Treating ADHD In the fall of last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics came out with a set of guidelines for treating ADHDóguidelines that endorsed the use of medications such as Ritalin (others available, though less well known, include Concerta and Adderall) in combination with appropriate monitoring and behavioral interventions. Called ìa timely and much needed blueprint for clinicians and families alike who are dealing with ADHD,î by CHADD Chief Executive Officer E. Clarke Ross, the guidelines recommend: A treatment program that recognizes ADHD as a chronic condition. Physicians should work in partnership with parents, the child and the child's school to develop appropriate, individual goals to guide management of the condition. If appropriate, physicians should recommend behavior therapy and/or stimulant medication to improve specific symptoms in children with ADHD. Periodic and systematic follow-up and monitoring; if a treatment hasn't met its goals, physicians should reevaluate the diagnosis, treatments, adherence to the plan and other conditions that might include learning disabilities and mental health conditions. óGina Shaw