There are few decisions for parents as gut wrenching as to whether or not place their children on prescription medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Yes, they likely know drugs such as Ritalin come with some risks but they also know their child needs some type of help to improve academically, socially, and behaviorally.

Parents of ADHD children may also be overwhelmed by the mind boggling number of different types of treatments available with each segment of wellness recommending a different type of treatment to manage problematic ADHD symptoms such as inattention, inability to consistently focus, impulsivity, erratic behavior, and hyperactivity.

For example mainstream medical doctors will likely suggest pharmaceuticals such as Ritalin, Adderall, or Intuniv (non-stimulant),  psychiatrists and psychologists will advocate one of a number of behavioral therapies, and naturopathic practitioners will suggest a combination of diet modification and herbal or homeopathic remedies.

All smart well educated people who believe in their cause advocating different solutions for the same mental health condition. It is no surprise that most parent will eventually throw up their hands and accept whatever treatment their medical profession is advising.

But what may eventually change the landscape of preferred treatments is the most basic of all things and that is finally unraveling the cause of attention deficit disorder.

For quite a few years now it has been known that ADHD is caused by an imbalance in brain chemicals know as neurotransmitters. Put simply these are  chemicals that help the brain communicate. The two neurotransmitters most often mentioned are dopamine and norepinephrine with dopamine being the primary player.

This finding has lead to stimulant medications such as Ritalin become some of the most prescribed medications on the market. But some old information combined with some new findings may be tilting the pendulum more in the direction of non-prescription alternatives such as cognitive behavioral therapy and herbal and homeopathic remedies.

Even before the link between dopamine/norepinephrine was established it was know that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was often inherited. This has been reinforced by several recent international studies of twins with the conclusion being that ADHD is inherited from one or both parent about half of the time. An interesting side note to this is that oftentimes parents aren't aware they have the condition until after their children are diagnosed.

But it is the new information ferreted out though advanced brain scan technology which may turn the tables on what type, or types, of ADHD treatments are most often suggested by doctors.

What studies have found using the latest in brain scan technology is that children with the condition who carry a particular gene have thinner brain tissue in areas of the brain associated with attention. This ground breaking research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health found that the difference was not permanent and as children with the gene grew into adulthood the brain developed into a normal level of thickness. As the brain tissue normalized ADHD symptoms declined substantially, even disappearing in some cases.

The question that wasn't answered was do prescription medications which alter brain chemical balance impeded the development and normalization of thinner brain tissue in specific areas of the brain. If this link is ever established it would no doubt  pose a serious threat to convention prescription treatment options for ADHD and shift the balance over to non-prescription alternative such as behavioral therapy and herbal and homeopathic ADHD remedies.