Promoting productive interactions between parents and physicians in the treatment of children with...

Area of Science:

• Neurobehavioral health
• Pediatric chronic condition management

Background:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurobehavioral condition impacting children and adolescents.
• Evidence-based guidelines advocate for viewing ADHD as a chronic condition requiring ongoing management.
• The chronic care model highlights the importance of family-provider partnerships in managing childhood health conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recommended physician-parent interactions for ADHD care.
• To examine current practice patterns in ADHD management.
• To identify facilitators and barriers to implementing best practices in ADHD care.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of evidence-based guidelines for ADHD treatment.
• Analysis of key parent-physician interactions in ADHD management.
• Examination of care delivery in community-based primary care settings.

Main Results:

• Key interactions include family education, goal setting, treatment planning, screening, and monitoring.
• Primary care settings face significant barriers to providing high-quality chronic care for ADHD.
• Current practice patterns often fall short of recommended chronic care standards.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing ADHD care necessitates strong parent-physician collaboration within a chronic care framework.
• Addressing systemic barriers in primary care is crucial for improving ADHD management.
• Implementing recommended practices can enhance functional outcomes for children with ADHD.