Question
My daughter is 4 years old and has always been very well-behaved. But lately, for some reason, she has been throwing tantrums and doesn’t like to watch cartoons anymore. She keeps running around, as if she has endless energy. After taking her for a check-up, they said she has pediatric ADHD. What should I do if my child has ADHD?
Answer
ADHD is one of the most common behavioral disorders in childhood. Children with ADHD have weakened self-control, attention deficits, and impulsive, capricious behaviors, which can be very frustrating for parents. Treatment mainly focuses on psychological and behavioral approaches, including psychological counseling, psychotherapy, behavior modification and training, and attention training. If psychological and behavioral treatments are ineffective or the condition is severe, medication can be considered. Commonly used medications include stimulants, alpha-agonists, and tricyclic antidepressants, with stimulants being a good choice due to their effectiveness and relatively fewer side effects.