Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderBehavioral and pharmacological treatment of children with ADHDEvery morning before the child leaves for school the parents have to make many decisions, such as what clothes my child should wear son, what should I pack lunch and will my son be safe at school? What would happen if parents woke up every morning and had to decide whether their child had taken all the appropriate medications for the day? Is it possible that children are being overmedicated in the school system to the point that discipline and behavior become less of an issue? More specifically, children are being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) now more than ever (___________). With this diagnosis, the question must be raised: What are the risks and benefits associated with behavioral and pharmacological therapy in the treatment of children with ADHD? This is such an important question for researchers to ask because there are more effective ways to treat children with ADHD. beyond just medications, then why do doctors prescribe more medications every day? The purpose of this literature review is to examine the current literature on the risks and benefits of both behavioral and pharmacological therapy in the treatment of children with ADHD. This question is at the center of discussion with parents and doctors who continue to try different medications on their children. Parents want to know what is the most effective way to treat their child with ADHD. “In the United States, the annual cost of ADHD is estimated to be between $12,005 and $17,458 for each child diagnosed, with an average annual cost of $42.5 billion to society as a whole” (Kovshoff). There is so much research on this topic, but a lot of… middle of paper… effective medications create a window of opportunity for social and other influences to actually be accepted. Parents may choose to treat symptoms with medications alone, behavioral therapy, or both. In this literature review we examined the risks and benefits associated with pharmacological and behavioral therapy in children with ADHD. We have found that it is true that both medications and behavioral therapy can be used effectively, but one more often produces adverse effects. We have found that the long-term benefits of pharmacological treatment of ADHD extend beyond relief of associated symptoms. These benefits should be balanced with the (low) financial costs of the drugs combined with the potential harmful short- and long-term side effects of the drugs such as insomnia, decreased appetite, and increased blood pressure..