The recognition and drug treatment of hyperkinetic
disorder have been increasing in the U.K. during the late
1990s, but are still at a low rate by comparison with many
other countries. This article will describe some clinical
conclusions, taken mostly from recent research, that
should be relevant to clinicians in countries such as the
U.K., where there is little current use of the diagnosis of
Attention Deficit or stimulant drug treatments. It
includes some practical recommendations for therapy
that go beyond the evidence base; but space does not
allow full protocols, and more detailed guidelines for
European practitioners are available elsewhere (Taylor
et al., 1998). The recommendations are not necessarily
appropriate for other cultural settings, and should not be
taken to apply to countries where stimulant drugs are
unavailable or where they are widely used in primary
care.