Tdah Clinicas de Norteamerica

Attention Deficit
H y p e r a c t i v i t y D i s o rd e r i n
P re s c h o o l - A g e C h i l d ren
Mini Tandon, DO, Alba Pergjika, MD, MPH*
KEYWORDS
Preschool children Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Assessment
Treatment
KEY POINTS
Preschool children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are at greater risk of place-
ment in special education classes and use more special needs services.
The etiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is multifactorial and highly genetic.
Assessment tools for diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder vary. The foun-
dational assessments include a psychiatric and medical assessment.
Behavioral intervention lasting at least 8 weeks is recommended before initiating a phar-
macologic agent, although the lack of availability of nonpharmacologic intervention is
noteworthy.
In preschool children, data suggest that stimulants such as methylphenidates are less effi-
cacious and cause side effects more commonly than in school age and older children.
INTRODUCTION
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder and

one of the most common psychiatric disorders in childhood. Preschool children with
ADHD are at greater risk of placement in special education classes and use more spe-
cial needs services. Prevalence of ADHD in preschool-age children is similar to that in
school-age children. Estimates vary at 2% to 5.7%, with a male/female ratio of 5:1.1,2
A diagnosis of ADHD in later preschool years shows more stability than in earlier years.
Comorbid disruptive disorders are predictors of continuity of ADHD within the pre-
school years.3 Preschoolers with ADHD are more likely to meet criteria for comorbid
oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) (8 times), conduct disorder (CD) (26 times), and
depressive symptoms (9 times).1 Older preschoolers with ADHD have shown deficits
Disclosures: Royalties, Dr M. Tandon has a copyright on a children’s book.

Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660
South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8134, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected]
Child Adolesc Psychiatric Clin N Am 26 (2017) 523–538

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2017.02.007 childpsych.theclinics.com
1056-4993/17/ª 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Descargado para monik alonso ([email protected]) en Pontifical Xavierian University de ClinicalKey.es por Elsevier en
septiembre 27, 2020. Para uso personal exclusivamente. No se permiten otros usos sin autorización. Copyright ©2020. Elsevier Inc.
Todos los derechos reservados.
524 Tandon & Pergjika
in age-appropriate performance-based measures, and most continue to have symp-

toms into adulthood.4 Given findings for validity, stability, and correlated deficits, the
field has moved progressively forward from whether ADHD exists among preschool-
aged children.
The etiology of ADHD is multifactorial and highly genetic. Perinatal stress, low birth
weight, traumatic brain injury, maternal smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy,
lead exposure, severe early deprivation, and familial loading may all contribute to
risk (child has >50% chance of having ADHD if a parent has been diagnosed with
the disease). First-degree relatives of those with ADHD are 2 to 8 times more likely
than relatives of unaffected individuals to have ADHD. Heritability of 71% to 90%
has been found in twin studies internationally for ADHD combined and inattentive
types. However, gene-environment interaction cannot be ruled out, and adoption
studies of individuals with ADHD are scarce.5
The core symptoms of ADHD are associated with dysregulation of neural symptoms
affecting the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine in the frontal lobes.
Regulation of these neurotransmitters is the target of pharmacotherapy.6 However,
the neuronal circuitry involved in the ADHD brain is much more complex. Neuro-
imaging findings are nonspecific. They include smaller total cerebral, cerebellar,
corpus callosum, frontal lobe, and caudate volumes and lower levels of dopamine
transporter in the nucleus accumbens (reward center).7 Preschool boys with higher
hyperactivity and inattentiveness have lower sympathetic and higher parasympathetic
activity.6 Girls are underrepresented in structural imaging studies.7
The most basic elements for assessment of ADHD include a comprehensive psychi-
atric and medical assessment. The psychiatric assessment will determine whether
age-inappropriate symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are present
for at least 6 months in multiple settings and affect functioning or development. Pre-
school-age–specific assessments that have proven validity include the ADHD Rating
Scale IV,8 The Vanderbilt ADHD Teacher and Parent Rating Scales,9 Conners
Comprehensive Behavior Rating Scales,10 and Conner’s Teacher Rating Scale-
Revised11—a brief, age-specific version of the Conners Teacher Rating Scale. Child
Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1.5-5) for preschoolers has empirically proven validity
and reliability in rating and internalizing and externalizing symptoms and includes an
attention domain.12 The CBCL/1.5-5 and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
have an internal consistency of 0.58%. The Connors Continuous Performance Test
was found to have poor to slight utility in the assessment of ADHD symptoms in
children.13
Parent-teacher agreement across ages and types of behavior has not been con-
sistent.14 Dysfunction has to be present across domains for a diagnosis of ADHD.
In certain studies, there is poor parent-teacher agreement: global ADHD symptoms
are reported at a higher rate by parents compared with teachers. This could be
because of the characteristics of the sample, parents’ understanding of developmen-
tally appropriate behavior, difference in structure and expectations across settings, or
normal preschool-age development. The hyperactive-impulsive symptoms reported
by parents in clinical settings can resemble those reported by parents most often in
nonclinical study samples.14 A similar disagreement exists between parents them-
selves. Parenting stress is a predictive factor, accounting for 25% of the variance.12
Mothers with elevated stress rate more externalizing behavior problems than fathers
with similar levels of stress. The parental discrepancies did not apply to internalizing
symptoms.
Developmentally, preschool-age children are undergoing significant changes,
including learning to sustain attention and inhibit impulses, testing limits, and looking
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 525
for more opportunities for independence. Developmental modifications to the diag-

