1.What medication is used One of the more commonly used medications is methylphenidate hydrochloride. This is a central nervous system stimulant, which increases the level of dopamine transmitters in the brain. Another is tomoxetine. This is a non-CNS stimulant, which increases the level of norepinephrine in the brain. Both of these drugs enable brain cells to communicate more effectively, resulting in increased ability to pay attention, control impulses, and behave in a more organized and planned manner. There is no significant difference in the efficacy of these two drugs in controlling the core symptoms of ADHD. Maintenance time: Tomoxetine has a long maintenance time of up to 24 hours and only needs to be taken once a day, while methylphenidate hydrochloride has a short duration of action of about 4 hours and may need to be taken 2 to 3 times a day. Methylphenidate extended release is also available once a day. 2. Do all children diagnosed with ADHD need treatment? If left untreated, many behavioral problems will progress and new problems will emerge, making it more difficult to deal with them. Many children in higher grades will have additional problems such as learning difficulties, aggressive behavior, and low self-esteem. However, not all children will need medication; this will be determined by the severity of the condition and how much it affects the child academically and socially. But if a child needs medication and it is not given, behavior modification can become difficult and the efforts of parents and doctors may be for naught. 3.How effective is medication Medication for ADHD has definite efficacy and safety. Impact on learning: medication can improve attention, so that the child can pay attention in class and thus draw more classroom knowledge; it can improve the persistence of learning, accuracy in completing homework; make the child do things more planned, thus improving learning efficiency; improve the quantity and quality of homework. Ultimately, it improves academic performance. Effects on mood: Medication reduces irritability. Parents find that their children have fewer tantrums and are more obedient after medication; some children can feel less anger and hostility themselves; some children’s feeling of being bored and unmotivated about anything disappears and they become excited again. The improvement in mood leads to less impulsive behavior, and children’s aggressive, noisy, and defiant behavior is significantly reduced. Effects on social behavior: Medication improves confrontation in interpersonal interactions, allowing children to follow classroom rules, obey teacher instructions, be accepted by classmates, and be friendly with peers; increases compliance with parental directive requests and the ability to keep prolonged commitments; and reduces conflict between children and parents, teachers, and classmates, improving social functioning. Parents will find that their children are better managed, less energy is spent on their supervision and management, parents’ mental stress is reduced, and the family atmosphere is relieved. 4. How long to use the medication This depends on the extent of the condition and the effectiveness of the medication, which is generally 6 months to several years. 20% or more of children can stop medication after about 1 year of treatment. For example, if the child’s symptoms are mild and learning and relationships are not affected; or if the child still has more pronounced symptoms but has a new teacher with more management skills for the new semester and is willing to work with parents to use behavior modification techniques in the classroom, the medication can be discontinued for a period of observation. If symptoms worsen, medication may need to be resumed. Sometimes, doctors will stop treatment for 1 to 2 weeks after the start of a new school year (the first month is used for back-to-school adjustment and is not appropriate for a discontinuation trial) to determine the efficacy of the medication. If the child is adjusting satisfactorily in all aspects and the teacher has no particular opinion of him, the medication can be stopped. If performance at school is still evident, medication should continue to be adhered to.