ADD- ADHD

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ADD and ADHD

Colleen Finegan, Ph.D.

Wright State University

Springfield Staff Development Institute

Springfield, OH

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What is it?

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Imagine…..

  • Imagine living in a fast-moving kaleidoscope, where sounds, images, and thoughts are constantly shifting.

Feeling easily bored, yet helpless to keep your mind on tasks you need to complete.

http://www.nativeremedies.com/focus_for_adhd.shtml

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Imagine…

  • Distracted by unimportant sights and sounds, your mind drives you from one thought or activity to the next.

Perhaps you are so wrapped up in a Collage of thoughts and images that you don't notice when someone speaks to you.

http://www.nativeremedies.com/focus_for_adhd.shtml

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Imagine…

  • For many, this is what it's like to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD.

  • They may be unable to sit still, plan ahead, finish tasks, or be fully aware of what's going on around them.

http://www.nativeremedies.com/focus_for_adhd.shtml

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Imagine…

  • To their family, classmates or coworkers, they seem to exist in a whirlwind of disorganized or frenzied activity.

Unexpectedly--on some days and in some situations--they seem fine, often leading others to think the person with ADHD can actually control these behaviors.

http://www.nativeremedies.com/focus_for_adhd.shtml

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Imagine…

  • As a result, the disorder can mar the person's relationships with others in addition to disrupting their daily life, consuming energy, and diminishing self-esteem.

http://www.nativeremedies.com/focus_for_adhd.shtml

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Definition

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Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)

  • The DSM-IV includes standardized diagnostic criteria for many psychiatric disorders.

  • The following are the current diagnostic criteria for ADHD from the DSM-IV.

  • It should be used only for informational purposes and is not intended for self-diagnosis or for use by anyone other than a qualified health professional.

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

A. Either (1) or (2):

1. six (or more) of the following symptoms of inattention have persisted for at least 6 months

to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level:

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

  • often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities

  • often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

  • often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly

  • often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace

(not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions)

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

  • often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities

  • often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort

(such as schoolwork or homework)

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

  • often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (e.g., toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools)

  • is often forgetful in daily activities

  • is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

2. six (or more) of the following symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity have persisted for at least 6 months

to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level:

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

Hyperactivity

  • often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat

  • often leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in which remaining seated is expected

  • often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

Hyperactivity

  • often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate (in adolescents or adults, may be limited to subjective feelings of restlessness)

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

Hyperactivity

  • often talks excessively

  • is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor"

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

Impulsivity

  • often blurts out answers before questions have been completed

  • often has difficulty awaiting turn

  • often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games)

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

  • B. Some hyperactive-impulsive or inattentive symptoms that caused impairment were present before age 7 years.

  • C. Some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g., at school [or work] and at home).

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

  • D. There must be clear evidence of clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning.

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

  • E. The symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of a

Pervasive Developmental Disorder Schizophrenia 

or other Psychotic Disorder

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD - Diagnostic Criteria

and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder such as a/an:

Mood Disorder

Anxiety Disorder

Dissociative Disorder

Personality Disorder

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD-Specific Types

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type: if both Criteria A1 and A2 are met for the past 6 months

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD-Specific Types

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Inattentive Type: if Criterion A1 is met but Criterion A2 is not met for the past 6 months

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD-Specific Types

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: if Criterion A2 is met but Criterion A1 is not met for the past 6 months

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD-Specific Types

  • Note: For individuals (especially adolescents and adults) who currently have symptoms that no longer meet full criteria, "In Partial Remission" should be specified.

http://www.psychologynet.org/add.html

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AD/HD and
Academic Achievement

  • Up to 80% of students with AD/HD exhibit academic performance problems.

  • …adolescents with AD/HD [have] a much higher history of grade retention, special ed placement, and school-drop out relative to their peers.

  • If diagnosed as having AD/HD, the impact on children's educational success is often profound”.

 

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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AD/HD and
Academic Achievement

  • “… among children without a formal ADHD diagnosis, attention problems frequently have a tremendously adverse impact on children's academic achievement”.

  • “Among children who meet full ADHD diagnostic criteria, and who thus have attention problems that are often quite severe, the impact is likely to be profound”.

