condition find helpful, such as cutting out certain
foods and taking supplements. However, there's no strong evidence these work, and they should not be attempted
without medical advice.

Diet
People with ADHD should eat a healthy, balanced diet. Do not cut out foods before seeking medical advice.

Some people may notice a link between types of food and worsening ADHD symptoms. If this is the case, keep a diary of
what you eat and drink, and what behaviour follows. Discuss this with a GP, who may refer you to a dietitian (a
healthcare professional who specialises in nutrition).
Supplements
Some studies have suggested that supplements of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may be beneficial for people with
ADHD, although the evidence supporting this is very limited.

It's advisable to talk to a GP before using any supplements, because some can react unpredictably with medicine or make
it less effective.

You should also remember that some supplements should not be taken long term, as they can reach dangerous levels in
your body.

Tips for parents

If you're the parent of a child with ADHD:

be sure your GP or specialist helps you understand the difference between ADHD and any other problems your child
may have
think about who else needs to know about your child's ADHD, such as their school or nursery
find out the side effects of any medicine your child takes and what you need to look out for
getting to know people at local support groups can stop you feeling isolated and help you to cope

The charity AADD-UK has a list of support groups across the UK (Link: https://aadduk.org/help-support/support-groups/),
including groups for adults, parents and carers.

Read more about living with ADHD (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/living-

with/)

Help change lives with research

Create a free account to take part in Register now

health and care research

Page last reviewed: 24 December 2021

Next review due: 24 December 2024