nostic criteria may help the validity of the assessment tools.15 Clinically, differences
in symptom reporting can also provide an opportunity for further inquiry into potential
situational factors.14 Mothers may spend more time with preschool-age children.
Maternal stress could be caused by difficulties coping with the child’s ADHD. Maternal
ADHD has been associated with maladaptive parenting and poor child behavioral treat-
ment response, although mild symptoms have not limited such benefits in some
studies.16,17 Evidence is mixed regarding the degree to which treatment of maternal
ADHD influences children’s behavior or parenting. Some studies found that treatment
of mothers improves their perceptions of parenting practices, reduces parental nega-
tive talk during non-homework tasks, and decreases reported child inappropriate
behavior.18,19 Others suggested no significant effects.18 A 2016 sequential multiple
assessment randomized trial (SMART) pilot study is underway to provide answers to
how best to sequence maternal treatment of ADHD.16 The children included will be be-
tween ages 3 and 8 years. Although the results of this study will not exclusively apply to
preschool-age children, they will provide invaluable information. In the meantime,
obtaining information from both parents or caregivers, not solely mothers, and admin-
istering parenting stress questionnaires will further inform the assessment, especially
for externalizing symptoms when assessing preschool children.12 Teachers’ reporting
of the presence of symptoms may increase confidence in the developmental inappro-
priateness of the behaviors.
TREATMENT OF ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) published a

treatment algorithm for preschoolers with ADHD in 2007. Behavioral interventions
for at least 8 weeks are recommended before initiating a pharmacologic agent
when behavior therapy fails.20
EVIDENCE-BASED NONPHARMACOLOGIC APPROACHES IN TREATMENT OF

