A 10-year-old child is always restless, inattentive to study and always wants to play outside. Parents are extremely distressed. What would you advise

The cardinal features of ADHD (Hyperkinetic disorder) are impaired attention and overactivity. Impaired attention is manifested by prematurely breaking off from tasks and leaving activities unfinished. Chuld chnages frequently from one activity to another, seemingly losing interest in one task beacuse they become diveed to another. Overactivity implies excessive restlessness, especially in situations requiring relative calm. It may be like running and jumping aroind, getting up from a seat when he or she is supposed to remain seated, excessive talkativeness and noisiness, or fidgeting and wriggling. Pharmacologic management is the first line of treatment fro ADHD. Stimulants are the first choice of agents. Ref: The ICD-10 Classification of mental and behavioural disorders, CDDG, pg 207. Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11e, pg 1175.