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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AD/HD and
Reading Achievement

  • “…attention problems [observed in K] were found to predict diminished reading achievement [in fifth grade] even among children who had no evidence of any primary reading disability. 

  • “…children with higher levels of teacher rated attention problems during first grade made significantly less progress in reading over the year than other children”.

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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Prevalence

  • ADHD, once called hyperkinesis or minimal brain dysfunction, is one of the most common mental disorders among children.

It affects 3 to 5 percent of all children, perhaps as many as 2 million American children.

http://www.nativeremedies.com/focus_for_adhd.shtml

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image1.wmf

Prevalence

  • Two to three times more boys than girls are affected.

  • On the average, at least one child in every classroom in the United States needs help for the disorder.

  • ADHD often continues into adolescence and adulthood, and can cause a lifetime of frustrated dreams and emotional pain.

http://www.nativeremedies.com/focus_for_adhd.shtml

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Prevalence

  • Varies by gender, age, social class and urban-rural
  • 1-3% of children (DSM-III or III-R)
  • 2-8% of children (DSM-IV) (Average 3-5%)
  • 4.7% of adult population (DSM-IV-all types)
  • 3:1 males:females (community samples)
  • 5:1 - 9:1 (clinical samples)

Russell Barkley - ADHD Workshop cincinnati 9/14/01

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Etiology- Neurological

  • Prenatal Injuries (10-15%)
  • Post Natal Brain Damage (3-5%)
  • Post-Natal Infection
  • Smaller Less Developed Brian Regions
  • Suspected Neuro-Chemical Dependancy

Russell Barkley - ADHD Workshop cincinnati 9/14/01

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Executive Function Deficits

  • The brain is believed to be responsible for managing processes needed to solve problems and attain future goals

  • These processes may include:

http://web.uccs.edu/lthede/executiv.htm

Organizational skills

planning,

future-oriented behavior,

set-maintenance,

set regulation

selective attention, maintenance of attention or vigilance, inhibition, creativity.

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Evidence for Executive Deficits

  • Deficits on Executive Function Tests
  • Less frontal Electrical Activity
  • Reduced Blood flow to the frontal and striatal regions
  • Dimished frontal and straital metabolic activity
  • Smaller Frontal-Basal Gangalia-Cerebellular areas

Russell Barkley - ADHD Workshop cincinnati 9/14/01

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Etiology - Heredity / Genetics

  • Family Aggregation of Disorder
  • Twn Studies of Heritability
  • Molecular Genetics

Russell Barkley - ADHD Workshop cincinnati 9/14/01

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Diagnosis is Difficult

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  • A common problem in determining ADHD lies within the fact that many symptoms trace to symptoms of other disorders.

  • Depression and anxiety contain symptoms analogous with those of ADHD.

  • Also, a majority of teenagers require extraneous focus on schoolwork and exhibit disorganization.

http://www.floridatoday.com/news/verge/stories/2003/may/051803cp.htm

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Co-Morbitity

  • AD/HD “shares” the symptoms and characteristics with many other disorders:

  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Conduct Disorder
  • Anxiety Disorder
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
  • Learning Disabilities

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Co-Morbitity - Bipolar Disorder

http://add.about.com/cs/comorbidcondition/a/coexisting.htm

  • Separation Anxiety
  • Rages & Explosive Temper Tantrums (lasting up to several hours)
  • Marked Irritability
  • Oppositional Behavior
  • Frequent Mood Swings
  • Distractibility
  • Hyperactivity
  • Impulsivity
  • Restlessness/Fidgetiness
  • Silliness, Goofiness, Giddiness
  • Racing Thoughts
  • Aggressive Behavior
  • Grandiosity
  • Carbohydrate Cravings
  • Risk-Taking Behaviors
  • Depressed Mood
  • Lethargy
  • Low Self-Esteem
  • Difficulty Getting Up in the Morning
  • Social Anxiety
  • Oversensitivity to Emotional or Environmental Triggers  

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Co-Morbitity - Conduct Disorder

  • Bullies, threatens or intimidates others
  • Initiates physical fights
  • Physically cruel to people or animals
  • Forces someone into sexual activity
  • Fire setting
  • Destruction of property
  • Stealing, Lying, Deceitfulness
  • Runs away from home
  • Truant from school
  • Stays out at night,

despite parental objections or punishment  

http://add.about.com/cs/comorbidcondition/a/coexisting.htm

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Co-Morbitity - Anxiety Disorder

