By Cheril Lee
Omaha, NE – UNMC researchers have new information on treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, in small children.
Dr. Chris Kratochvil is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UNMC and assistant vice chancellor for clinical research. He led the eight-week clinical trial. The trial specifically looked at the drug atomoxetine and its ability to diminish the symptoms of ADHD in 5 and 6 year-olds. Dr. Kratochvil says though ADHD has been around for awhile and has been studied extensively, most of the studies have not included younger kids, "Even though these medications are frequently used in younger kids, there's really a limited number of studies in kids in the kindergarten and preschool age, so this, for example, is one study of this size looking at atomoxetine in kids younger than 6."
The results indicated at the kids treated with atomoxetine demonstrated significant improvement; however Dr. Kratochvil says many of the children still had problems due to ADHD.