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Curb Ritalin Use, Doctors Advised

new guidelines recommend doctors must reduce use of the drug Ritalin in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) have issued new guidelines that recommend doctors must reduce use of the drug Ritalin in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The guidelines also say most children with ADHD should be offered psychological advice in order to improve their behavior. Furthermore parents and teachers must also be trained on how to handle such children.

The drugs must be used only when all other treatment options have failed.

Commenting on the guidelines, Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive of NICE, said, "At its heart is the recognition of the importance of establishing a multidisciplinary team, including the person with ADHD, their family and their teachers in order to help support the person with ADHD achieve their full potential.”

Support groups were pleased with the guidelines, but called for increasing resources to handle behavior management therapy.

Source-Medindia
RAS/SK


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