Study: ADHD Symptoms Are Going Untreated in Black Youth

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Schoolboy Sits at a Table Daydreaming

Are troublesome ADHD symptoms going untreated in African-American youth even after they are diagnosed?

According to a recent study published in Pediatrics, the answer is yes. Researchers found that African-American youth with ADHD are more likely to go off of their medication and less likely to have adequate follow-up than their white counterparts.

But, while the study focused mainly on the medication aspect of treatment, some parents are simply managing their children’s ADHD in other ways.

LaTonia Taylor, of Corona, Calif., struggled for years to find the right regimen for her two daughters with ADHD. Both tried different medications before stopping them altogether in their teens.

“Each time we adjusted the medications, it would cause problems with sleep patterns, eating patterns and mood swings. We decided to manage it with alternative methods,” Taylor explains.

If parents don’t see an immediate benefit or they notice side effects, they are more likely to stop their child’s medication, says Dr. Erikka Dzirasa, a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist and medical director of Veritas Collaborative in Durham, North Carolina.

“We need to communicate potential adverse effects so families can be prepared if their child experiences [these] effects,” Dzirasa says.

Melisa Alaba, a licensed professional counselor who practiced for 15 years in Marietta, Georgia, followed the alternative methods route with her daughter Olayemi as well.

“I never started my daughter on medication,” Alaba says. “I taught Yemi to meditate very young and to use movement to help her focus in school. When she was three years old we enrolled her in karate. She has learned that movement calms her down and helps her to focus.”

Dzirasa says this is not uncommon.

“In my experience, families of color are more likely to prefer non-medication approaches before initiating medication,” Dzirasa states.

Along the same lines, in the Pediatrics study, Janet Cummings, PhD, and her team actually found that African-American youth with ADHD were more likely to receive psychotherapy services than white youth with ADHD.

“These findings are consistent with other research indicating that African-American parents may have a stronger preference for psychosocial treatments over medication for ADHD,” says Cummings.

Taylor encourages other parents to do their research.

“Find what’s best for your child,” she says. “There is no cookie-cutter method across the board. If you are going to allow your child to skip medications, be prepared to deal with the effects of the decision. Research other ways to modify behavior from a holistic approach.”\

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