New breakthrough for hyperactive children

Last updated at 08:22 03 June 2004


Thousands of severely hyperactive children in the UK should soon benefit from a new type of drug.

Strattera, which has just received a UK licence, is the first non-stimulant treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which is estimated to affect 500,000 children.

The current most common treatment for the condition - Ritalin - has caused controversy due to concerns it may make some youngsters depressed, as well as fears it could be abused by drug-users because of its amphetamine content.

Critics have also expressed concerns that doctors are using the drug as a first resort and not considering alternative ways of controlling the condition.

Eli Lilly, the manufacturers of Strattera, said it was the first medication in a new class of treatment for ADHD in more than 30 years.

They also said that because it was a non-stimulant, it would avoid the concerns of doctors about the potential of abuse, which may put them off prescribing current treatments.

All day relief

The once-daily medicine gives youngsters 24-hour relief from the symptoms of ADHD but at a cost to the NHS - £13.65 for a week's supply.

Youngsters with the condition suffer from hyperactivity, difficulty concentrating and learning problems.

Dr Val Harpin, a consultant paediatrician at Sheffield Children's NHS Trust, said it was crucial that children were properly diagnosed before any drugs were prescribed to ensure they got the right treatment.

"The most important thing is about getting the right diagnosis.

"We don't want to treat children with drugs if we can get around it, but if doctors can choose between a stimulant, amphetamine-based drug and one not like that, then it could benefit thousands of children," she said.

Dr Harpin said the cost of the treatment, which was "significantly more" than Ritalin, would count against it when being considered by NHS trusts and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) which recommends drugs for use in the NHS.

But she said it was another option available to medics and parents dealing with a child with severe ADHD.

"Healthcare professionals involved in the care of children with ADHD have long expressed a desire to be able to offer parents an alternative to stimulant treatments.

"We will now be able to offer parents and their children an effective, alternative treatment," Dr Harpin added.

Dr David Coghill, senior lecturer in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Dundee, also welcomed the new treatment.

"Continuous relief from the symptoms of ADHD is something we've not seen before.

"Current treatments are often only taken to provide cover during the school day and early evening leaving families to face the challenges of living with an untreated child early in the morning and later in the evening.

"Continuous relief from symptoms may allow children and their families the opportunity to live a more normal life with respite from the disruption of ADHD," he said.

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