Communication about ADHD and its treatment during pediatric asthma visits

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Healthcare
• Chronic Disease Management
• Communication in Medicine

Background:

• Children with asthma often have co-occurring conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• Effective communication is crucial for managing chronic conditions in pediatric patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine provider-family communication regarding attention deficit disorder (ADHD) during pediatric asthma visits.
• To assess the frequency of ADHD communication elements recommended by national guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Audio-recording of medical visits for 296 children with asthma, including 67 with ADHD.
• Analysis of communication patterns related to ADHD during these pediatric visits.

Main Results:

• ADHD communication elements were infrequently discussed during pediatric asthma visits.
• Discussions about ADHD medications were more common during non-asthma related visits.
• Child and parent input into ADHD treatment regimens was very low (3% and 4.5% respectively).

Conclusions:

• Providers may neglect essential ADHD management and communication aspects in children with comorbid asthma.
• Recommendations include setting treatment expectations, establishing target symptoms, and encouraging patient/parent questions for shared decision-making.