ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER: MODERN PRINCIPLES OF DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT

Abstract

One of 20 modern children and teenagers has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). New diagnostic criteria of ADHD according to DSM-V classification which contain the following main changes are considered in the article: age of onset — to 12 years; the requirement to cross-situational character of symptoms is strengthened; the ADHD age dynamics is reflected and the threshold number of symptoms for adult patients is entered; the comorbidity with autism spectrum disorders is allowed. Peculiarities of examination of children and teenagers with ADHD are discussed. Treatment of a syndrome must be complex and should include methods of behavior correction, psychotherapy, neuropsychological correction. Medicinal therapy demands the sufficient duration as the improvement of a state has to extend not only on the main manifestations of ADHD, but also on a social psychological aspect of patients' life. As the examination of a group of children with ADHD showed, during long courses of treatment by hopantenic acid for overcoming not only the main symptoms, but also violations of adaptation and social psychological functioning (improvement of a self-assessment, communication with people around and social activity) treatment terms must be not less than 4–6 months. The development and application of complex correction under ADHD should be carried out in due time and have individual character.