A Descriptive Review of Nordic Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pediatric ADHD: Evaluating the Evidence Base for Methylphenidate
By: Päivi Ruokoniemi
References
- Furu K, Karlstad Ø, Zoega H, Martikainen JE, Bahmanyar S, Kieler H, et al. Utilization of Stimulants and Atomoxetine for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder among 5.4 Million Children Using Population-Based Longitudinal Data. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2017 Apr;120(4):373–379. doi: 10.1111/bcpt.12724. Epub 2017 Jan 30. PMID: 27911044.
- Torres-Acosta N, O'Keefe JH, O'Keefe CL, Lavie CJ. Cardiovascular Effects of ADHD Therapies: JACC Review Topic of the Week. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020 Aug 18;76(7):858–866. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.05.081. PMID: 32792083.
- Talnabrunnur Fréttabréf landlæknis um heilbrigðisupplýsingar. Notkun ADHD lyfja hjá fullorðnum og börnum 2013–2022. Embaetti landlaeknis (Newsletter of the Directorate of Health on health information. Use of ADHD medication among adults and children 2013–2022. The Directorate of Health) Jan 2023, Iceland. Available at:
https://assets.ctfassets.net/8k0h54kbe6bj/6ppY2BwlPLbmZeHtDc7YfW/88f17c700ff731127c35fae36c373adb/Talnabrunnur_januar_2023.pdf Accessed Jan 2026. - Vuori M, Moustgaard H, Kurko T, Sarnola K, Kainu M, Ahola M, et al. Nuorten aikuisten masennuslääkkeiden käyttö kaksinkertaistui kymmenessä vuodessa – kasvu on selkeästi nopeampaa kuin Ruotsissa. Kelan julkaisuja 2025. (The use of antidepressants among young adults in Finland has doubled over the last ten years. Publications by the Social Insurance Institution. In Finnish). 2025, Finland. Available at:
https://tietotarjotin.fi/tutkimusblogi/1217993/nuorten-aikuisten-masennuslaakkeiden-ja-lasten-adhd-laakkeiden-kaytto-yleistynyt-voimakkaasti-suomessa-taustasyita-on-kartoitet-tava . Accessed Feb 2026. - Diagnostik och läkemedelsbehandling vid adhd. Förekomst, trend och könsskillnader. Socialstyrelsen. (Diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of ADHD. Prevalence, trends, and gender differences. National Board of Health and Welfare. In Swedish). Nov 2023, Sweden. Available at:
https://www.socialstyrelsen.se/contentassets/7cf0e4662040470a8d4db0710b751f83/2023-11-8862.pdf . Accessed Feb 2026. - Institute of Medicine (US) Committee to Advise the Public Health Service on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Clinical Practice Guidelines: Directions for a New Program. Field MJ, Lohr KN, editors. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1990. PMID: 25144032.
- Schünemann H, Brożek J, Guyatt G, Oxman A (Editors). GRADE handbook for grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. Updated October 2013. The GRADE Working Group, 2013. Available at guidelinedevelopment.org/handbook.
- Amer YS, Al-Joudi HF, Varnham JL, Bashiri FA, Hamad MH, Al Salehi SM, et al; Saudi ADHD Society. Appraisal of clinical practice guidelines for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using the AGREE II Instrument: A systematic review. PLoS One. 2019 Jul 5;14(7):e0219239. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219239. PMID: 31276528; PMCID: PMC6611626.
- Kong M, Fernandez A, Bains J, Milisavljevic A, Brooks KC, Shanmugam A, et al. Evaluation of the accuracy and safety of machine translation of patient-specific discharge instructions: a comparative analysis BMJ Quality & Safety Published Online First: 09 July 2025. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2024-018384
- Dzuali F, Seiger K, Novoa R, Aleshin M, Teng J, Lester J, et al. ChatGPT May Improve Access to Language-Concordant Care for Patients With Non-English Language Preferences. JMIR Med Educ. 2024 Dec 10;10:e51435. doi: 10.2196/51435. PMID: 39657144; PMCID: PMC11651640.
- Sørensen CB, Gram-Hanssen A, Rosenberg J, Baker JJ. Comparing ChatGPT-4 and Human Translation of an Outcome Questionnaire: A Randomized, Double-Blinded Non-inferiority Study. Cureus. 2025 Apr 18;17(4):e82525. doi: 10.7759/cureus.82525. PMID: 40385917; PMCID: PMC12085935.
- Cortese S. Pharmacologic Treatment of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder. N Engl J Med. 2020 Sep 10;383(11):1050–1056. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1917069. PMID: 32905677.