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
Evidence-based Behavioral Intervention for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Parent behavior training (PBT) is recommended as the first-line treatment of ADHD in
preschool children. Data suggest that stimulants such as methylphenidate (MPH) are
less efficacious and cause side effects more commonly in this population.2,21 The
most cited PBTs in the last 25 years are:
Positive Parenting Program (Triple P)
Incredible Years Parenting Program (Incredible Years)
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
The New Forest Parenting Programme (NFPP)
Standardization is achieved with use of a manual. No discernible advantage to any
specific PBT program has been found. There is a dose effect with greater benefit asso-
ciated with increased number of sessions attended by parents. Benefits are sustained
6 months after the completion of the program.21 A summary of each program is pro-
vided below.
PBT is designed to help parents manage a child’s problem behaviors with effective
discipline strategies by using rewards and nonpunitive consequences. The goal is to
promote a positive relationship between child and parent.21 Structured parent training,
a type of PBT, over an 8-week period, is effective in improving both clinical and direct
observational measures of ADHD behaviors in preschoolers when compared with
parent counseling and support (PC&S) only.22 Preschoolers receive 8 one-hour weekly
visits by 2 specially trained therapists at their home. Based on a treatment manual
(Information Manual for Professionals Working with Families with Hyperactive Children
Ages 2–9), mothers, not fathers, have received the training in all cases. The initial ses-
sions include maternal education of ADHD, emphasis on the importance of praise, and
introduction to a behavioral diary. The diary is used in subsequent sessions to discuss
parent’s feelings about the behavior that week and emphasize behavioral strategies:
clear messages, routines, countdowns, reminders, limit setting, and avoiding confron-
tations. These messages are reinforced weekly, in addition to learning to avoid threats
and discussing temper tantrums. Quiet time and time out concepts are introduced in
week 4. Week 5 is used to review the progress and inquire about parent’s ability to
implement the strategies and their own coping mechanisms. Weeks 6 and 7 include
15-minute observations of parent-child interaction. Feedback is provided regarding
quality of interaction and importance of implementing previously discussed behavioral
techniques. The last session focuses on 1 or 2 areas of concern. Parents in the PC&S
receive support and can use a diary for guidance, but no training is provided. The im-
provements in ADHD symptoms in the PC&S group approached significance, but the
effect size of the parent training intervention was twice as much as that in the PC&S
group. The effects of parent training were maintained for 15 weeks after treatment.22
Triple P was developed by Sanders in 1999. The goal was to develop effective
evidence-based parenting interventions that may prevent conduct problems at a popu-
lation level.23 It is not specific to preschoolers with ADHD. The program targets disruptive
behaviors that are also found in ADHD. Triple P has 5 different levels of support for par-
ents: communication strategies, a one-time assistance to parents with minimal concerns
for their child’s behavior, targeted counseling for mild to moderate child behavioral diffi-
culties, positive parenting skills for children with severe behavioral difficulties, and inten-
sive support when concerns are complex. Parents can access this support via self-
directed programs, telephone-assisted, group, and individual ways. The program seeks
to find the minimally sufficient condition that, when changed, significantly alters the
child’s risk for conduct problem development. Different variants of Triple P have been
compared among each other and with waiting list preschoolers with ADHD. The
enhanced version of behavioral family interventions, for example, includes 2 extra ses-
sions, for a total of 12 sessions compared with 10 in the standard behavioral family inter-
ventions, comprising partner support training and coping skills training. Partner support
training and coping skills training are 2 evidence-based adjunctive interventions that
address family risk factors of marital conflict and parental adjustment, respectively.
The program is 15 to 17 weeks long. Both enhanced behavioral family interventions
and standard behavioral family interventions are associated with significantly fewer
observed child negative behaviors, significantly lower level of mother-reported disruptive
