http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Health/...ith_adhd/1111/

Non-medicinal intervention works with ADHD


Published: Aug. 23, 2007 at 8:57 AM
BETHLEHEM, Pa., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A U.S. study shows non-medicinal
interventions help prevent behavioral and academic problems associated with
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Researchers from Lehigh Valley Hospital and Lehigh University in Bethlehem,
Pa., focused on 135 children aged 3 to 5 who showed significant symptoms of
ADHD -- a mental disorder that makes it difficult for children to control
their behavior and pay attention. Early intervention techniques included
highly individualized programs that often rely on positive supports to
reinforce behavior.

Using a variety of early intervention strategies, parents reported, on
average, a 17-percent decrease in aggression and a 21-percent improvement in
their children's social skills. In the classroom, teachers saw a 28-percent
improvement in both categories. Early literacy skills improved up to three
times over their baseline status.

The researchers suggest a multi-tiered approach to intervention, offering
more traditional services to at-risk children and more intensive services to
children in greatest need.

"Medication may address the symptoms of ADHD, but it does not necessarily
improve children's academic and social skills," study leader George DuPaul
said in a statement.

The findings are reported in School Psychology Review