- Working group appointed by the Finnish Medical Society Duodecim and the Finnish Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Finnish Society for Adolescent Psychiatry. ADHD (Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). Current Care Guidelines (In Finnish). Helsinki: The Finnish Medical Society Duodecim 2025, Finland. Available online at:
www.kaypahoito.fi . Accessed Nov 2025. - National klinisk retningslinje for udredning og behandling af ADHD hos børn og unge. Sundhedsstyrelsen. (National clinical guideline for the assessment and treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents. Danish Health Authority. In Danish) 2021, Denmark. Available at:
https://www.sst.dk/-/media/Udgivelser/2021/NKR-ADHD-boern-og-unge/NKR-udredning-og-behandling-af-ADHD-hos-boern-og-unge.ashx . Accessed Nov 2025 - Leiðbeiningar um vinnulag við greiningu og meðferð ADHD. Embaetti landlaeknis (Revised guidelines on procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in children, adolescents and adults. The Directorate of Health. In Icelandic) May 2023, Iceland. Available at:
https://assets.ctfassets.net/8k0h54kbe6bj/4uoeth8Mg5QWc8dmBNE1jc/49ee5500de246e9fcc6fd9e4457f645b/Me__fer__arlei__beiningar_ADHD_-_uppf__rt_2023-05-15_-_lokaskjal.pdf . Accessed Nov 2025. - ADHD/Hyperkinetisk forstyrrelse – Nasjonal faglig retningslinje for utredning, behandling og oppfølging. Helsedirektoratet. (ADHD/Hyperkinetic Disorder – National professional guideline for assessment, treatment, and follow-up. Norwegian Directorate of Health. In Norwegian) update 5/2022, Norway. Available at:
https://www.helsebiblioteket.no/innhold/nasjonal-faglig-retningslinje/adhd-hyperkinetisk-forstyrrelse--nasjonal-faglig-retningslinje-for-utredning-behandling-og-oppfolging#:~:text=ADHD/Hyperkinetisk%20forstyrrelse%20–%20Nasjonal%20faglig%20retnings-linje%20for%20utredning%2C%20behandling%20og%20oppføl-ging . Accessed Nov 2025 - Diagnostik och läkemedelsbehandling vid adhd. Socialstyrelsen. (Diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of ADHD. The National Board of Health and Welfare. In Swedish). Nov 2023, Sweden. Available at:
https://www.socialstyrelsen.se/contentassets/7cf0e4662040470a8d4db0710b751f83/2023-11-8862.pdf . Accessed Nov 2025. - Storebø OJ, Storm MRO, Pereira Ribeiro J, Skoog M, Groth C, Callesen HE, et al. Methylphenidate for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Mar 27;3(3):CD009885. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009885.pub3. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025 Dec 4;12:CD009885. doi: 10.1002/14651 858.CD009885. pub4. PMID: 36971690; PMCID: PMC10042435.
- National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): diagnosis and management of ADHD in children, young people and adults. London, United Kingdom: 2008. National Clinical Practice Guideline Number 72. Available at:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87/evidence/full-guideline-pdf-4783651311 . Accessed Nov 2025. - Prasad V, Brogan E, Mulvaney C, Grainge M, Stanton W, Sayal K. How effective are drug treatments for children with ADHD at improving on-task behaviour and academic achievement in the school classroom? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2013;22(4):203–16.
- Slama H, Fery P, Verheulpen D, Vanzeveren N, Van Bogaert P. Cognitive Improvement of Attention and Inhibition in the Late Afternoon in Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Treated With Osmotic-Release Oral System Methylphenidate. J Child Neurol 2015;30(8):1000–9.
- Storebø OJ, Pedersen N, Ramstad E, Kielsholm ML, Nielsen SS, Krogh HB, et al. Methylphenidate for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents - assessment of adverse events in non-randomised studies. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 May 9;5(5):CD012069. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012069.pub2. PMID: 29744873; PMCID: PMC6494554.
- National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): diagnosis and management. London, United Kingdom: 2018. National Clinical Practice Guideline Number 87. Available at:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87/evidence/full-guideline-pdf-4783651311 . Accessed Nov 2025. - The ADAPTE Collaboration (2009). The ADAPTE Process: resource toolkit for guideline adaptation. version 2.0. resources – GIN [website]. Guidelines International Network; 2021 (
https://g-i-n.net/get-involved/resources/ , accessed 10 March 2023). - Gosling CJ, Garcia-Argibay M, De Prisco M, Arrondo G, Ayrolles A, Antoun S, et al. Benefits and harms of ADHD interventions: umbrella review and platform for shared decision making. BMJ 2025;391:e085875. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2025-085875. PMID: 41297970; PMCID:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjcapp-2026-0006 | Journal eISSN: 2245-8875
Language: English
Page range: 39 - 44
Published on: Jul 9, 2026
Published by: Center for Evidence-based Psychiatry
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year
Keywords:
Related subjects:
© 2026 Päivi Ruokoniemi, published by Center for Evidence-based Psychiatry
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.