A lot less is known about long term side effects because the drug companies do not run long term trials prior to their ADHD medication getting approval from the FDA. The longest trial run by a drug company is four weeks. This is for a tablet that is routinely used for months and years at a time.

 The prescription of stimulant drugs for ADHD and ADD is an increasingly controversial area of treatment. Stimulants are a alternative for many reasons.

Since 1991 prescriptions for all drugs to treat ADHD have quintupled. In 1996 about six million children, roughly one child out of every eight, will take ritalin or other forms of methylphenidate. The number of stimulants prescribed for children 2 to 4 has increased 200% to 300% between 1991 and 1995. Studies show that stimulants cause especially severe reactions in young children. Since there are no good studies, no one knows what it does to the development of the very young child's brain.

First it is important to realize that all of the stimulant drugs prescribed for ADHD/ADD are closely related to some illegal street drugs. These include dextroamphetamine (dexedrine) (street name: "dexies"), methamphetamine (street name: "crystal meth"), and, of course, cocaine. We imprison people for making drugs very similar to the drugs we prescribe to our ADHD children.

A research report in the Archives of General Psychiatry states, "Cocaine, which is one of the most reinforcing and addicting of the abused drugs, has pharmacological actions that are very similar to those of methylphenidate (ritalin, concerta), which is now the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medicine for children in the U.S."

The long term outcome for children is another story that has often been overlooked.

A report on a comprehensive follow-up study at Montreal Children's Hospital discovered that “at the end of five years, hyperkinetic children who received drugs (either Ritalin or Chloropromazine) did not differ significantly from children who had not received the drugs. Although it appeared that hyperactive kids treated with Ritalin were initially more manageable, the degree of improvement and emotional adjustment was essentially identical at the end of five years to that seen in a group of kids who had received no medication at all.”

No medicine is free of side effect and ADHD medications are no different. As they are stimulants their effects are very similar to drinking too much coffee. The most the common side effect is insomnia with loss of appetite and stomach upsets being close seconds. About 20 - 30% of mediation users will have one or more side effects. These are very minor but can cause further problems and lead to the use of sleeping tablets or appetite enhancers to combat the effects of the ADHD medication.

Unfortunately there are more serious side effects. A lot less is known about these because the drug companies do not run long term trials prior to their ADHD medication getting approval from the FDA. The longest trial run by a drug company is four weeks. This is for a tablet that is routinely used for months and years at a time.

As of 2006, all ADHD stimulant medications carry warnings that they should not be used by patients with structural heart problems or pre-existing heart conditions (high blood pressure, heart failure, or heart rhythm disturbances). These drugs have been associated with sudden death in children with heart problems. They have also been associated with sudden death, stroke, and heart attack in adults with a history of heart disease. In February 2007, the Food and Drug Administration directed manufacturers of ADHD medications to warn all patients taking these medicines of potential cardiovascular and psychiatric risks. The research is clear that for some kids stimulants can be helpful, at least in the short term. However, no one would claim they cure ADHD. It is clear that the effect wears off when the drug wears off. It just controls the symptoms. Stimulants merely postpone dealing with the real behavioral and attentional problems.

See www.ritalindeath.com for a fathers' first hand account of his son's death from a Ritalin induced heart attack.

Symptoms of Overdose.

Symptoms of overdose include changes in heart rhythm and rate, hypertension, confusion, breathing difficulties, sweating, vomiting, and muscle twitches. If they occur, parents should call the doctor immediately.