Pediatric management of nonpervasively "hyperactive" children

Sixty-five children viewed by their teachers as hyperactive were evaluated as to whether they would benefit from stimulant medication. All underwent extensive neurodevelopmental and educational testing. Additional information was obtained from school and parent questionnaires and interviews. Children were not placed on medication unless they demonstrated characteristic impulsive, inattentive, and/or overactive behavior in two of three environments (home, school, clinic). Fifty-two children (80%) were not placed on medication. Follow-up was completed in 80 percent, and 93 percent of these children were doing well with nonpharmacologic interventions. Initial comparison of children not placed and placed on medication revealed that age, race, SES, amount of resource help and retention could not distinguish groups. Children placed on medication had difficulties earlier in school (chi 2 = 4.88, p less than 0.05), weren't as delayed academically (chi 2 = 6.30, p less than 0.05) and had less neurodevelopmental disorders (chi 2 = 9.01, p less than 0.01). If a careful psychosocial history does not reveal impulsive, inattentive, and/or hyperactive behavior outside of school, a child should be evaluated to rule out neurodevelopmental and educational problems.