child behavior, and improvement in parenting skills, efficacy, and satisfaction when
compared with the waiting list group. Postintervention, in this study of 87 preschoolers
(age 3) with comorbid ADHD and disruptive behavior, no significant difference was found
between the 2 groups on the Inattentive Behavior or Conduct Problem Behavioral factors.
However, these findings have public health implications because any of the parent pro-
grams are cost effective and the outcomes are maintained at 1- and 3-year follow-up.23,24
The NFPP was specifically developed to address the self-regulation deficiency abil-
ities of preschoolers with ADHD.2 Similar to the structured parent training program,
NFPP is 8 weeks long, with weekly 90-minute session delivered by a single practitioner.
The program is delivered at home and not in a clinical setting, which is different from
some of other PBT interventions. Supporting the child’s development through parental
scaffolding is a key component of the NFPP. In addition to behavioral strategies, the
program includes games and activities that target the self-regulatory and attention def-
icits that cause impairment in children with ADHD. NFPP claims to target ADHD pro-
cesses. It is expected to be more effective than current treatments for preschool ADHD.
Forehand and colleagues25 compared 2 PBT programs in a sample of preschoolers
with ADHD and comorbid ODD to see whether the presence of ODD influenced the
outcome of the PBT. NFPP was used to treat ADHD, and Helping the Noncompliant
Child (HNC) targeted ODD symptoms. Helping the Noncompliant Child was more
effective than NFPP with disruptive behavior in the presence of comorbid ODD. How-
ever, it was equally effective across ADHD only and comorbid ADHD diagnosis. A sec-
ondary analysis of this study found that 44.6% of the 130 three- to 4-year-old children
with ADHD had comorbid ODD. NFPP was more effective with disruptive behaviors
when children had a diagnosis of ADHD only, based on parent report. Although teach-
ers reported fewer disruptive behaviors, they did not reach significance. An interesting
point about bias was raised by the authors. It is possible that the halo effect contrib-
utes to improvements in behavior rated by parents versus teachers.
Emotion regulation is often deficient in children with ADHD. This limits their executive
functioning skills like behavioral inhibition and attentional flexibility, thus hindering their
ability to adapt to their environment. In adolescents, emotion dysregulation mediates the
relationship between ADHD and depressive symptoms.1 Parent-child interaction ther-
apy (PCIT) is an evidence-based intervention for young children with ODD/CD, which,
when paired with an emotional development (ED) strategy, was found to be significantly
more effective than psychoeducation alone on executive functioning and emotion regu-
lation.26 PCIT, by itself, effectively treats risk factors associated with preschool ADHD,
such as ineffective parenting, maternal depression, and child comorbid internalizing and
externalizing symptoms. The results can last 3 to 6 years posttreatment.1 An updated
form of PCIT, PCIT–Emotional Development (PCIT-ED) treats preschoolers with depres-
sive symptoms by teaching parents to be emotional coaches for their children and in-
crease their emotional regulation. The ED module is 8 sessions long and focusses on
parents’ own abilities to regulate their emotions during parent-child encounters, teach-
ing children emotion identification and age appropriate relaxation skills, teaching par-
ents labeling of emotions as they are expressed by children in real time, and live
coaching of use of ED skills. It may be a promising intervention for treatment of pre-
school depression. When PCIT-ED was applied to 6 children with ADHD, whose ages
ranged from 3 to 7 years, emotion coaching of children’s excessive guilt and anhedonia
were not found to be as relevant. Based on the observation and parents’ feedback of
PCIT-ED, PCIT–emotional coaching was developed. It is meant to address parents’ ma-
jor concerns of expressions of anger and frustration, lack of responsibility for children’s
actions, and what is viewed as too little guilt, rather than fear, sadness, or excessive
guilt. Therefore, PCIT–emotional coaching emphasizes parent responses to child emo-
tions, parent discussion of child emotions, and parents’ own emotion expression via
modeling. This is a novel strategy in treating emotional dysregulation in preschoolers
with ADHD, and further studies need to be developed. The overarching target of
PCIT-ED is not treatment of ADHD but improvement of parent-child interactions, treat-
ment of comorbidities, and reduction of ADHD-related impairment.1
Community Parent Education Program

