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VIDEO: How to individualize ADHD treatment

ORLANDO, Fla. — In his session presented at Psych Congress, Anthony L. Rostain, MD, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, talked about how to individualize treatment for children, teenagers and adults with ADHD.

Rostain spoke about the importance of getting a detailed patient history, including whether they have any comorbidities that might affect treatment decisions, to best understand problems specific to the individual.

He also noted that stimulant medications have the highest effect sizes both in children and adults. After reviewing the clinical evidence, he reported that methylphenidate seemed to be more effective in children than in adults and amphetamine seemed equality effective in both groups. He also discussed stimulant use, recommending long-acting stimulants, as well as integrating psychosocial treatment into medical care.

“What we like to say is pills don’t teach skills — pills help people learn skills, but they need to be acquired and practiced. That’s the role of integrating care, to maximize functional outcomes as much as possible,” he concluded.

Disclosures: Rostain reports consulting for MLB, NFL and SUNY/Upstate and royalties from Routledge/Taylor Frances Group and St. Martin’s Press. He also reports being on the scientific advisory board for Arbor and Shire and reports CME presentations for APA, Global Medical Education and NACE.