Improvement In Hyperactivity Research Articles

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To test the effectiveness of a telehealth service delivery model for the treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that provided pharmacological treatment and caregiver behavior training.The Children’s ADHD Telemental Health Treatment Study (CATTS) was a randomized controlled trial with 223 children referred by 88 primary care providers (PCPs) in 7 communities. Children randomized to the experimental telehealth service model received 6 sessions over 22 weeks of combined pharmacotherapy, delivered by child psychiatrists through videoconferencing, and caregiver behavior training, provided in person by community therapists who were supervised remotely. Children randomized to the control service delivery model received treatment with their PCPs augmented with a telepsychiatry consultation. Outcomes were diagnostic criteria for ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and role performance on the Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scale (VADRS) completed by caregivers (VADRS-Caregivers) and teachers (VADRS-Teachers) and impairment on the Columbia Impairment Scale-Parent Version (CIS-P). Measures were completed at 5 assessments over 25 weeks.Children in both service models improved. Children assigned to the telehealth service model improved significantly more than children in the augmented primary care arm for VADRS-Caregiver criteria for inattention (χ2[4] = 19.47, p < .001), hyperactivity (χ2[4] = 11.91, p = .02), combined ADHD (χ2[4] = 14.90, p = .005), ODD (χ2[4] = 10.05, p = .04), and VADRS-Caregiver role performance (χ2 [4] = 12.40, p = .01) and CIS-P impairment (χ2[4] = 20.52, p < .001). For the VADRS-Teacher diagnostic criteria, children in the telehealth service model had significantly more improvement in hyperactivity (χ2[4] = 11.28, p = .02) and combined ADHD (χ2[4] = 9.72, p = .045).The CATTS trial demonstrated the effectiveness of a telehealth service model to treat ADHD in communities with limited access to specialty mental health services.Clinical trial registration information—Children’s Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity (ADHD) Telemental Health Treatment Study; http://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT00830700.

An Open Clinical Trial of Buspirone in Children With Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ABSTRACT Objective The efficacy of buspirone in controlling the symptoms of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was examined in 12 children with ADHD. Buspirone was used solely in all the children. Method Twelve children (10 boys and 2 girls) aged between 6 and 12 years (mean age 8.2 years) with hyperkinetic disorder were studied. Standard rating scales such as the Conners Parent Abbreviated 10-Item Index (CPAI) and the Children Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) were used to collect data on the symptoms of ADHD. Visual analog scores were also obtained about the dimensions of hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and disruptive behavior. All the subjects were given buspirone in the dose of 0.5 mg/kg body weight per day. The dose range of buspirone used was 15 to 30 mg/day, given in b.i.d. dosages. The subjects continued the regimen for a period of 6 weeks. The ratings were done at baseline, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks after starting buspirone. A detailed side effect checklist was administered at the same intervals. The CPAI was also repeated after 2 weeks of discontinuation of buspirone. Results When compared with baseline scores, all 12 subjects had shown significant improvement in hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and disruptive behavior. The mean (SD) CPAI score improved from 24.75 (2.7) at baseline to 11.25 (2.73), and the CGAS scores improved from 36.6 (5.58) to 67.1 (7.31) during the 6-week period of the study. The only side effect reported was mild dizziness, during the first week, by two subjects. Stopping the drug at the end of the study period of 6 weeks resulted in the reemergence of the symptoms. Conclusion Buspirone showed a favorable side effect profile and significantly reduced the symptoms of ADHD. It appears equally effective in improving the varied symptoms of the disorder. These preliminary findings of apparent efficacy of buspirone for ADHD in children indicate that future controlled trials are warranted. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 1998. 37(4):364–371.

Relative efficacy of Ritalin and biofeedback treatments in the management of hyperactivity

This study examined the efficacy of biofeedback and Ritalin treatments on hyperactivity as reflected by muscular electrical activity and as observed by teachers and parents. Eighteen male subjects between the ages of 10 and 13 were assigned to three groups, matched by age, IQ, and race. One group received 10 biofeedback sessions, another received Ritalin, and the third group controlled for nonspecific treatment effects. EMG readings, the Conners Teacher Rating Scale, the Werry-Weiss-Peters Scale, and the Zukow Parent Rating Scale were used to measure treatment efficacy. Results indicated that biofeedback-assisted relaxation significantly reduced muscle tension levels, whereas neither Ritalin nor personal attention produced significant change. On teacher ratings of hyperactivity, significant improvement was made by all three groups. Parent ratings on the Zukow scale indicated significant improvement by subjects in all groups. On the Werry-Weiss-Peters scale, the biofeedback and control groups made significant improvements in hyperactivity.