The Community Parent Education Program (COPE) is a Canadian manual-based
parent education program that was created by Cunningham and colleagues27 to
target severe externalizing behavioral problems in children with ADHD, ODD, and
CD. Similar to other parenting programs, it is based on social learning models.
What distinguishes it from other parenting programs is that it is large group and
community based, which increases the likelihood of parental adherence. Groups can
have up to 25 to 30 parents. Weekly 2-hour sessions over 10 weeks are held by trained
group leaders. The groups are participant driven. Each meeting is structured in 10
phases:
Informal social activities
Review of homework in subgroups
Large-group discussions of homework projects
Solutions to videotaped vignettes of a problematic situation
Discussions of proposed solutions
The modeling of a group’s solution by trained leaders
Subgroup brainstorm applications
Dyad strategy rehearsals
Homework planning
A summary of a session
New strategies are taught in each session. COPE has been found effective in reducing
child behavioral problems as rated by parents when parents experience decrease in
parental stress. These findings have also been replicated overseas but not in preschool
children. In Finland, COPE was found to be as effective as parenting programs in reducing
behavior problems in school-age children. COPE is more consistently effective in
reducing comorbid behavior and social functioning compared with ADHD symptoms.27
The Incredible Years (IY) Preschool Basic parenting program is a manual-based pro-
gram that aims to teach parents how to recognize and treat their children’s emotional
and behavioral problems for those who are at risk of conduct problems.28 The program
consists of 8 to 12 weeks of 2- to 2.5-hour parenting sessions. Besides teaching positive
parenting, the program uses techniques to help parents via modeling, discussing previ-
ous experiences with and feelings about raising their children, and analyzing video ma-
terial of family behavior. The IY organization has developed programs for babies (0–
12 months), toddlers (1–3 years), and school-age children. Advanced programs can
be recommended for an additional 9 to 12 weeks in which the focus is problem solving
by both parents and children. ADHD symptoms and oppositional problems significantly
decreased from pre-intervention to 12-month follow-up with large effect sizes (between
0.17 and 0.44) in a Portuguese study. Even though most of the preschoolers in the study
continued to have ADHD symptoms in the clinical range, the symptom reduction post-IY
was significant. As in other parenting programs, mothers’ self-reported sense of
parenting competence and efficacy significantly increase after participation in IY.28
Combination PBT and school- or day care–based interventions have also been
studied. Parental attendance at 5 or more sessions has been associated with greater
improvement in child behavior. However, the trials offer inconsistent results. Some
studies show that children improved more when they received a combination of inter-
ventions and others found no added benefit compared with psychoeducation.21
As shown above, parent behavioral interventions effectively address disruptive be-
haviors in preschool children with ADHD. However, convenience, transportation, so-
cioeconomic status, and child care can interfere with consistent and sufficient
participation. Telephone and internet-assisted parent training programs have been
implemented, and their efficacy is now being studied in Canada and Finland.29,30
The Finnish study was conducted over a 12-month period. It included weekly 45-min-
ute telephone coaching sessions and 11 weekly online sessions that targeted inter-
ventions for disruptive behavior in 4-year-old children. The children did not have
ADHD diagnosed, but the screening criteria at a primary health care clinic indicated
a high level of disruptive behavior (score >5 points on the conduct problem scale of
the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire lasting 6 months). The parent had re-
ported that their 4-year-old child had difficulties in one single question. At baseline,
externalizing symptoms were rated at 19.8, total at 44.6, and internalizing at 10.6 in
the CBCL/1.5-5. Parents developed skills to strengthen the parent-child relationship,
reinforce positive behavior, reduce conflict, manage daily transitions, and include pro-
social behavior. About 7 to 10 months after randomization, the intervention group
received 2 booster coaching sessions. Total, externalizing, and internalizing symp-
toms of CBCL/1.5-5 improved significantly and achieved statistical significance. How-
ever, some of the symptom domains such as attention and ADHD did not reach
significance, and there were several study limitations.30 The Canadian trials included
preschool and school-age children with ADHD, anxiety disorders, and ODD with
almost half of them having comorbid diagnosis. Handbooks and videos of Strongest
Families Smart Website were distributed to participant families. Families also received
weekly telephone coaching. Assessments were blindly conducted and evaluated at
120, 240, and 365 days after randomization. In the overall analysis, significantly
more children were diagnosis free at 240 and 365 days after randomization
(P<.001).29 These findings suggest an interesting public health intervention that can
reach a large portion of the population.30
Two independent meta-analyses that were conducted in 2014 and 2016 found that
parent-administered behavior interventions led to a moderate reduction in both ADHD
symptoms and conduct problems, which are maintained for preschool children.31,32
Although the studies were not specific to preschool age children (ages ranged from
33–144 months), the 2014 review included several studies on preschoolers. In
conjunction with other research, medication did not enhance improvements in
ADHD symptoms, and the strength of the association was further increased when
medication was removed.32,33 Parent training was a core therapeutic intervention,
which improved appropriate use of positive strategies such as praise and encourage-
ment. Parents also had improved self-concept—possibly because their interventions
were validated by experienced therapists or because of positive effects of applied
behavioral strategies. The severity of child ADHD or parental mental illness was not
accounted for in the analysis, different parent interventions were implemented in
each study, and the studies included comorbid conduct or oppositional defiant disor-
ders and not ADHD alone. A more standardized parent intervention program may be
warranted, although all have proven similar efficacy.32 Because treatment delivery
effectiveness was measured via parental ratings, the role of bias cannot be underesti-
mated. Although the behavioral interventions also improved parental self-esteem,
there was no improvement in parental well-being. There was a moderate but not sta-
tistically significant improvement in parental stress. Teacher ratings and academic and
social outcomes would provide important objective data and should be included in
future research.
Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback is based on the principle that the brain emits different types of waves
depending on concentration state. The goal is to teach self-regulation using operant
reinforcement procedures by using electroencephalogram indices of interest that
are converted into visual or acoustic signals and feedback automatically in real time
to the patient.34 For example, cortical activity may be represented by the speed of a
ball presented on a computer screen. Learning occurs when the ball rises, falls, or
advances more quickly in response to patient’s regulated changes in brain activity.
The 2 neurofeedback approaches that have been used to treat ADHD are frequency
band training (targeting the frontal lobes) and slow cortical potential training. A
meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examined the effects of neurofeedback

