ADHD: Are medications alone enough to help kids?

ADHD: Are medications alone enough to help kids?

EUGENE, Ore. -- Adderall and Ritalin are medications used to help people diagnosed with ADHD. Many experts are saying that contrary to popular belief, the medicines don't help with learning and are a short term fix.

While those medicines may help kids focus, ADHD experts say there needs to be more intervention to help these kids, rather than just medication.

Experts say the medication that millions of American kids take each year might not actually improve their learning. "A lot of people are believing that the medication is supposed to affect much more than it does," said psychologist Dr. Ted Taylor. "They're believing that it's going to make a change in the child's learning skills, math skills."

And while it often helps kids who have ADHD to focus and stay on task, Dr. Taylor says it doesn't help the long term problem. "It doesn't have long term changes in behavior or changes in learning," he said.

Taylor says getting enough sleep, having a balanced diet and having your child read to you out loud will help them improve in school.

But home remedies and medication aren't the only available solutions. Another process called 'Nero Feedback' teaches patients to regulate their brain waves.

Now the hard questions are being asked in order to help kids with ADHD.

Dr. Matthew Fleischman says it comes down to a choice. "Do I want to go for something quick fix and not a permanent fix, or do I want to go with something that is more long term?"

There are a number of long term solutions that can help ADHD kids become better students, like seeing a psychologist, getting extra tutoring and eating more protein to just name a few.