Parents faced with the problem of a child suffering from ADHD may take the easy ADHD treatment option, that is conventional medication, using drugs which are also known as psychostimulants, recommended by their doctor or pediatrician. Here are some myths to bear in mind when deciding which is the best way of treating ADHD before going down the 'drug path'.

First Myth. ADHD can be cured and you only have to take the medicine! This is entirely false as there is as yet, no permanent cure for treating ADHD. There are many ways of treating this condition but all or any of them will only help to keep the symptoms under control and interfere less dramatically with your child's development. The drugs can help to keep the child calmer and help him/her to focus better so that can learn like normal children. The alternative treatments can range from talking therapy (psychotherapy) to behaviour therapy and social skills training. Sometimes these are used in conjunction with taking conventional medication.

Second Myth. ADHD only affects children! Entirely false as many adults - about 1.5 million of them- suffer from ADHD and it severely compromises their productivity at work. It has been proved now that there seems to be a hereditary link and many ADHD children (maybe as much as a third) have parents who are suffering from this condition or certainly suffered from it in their childhood.

Third Myth. Side effects from conventional medication using psychostimulant drugs are very minor and have been wildly exaggerated! This again is completely false because while the drugs are an effective aid, there have been so many health warnings that the FDA has been compelled to recommend that children should be checked for heart problems. Other drugs like Adderall have been banned in Canada.

Fourth Myth. It is the fault of negligent parents and too much TV! Again this is just not true. Parents cannot be blamed but they CAN be involved in behaviour therapy whereby the child is rewarded for small gains, eg, being able to sit at the table for the whole meal. Also, parents can play a vital role in staying with the children by playing with them and making sure they do not become couch potatoes. They can take them into the open air for exercise. A University of Illinois study showed that being in a green area (as opposed to walking through a shopping mall) lessened hyperactivity. The children were then given some tests and they did much better at attention and impulse control than the children who had walked through the mall ! This was a very small study (only 17 kids) so more research needs to be done.

Fifth Myth. ADHD is caused by too much sugar in kids' food. Only partly false in that if children are not nourished with a well balanced diet, this may cause them to eat too much junk food which is not only full of sugar but also colourings and additives as well. This type of diet has been shown to cause hyperactivity in kids and the British Food Agency did an extensive study on this.

If you need more advice about how to treat ADHD , take a look at the site below which sets out very clearly what the best ADHD treatment may be for your child. It also explains a natural treatment for ADHD.