(specifically frequency band training) on ADHD symptoms and neuropsychological
deficits in children and adolescents with ADHD ages 3 to 18 years.32 Only 2 of the
13 studies included children who were 6 years old, and both studies placed the
6-year-old children in the control group.35,36 Therefore, a conclusion about efficacy
of neurofeedback in preschool children cannot be made. Overall, this meta-analysis
does not support neurofeedback as an effective treatment for ADHD in children.
EVIDENCE-BASED PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT FOR ATTENTION DEFICIT

HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
The main neurotransmitters implicated in the pathophysiology of ADHD are dopamine

and norepinephrine. Cognitive deficits may be emerging from dysfunctions in the
fronto- striatal brain and associated with dopaminergic mesocortical areas. Dysfunc-
tions in reward and motivational processes could be caused by impaired signaling in
the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. The default mode network (DMN) has been
increasingly studied. The DMN includes brain regions that are active when a person
is awake and alert but not actively engaged but deactivated during tasks. In the
ADHD brain, there are thought to be DMN deficits at rest and during a task, leading
to decreased inhibition and executive functioning impairment. How medications affect
the DMN is an important investigative next step.37
Stimulants (MPHs, amphetamines) and nonstimulants (guanfacine, atomoxetine)
are used to reduce ADHD symptoms by enhancing the synaptic levels of dopamine
and norepinephrine in the brain. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
only approved the short-acting stimulant formulations amphetamine salt combo,
dextroamphetamine (two different brand names, Zenzedi and ProCentra), and
amphetamine sulfate for treatment of ADHD in children.20
Psychostimulants have been the first-line medication for treatment of ADHD and the
most commonly prescribed ones for decades in school-age children even though
practice parameters recommend behavioral interventions first. Their efficacy has
been well documented in several trials as has their relative safety. The Preschool
ADHD Treatment study (PATS) funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health
was a multicenter, randomized, efficacy trial designed to evaluate the short-term effi-
cacy and long-term safety of immediate-release MPH specifically in preschoolers
ages 3 to 5 years with severe ADHD that was unresponsive to a 10-week psychosocial
intervention.38 The PATS trial evaluated the effects of MPH on preschoolers’ social
skills, classroom behavior, emotional status, and parenting stress. In the parallel group
trial (best dose vs placebo), which ran for 5 weeks, doses of methylphenidate were 2.5,
5, and 7.5 mg 3 times a day with an average of 14.22 8.1 mg/d.39 Only 21% of the
preschoolers on best-dose MPH and 13% on placebo achieved remission. In the
maintenance phase of PATS (40 weeks), mean dose of MPH increased to
19.98 9.56 mg/d, which was associated with improvements in children’s parent-
rated social skills and teacher-rated social competence and a significant decrease
in emotional outbursts and crying. At 3- and 6-year naturalistic follow-up, about 1 child
in 4 was off medications, and 1 in 10 was on an antipsychotic. At each follow-up point,
60% and 70%, respectively, were on an indicated ADHD medication: monotherapy or
combined atomoxetine, stimulant, and antipsychotic.40 In school-age children, a 2015
systemic review concluded that MPH use is associated with improvement in ADHD
teacher-rated symptoms corresponding to 9.6 points on the ADHD rating scale.41
The mean age was 9.7 years (ages 3–18) with 2 trials including participants who
were 19 to 21 years old. There were several subgroup analyses, including trials of
preschool-age children (2–6 years) that showed that age did not significantly influence
the intervention effect. This particular study found that it was underpowered to identify
a difference in serious adverse events.41
The safety of MPHs has been investigated extensively. In the PATS study, tolerability
of MPH was assessed by examining the percentage of children who did not drop out of
the study based on medication-induced side effects.42 The FDA definition of a serious
side effect is a seizure or an adverse effect that significantly affects functioning and pre-
sents a serious medical threat. A loss of greater than 10% of baseline weight is consid-
ered severe by the FDA, and loss of less than 2 pounds is considered nonreportable.
Annual growth rates were 20.3% less than expected for height and 55.2% for weight
in preschoolers who were prescribed MPH in the PATS study.43 About 11% of pre-
schoolers (N 5 183) who were on MPH for a year discontinued treatment, and about
30% experienced moderate-to-severe side effects. Parents rated the adverse effects
(AE), demonstrated in Table 1, statistically more often in the MPH group then placebo.
There were no significant differences in AE frequencies between dose conditions.42
Three of 8 severe AEs met the FDA criteria for serious. They were experienced by
different preschoolers and included a possible seizure, hospitalizations for abdominal
migraine disorder in a child with prestudy hospitalization for the same, and Myco-
plasma pneumonia during titration. The side effects reported during the titration phase
included tics, formication, rash, seizure, and insomnia. In the maintenance phase, the
AEs were appetite loss, irritability and 1 instance of insomnia, tics, weight loss,
depression, anxiety, social isolation, and scalding self. The risk of slowed growth
rate needs to be balanced against possible and expected benefits when prescribing
to preschoolers.42
Other medications besides stimulants have been studied in preschoolers with ADHD.
Atomoxetine is a noradrenergic reuptake inhibitor that is FDA approved for treatment of
ADHD in children and adolescents but not preschoolers. An 8-week, double-blind, pla-
cebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial in preschoolers ages 5 to 6 years (N 5 101)
comparing atomoxetine (dose 1.8 mg/kg/d) with placebo was found to be well
tolerated.44 It reduced core ADHD symptoms based on parent and teacher reports;
however, there was no overall clinical and functional improvement based on Clinical
Global Impression severity and Clinical Global Impression improvement scales. The
preschoolers in the atomoxetine group continued to be significantly impaired by the
end of the study.44 For preschoolers with significant externalizing symptoms,
second-generation antipsychotics have also been used for symptom management.
Risperidone has been studied more widely. A 6-week, double-blind clinical study
comparing risperidone (0.5–1.5 mg/d) with MPH (5–20 mg/d) in preschoolers with
Table 1
Total daily dose
Decreased Sleep % of Subjects With

Appetite Disturbance Weight Loss Moderate-to-Severe AE
Placebo — — — 15–20
TDD MPH 3.75 mg — — — 16–21
TDD MPH 7.5 mg — — — 19–24
MPH 15 mg c2 5 5.4, P<.03 c2 5 5.4, P<.03 — 25–30
MPH 22.5 mg — — c2 5 4.0, P<.05 25–30
Abbreviation: TDD, total daily dose.

Data from Wigal T, Greenhill L, Chuang S, et al. Safety and tolerability of methylphenidate in pre-
school children with ADHD. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2006;45(11):1294–303.
ADHD found that they both significantly improved ADHD symptoms based on Conners
and parent ADHD rating scales. There was no significant difference in symptom
improvement between the 2 groups. Metabolic side effects were not measured, and
this was a relatively short study with a small number of patients (N 5 38).45 When ris-
peridone (mean, 1.05 0.51 mg/d) and aripiprazole (mean, 4.69 1.25 mg/d) were
compared in preschoolers with comorbid ADHD and disruptive behavior disorder,
about a third of preschoolers in each group experienced significant improvement in
ADHD and ODD symptoms.46 The most common side effects for risperidone included
daytime drowsiness and anorexia,45 elevated prolactin level (22.38 3.61), and
increased weight (1.25 0.68 kg).46 Abilify (aripiprazole) also caused weight gain
(1.2 1.13 kg), but this was not significantly more than the risperidone group. Prolactin
level increased significantly less (1.37 0.87) in the Abilify (aripiprazole) group than in
the risperidone group as expected.46
EVIDENCE-BASED COMBINATION BEHAVIORAL AND MEDICATION TREATMENT FOR

