![]() This use of the medication is called “off label.” Many of the newer medications that are proving helpful for child mental disorders are prescribed off label because only a few of them have been systematically studied for safety and efficacy in children. Sometimes the doctor may prescribe for a young child a medication that has been approved by the FDA for use in adults or older children. Antidepressants and other medications can help control accompanying depression or anxiety. Other types of medication may be used if stimulants don’t work or if the ADHD occurs with another disorder. About one out of ten children is not helped by a stimulant medication. If there is still no improvement, the child may be switched to another medication. If the child does not show symptom improvement after taking a medication for a week, the doctor may try adjusting the dosage. The doctor can discuss with the parents the child’s needs and decide which preparation to use and whether the child needs to take the medicine during school hours only or in the evening and on weekends too. The newer sustained-release stimulants can be taken before school and are long-lasting so that the child does not need to go to the school nurse every day for a pill. The stimulant drugs come in long- and short-term forms. A review of all long-term studies on stimulant medication and substance abuse, conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, found that teenagers with ADHD who remained on their medication during the teen years had a lower likelihood of substance use or abuse than did ADHD adolescents who were not taking medications. Although some parents worry that their child may become addicted to the medication, to date there is no convincing evidence that stimulant medications, when used for treatment of ADHD, cause drug abuse or dependence. Stimulants do not make the child feel “high,” although some children say they feel different or funny. The stimulant drugs, when used with medical supervision, are usually considered quite safe. ![]() The medications may also improve physical coordination, such as that needed in handwriting and in sports. For many people, the stimulants dramatically reduce their hyperactivity and impulsivity and improve their ability to focus, work, and learn. It is important to work with the prescribing physician to find the right medication and the right dosage. Some people get better results from one medication, some from another. More studies will need to be done to contrast Strattera with the medications already available, but the evidence to date indicates that over 70 percent of children with ADHD given Strattera manifest significant improvement in their symptoms. Both of theses neurotransmitters are believed to play a role in ADHD. The medication, Strattera®, or atomoxetine, works on the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, whereas the stimulants primarily work on dopamine. Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) recently approved a medication for ADHD that is not a stimulant. *Because of its potential for serious side effects affecting the liver, Cylert should not ordinarily be considered as first-line drug therapy for ADHD. ![]() “Approved age” means that the drug has been tested and found safe and effective in children of that age. ![]() Following is a list of the stimulants, their trade (or brand) names, and their generic names. The medications that seem to be the most effective are a class of drugs known as stimulants. This strong recommendation coexists, however, alongside a number of other options for treatment and questions about how ADHD therapies might be tailored to specific patient groups. The evidence is so persuasive that the American Academy of Pediatrics includes the use of stimulants as one of its top clinical guideline recommendations for treating the disorder. According to several systematic reviews, good evidence suggests that stimulant medications such as Ritalin or amphetamines can reduce the symptoms of ADHD in children. ![]()
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