Too many preschoolers with ADHD still are being put on drugs right away, before behavior therapy is tried, health officials say.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday that three in four young kids diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are put on medicines. New CDC data shows that’s continued, even after research found behavior therapy is as effective and doesn’t give children stomach aches, sleep problems or other drug side effects.
Why? Health insurance coverage for behavior therapy may vary from state to state and company to company. And in some areas, therapists are in short supply, some experts said.