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
The National Institute of Mental Health Multimodal Treatment Attention Deficit Hyper-
activity Disorder study and the Multimodal Psychosocial Treatment study have signif-
icantly advanced the treatment of ADHD in 7- to 9-year-olds by examining single and
combined effects of pharmacologic and behavioral treatments.47 Pelham and col-
leagues’33 contribution to existing treatment literature was to study the sequence in
which the 2 evidence-based modalities for ADHD are implemented via a SMART in
children ages 5 to 12, over a school year. The initial dose of the medication that
was used in the study was an 8-hour stimulant equivalent to 0.15 mg/kg MPH on a
twice a day basis. The initial behavioral plan included 8 sessions of group parent
training plus a daily report card at school with home rewards concurrent with group
social skills training for children. The adaptive medication treatment included
increasing school dose and adding evening/weekend doses. The adaptive behavioral
intervention included classroom assistance, tutoring, and overall more assistance for
the children in the classroom and at home. Three aims were identified. Table 2 sum-
marizes the study aims and the concurrent findings.
An explanation for the significant differences in effect in behavioral strategy first
(BehFirst) versus medication strategy first (MedFirst) can be attributed to the fact
that BehFirst parents attended most of the parent sessions, whereas only some of
the parents in the medicine then behavior (MB) group attended the sessions. Subopti-
mal engagement and attendance in behavioral treatments for ADHD have been re-
ported in other research as well. Even though this study includes children older than
the preschool age of interest group, it still offers significant implications that the
sequencing of the intervention is paramount to desired effect.33 This is especially
true in preschoolers, as practice parameters recommend behavioral interventions first.
Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep

The FDA maintains that artificial food dyes are safe for children, and more than 3000
food additives are allowed for use in the United States. This use differs from that of
other countries such as Canada and the European Union where about 500 are
allowed. However, since the 1970s, studies have published reports of associations
between artificial colors and preservatives and hyperactive behavior in children.48
Studies focusing on preschoolers specifically are scarce. A 2007 European study
found that a diet that included artificial colors or a sodium benzoate preservative or
both resulted in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-olds from a general population
Table 2
Summary of study aims and findings of treatment sequencing for childhood ADHD–Pelham
et al study
Study Aims Study Findings

Does it produce better outcomes to BehFirst and intensifying behavioral intervention
initiate treatment with a low-dose (BB) children displayed significantly fewer rule
stimulant or behavioral violations per hour than MedFirst children in
intervention? comparison to both increase medication dose
(MM) protocol and add behavior modification to
medication (MB) protocol.
BehFirst group showed a trend of fewer out-of-class
disciplinary events than the MedFirst group but
failed to reach statistical significance.
What is the most effective treatment The best of the 4 treatment protocols (BM, BB, MB,
pattern and conditional secondary/ MM) was the one that started with behavioral
adaptive treatment? treatment and then added medication (B-then-M)
in case of insufficient response.
The worst protocol was M-then-B.
For insufficient responders to first-stage medication
treatment, increasing medication dose was
superior to adding behavioral treatment.
What improves endpoint results more B-then-B was significantly superior on the primary
if there is insufficient response to outcome (classroom rule violations), disciplinary
initial treatment, enhancing the actions, and teacher and parent ratings.
primary treatment modality or For insufficient responders to first-stage behavioral
adding the second one? treatment adding second-stage behavioral
treatment resulted in significantly fewer
violations than did adding medication.
Data from Pelham WE, Fabiano GA, Waxmonsky JG, et al. Treatment sequencing for childhood
ADHD: a multiple-randomization study of adaptive medication and behavioral interventions. J
Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 2016;45(4):396–415.
sample.49 It is postulated that an individually constructed elimination diet might be

effective for treatment of ADHD in children whose ADHD is triggered by foods. IgE
is implicated in typical food allergies, but IgG may be implicated in reactions to foods
that are not mediated by IgE. Some research has focused on studying a correlation
between foods high in IgG and exacerbation of ADHD symptoms.50 Elimination diets,
removing specific foods from the diet in an attempt to reduce exposure to potential
allergens that could influence ADHD, have been studied for years.48 A 2011 study of
children ages 4 to 8, not specific to preschoolers, found that a restriction/elimination
diet was effective for ADHD in 60% of the sample but that IgG levels did not provide
additional insight into which children should be treated.50 Food intolerance rather than
food allergy could be the case instead.48 Specific compounds have not been identified
as the culprit either.49 A broad range of substances, including monosodium glutamate,
preservatives, caffeine, food colors, and chocolate, were eliminated in a study of pre-
school boys with ADHD. As a result, about half of the preschoolers exhibited 50%
improvement in the Abbreviated Symptom Questionnaire score, a 10-item version
of the Conners Rating Scale. There was also an improvement in nighttime awakenings
in this population.51 In the school-age population, when combining both general elim-
ination diets and studies specific to eliminating food color, the effect sizes have been
small (d 5 0.2 to d 5 0.4). Research findings agree that an elimination diet (food re-
striction or food elimination diet) tested over a 2- or 4-week period may produce small
aggregate effects in the likelihood of a positive response in a vulnerable subpopulation
of some school-age children; their characteristics are yet to be determined. How to

