P0059 - The Impact of Methylphenidate Therapy in Improving Family Well-Being, Academics and Behaviour in School Children in Qatar

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurological disorder of childhood and has been associated with a broad range of negative outcomes for children including underachievement at school and social difficulties. Stimulants are the first drug of choice in the management of ADHD Symptoms and academic improvement is one of the key targets for measuring the success of this treatment. The primary focus of this study was to examine the impact of Methylphenidate (MPH) on behaviour, academic success and family well-being of children and adolescents affected with ADHD in Qatar.

Methods: 102 patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for ADHD according to the DSM-V were randomly selected to participate in this study. The patients were seen in the out-patient clinic at a tertiary health care facility by a Senior Consultant Paediatrician. They were given the SNAP-IV questionnaire for parents and teachers, developed by Swanson (Swanson, Baler & Volkow, 2011). The SNAP-IV questionnaire was given to patients before a stimulant was prescribed and again after 6 months of MPH therapy. A questionnaire was devised by the researchers to gather additional information with regards to improvement in overall family well-being following medication and improvement in academic performance and behaviour as noted by parents and teachers. Patients were then followed and assessed by the paediatrician at 2, 4, and 6 months. Data regarding reported side effects was also gathered from the child and family at each of these visits.

Results: Seventy-five percent of the participants were males with age ranging from 5 - 18 years old. Following the confirmation of an ADHD diagnosis, 53.5% of the patients were started on long-acting MPH (Concerta), 17.2% on short acting MPH(Ritalin) and 16.2% were on both long and short acting MPH while the remaining 13.1% were on MPH and other non-stimulant medications. 78% of the children reported at least one side effect, the most common ones being poor appetite (42%), followed by poor sleep (25%) and increased aggression after medication wore off (22%. Mean improvement in the score for quantitative variables (inattention score, hyperactivity-impulsivity score, and ADHD Combined score) between the pre-medication SNAP-IV and post medication SNAP-IV was analysed using paired ‘t’ test and showed significant reduction in scores post treatment. (table 1).
After 6 months of pharmaceutical therapy, 88% children's families reported improvement in writing skills, 87% in reading skills, and 82% in arithmetic abilities. Overall improvement in behaviour and family well being is reported in figure 1

Conclusion: Our data revealed that intervention with medications has a positive impact on students with ADHD with marked improvement in all aspects; academics, behaviour and overall family well-being. Parents, teachers and children were pleased with the results, despite experiencing some side effects.