implement the elimination diet in everyday practice poses another challenge for
both clinicians and families, but nutritional counseling should be included.48
Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation has also been studied as an alternative treat-
ment for ADHD. Increased omega-3 fatty acid concentrations in cell membranes can
affect serotonin and dopamine neurotransmission specifically in the frontal cortex.
Omega-3 fatty acids can also potentially reduce oxidative stress, which is shown to
be higher in ADHD. Therefore, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids has been
studied in several double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, which have shown mixed re-
sults. A 2011 meta-analysis of school-age children found that omega-3 fatty acids with
high dose of eicosapentaenoic acid were modestly effective in treatment of ADHD in
this population when compared with pharmacologic interventions (effect size 5 0.31)
and no significant difference was found when given as monotherapy versus augmen-
tation to other ADHD treatments.52 A 2014 review found that there is Center for
Evidence-Based Medicine level-1 evidence that shows efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids
at doses 1 to 2 mg daily for treatment of ADHD in school-age children.53 No pre-
schoolers were included in these reviews, and use of these supplements cannot be
generalized to them. Some findings suggest reduced magnesium levels in patients
with ADHD, but this is not well investigated in preschoolers. There is Center for
Evidence-Based Medicine level-4 evidence that magnesium supplementation may
be beneficial in treating ADHD, with no randomized, placebo-controlled trials demon-
strating such efficacy. Children whose families are considering nutritional interven-
tions must be screened for nutritional deficiencies.53
Sleep problems are hypothesized to be related with pathogenesis of ADHD. Distur-
bances in sleep may lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, which can be associated
with disinhibition, hyperarousal, maladaptive emotional regulation processes, and is-
sues with executive functioning, which mimic ADHD.53,54 Greater internalizing symp-
toms, aggression, and somatic complaints can be present years later in preschoolers
with chronic sleep issues. Sleep onset latency, refusal to sleep alone, and nighttime
awakenings in children ages 3 to 6 were found to be a predictor of depression and
anxiety across time but not ADHD.54
The impact of exercise on overall health has been well studied, with meta-analyses
looking at the effects of exercise in ADHD symptoms. The literature indicates that
repeated physical activity may improve measures of executive functioning, especially
spatial span and working memory. One study in preschoolers found significant nega-
tive relation between physical activity in kindergarten and ADHD severity in first grade,
as rated by both parents and teachers.55
SUMMARY
AACAP practice guidelines recommend behavioral interventions for a short period

before initiating pharmacologic treatment in preschoolers with ADHD when behavior
therapy fails. Research indicates that all the behavioral treatment strategies that exist
show similar efficacy. However, in a recent study published in the Journal of Child and
Adolescent Psychopharmacology, most child and adolescent psychiatrists (CAP) of
the 339 board-certified CAPs asked, did not follow the guidelines.20 Physical safety
was the major contributing factor to this decision, suggesting that a sense of urgency
may lead physicians to use stimulants as first-line treatment versus behavior therapy.
Another possibility is that preschoolers may have not responded to behavior therapy
by the time they see a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Many regions report a notable
lack of behavioral interventionists available for this young age.
AACAP guidelines also recommend MPH as first-line stimulant medication largely

based on the results of PATS. However, only slightly more than half of CAPs used
MPH. The rest of the CAPs may be using the FDA-approved short-acting formulations
instead, as they have been approved for use in children as young as 3 years, albeit
with limited evidence. None of the long-acting stimulants have been approved in chil-
dren younger than age 6 years.20 Previous failed medication trials or lack of tolerability
could also be a factor. Given the increased sensitivity to side effects with MPH use in
the preschool population and the efficacy of behavioral interventions, attempts should
be made, whenever possible, at behavioral interventions first.
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Attention Deficit

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder and

Disclosures: Royalties, Dr M. Tandon has a copyright on a children’s book.

Child Adolesc Psychiatric Clin N Am 26 (2017) 523–538

in age-appropriate performance-based measures, and most continue to have symp-

for more opportunities for independence. Developmental modifications to the diag-

TREATMENT OF ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) published a

EVIDENCE-BASED NONPHARMACOLOGIC APPROACHES IN TREATMENT OF

Community Parent Education Program

meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examined the effects of neurofeedback

EVIDENCE-BASED PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT FOR ATTENTION DEFICIT

The main neurotransmitters implicated in the pathophysiology of ADHD are dopamine

Decreased Sleep % of Subjects With

Abbreviation: TDD, total daily dose.

EVIDENCE-BASED COMBINATION BEHAVIORAL AND MEDICATION TREATMENT FOR

Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep

Study Aims Study Findings

sample.49 It is postulated that an individually constructed elimination diet might be

of some school-age children; their characteristics are yet to be determined. How to

AACAP practice guidelines recommend behavioral interventions for a short period

AACAP guidelines also recommend MPH as first-line stimulant medication largely

1. Chronis-Tuscano A, Lewis-Morrarty E, Woods KE, et al. Parent–Child interaction

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