  • Worry about everything, big and small
  • Headaches or other aches and pains for no apparent reason
  • Trouble Relaxing
  • Trouble concentrating on one thing
  • Trouble falling asleep or wake up often during the night
  • Have hot flashes
  • Feel nauseous when worried  

http://add.about.com/cs/comorbidcondition/a/coexisting.htm

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Co-Morbitity - Depression

  • Feeling Sad or Empty
  • Appears Tearful
  • In children can be irritable
  • Diminished interest in all or almost all activities
  • Weight loss without dieting
  • Decrease in appetite
  • Insomnia or hypersomnia
  • Loss of energy
  • Thoughts of suicide  

http://add.about.com/cs/comorbidcondition/a/coexisting.htm

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Co-Morbitity -
Oppositional Defiant Disorder

  • Short temper
  • Argumentative with adults / authority figure
  • Deliberately annoys others
  • Angry
  • Resentful
  • Vindictive
  • Blames others for misbehavior
  • Defiance of rules
  • Has difficulty in accepting “authority figures”   

http://add.about.com/cs/comorbidcondition/a/coexisting.htm

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Co-Morbitity -
Learning Disabilities

The term Learning Disability can mean many different things.  There are 3 categories of learning disabilities:

  • Developmental speech and language disorders
  • Academic skills disorder
  • Other  

http://add.about.com/cs/comorbidcondition/a/coexisting.htm

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Co-Morbitity -
Giftedness

Traits of gifted children which may lead to false ADHD diagnosis include:

  • off task behavior,
  • less need for sleep,
  • questioning of rules and traditions,
  • power struggles, and
  • resistance to repetitive tasks.

 

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Co-Morbitity -
Giftedness

Suggestions to help differentiate ADHD and giftedness:

  • Unlike gifted children, those with ADHD exhibit problem behavior in virtually all settings.
  • Gifted students will concentrate on what interests them regardless of desires of parents and teachers, but ADHD students have brief attention spans in virtually all situations.
  • Both ADHD and gifted students may question rules, but gifted students may create their own complex rules and expect others to follow them.
  • Gifted students perform well with teachers or subjects they like, while ADHD students are inconsistent in virtually all areas of performance.

http://members.aol.com/svennord/ed/adhd.htm

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Diagnosis

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AD/HD - Diagnosis

Checklists:

  • ADD Evaluation Scale
  • ADHD Rating Scale-IV
  • ADD-H Comprehensive Teacher/Parent Rating Scales
  • Informal Checklists

http://add.about.com/cs/comorbidcondition/a/coexisting.htm

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AD/HD-Other Forms of Diagnosis

SPECT

  • Using a nuclear medicine technique called "single photon emission computed tomography" (SPECT), Dr. Daniel G. Amen presents a compelling case for the existence of attention deficit disorder (AD/HD) through hard, visual data

http://www.amenclinic.com/ac/

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AD/HD-Other Forms of Diagnosis

  • If we agree that mental disorders and difficult behaviors may be related to functional problems in the brain,

and that brain SPECT imaging is a reliable measure of regional cerebral blood flow and thus activity patterns,

then it follows that we should take advantage of this powerful tool when faced with complex situations or with patients unresponsive to treatment

http://www.amenclinic.com/ac/whyspect.asp

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Intervention for
Academic Problems

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Intervention for
Academic Problems

Tutoring

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AD/HD - Is Tutoring Helpful?

  • “…tutoring provided significant benefits…for children who had been poor readers to start with”.

  • “…tutoring was …less helpful for children with attention problems.  As children's level of attention problems increased, the benefits of tutoring steadily declined”.

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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AD/HD - Is Tutoring Helpful?

  • “…among children whose attention problems approached a clinically elevated range, there was virtually no discernible benefit of tutoring”.

  • “…tutoring may need to be more intensive, and/or …specifically targeted to the special needs of children who are inattentive”. 

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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If tutoring isn’t beneficial then…

  • There is a “critical need to develop systematic procedures within schools for students whose attention problems are resulting in academic problems”. 

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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Specialized Instructional Procedures

  • “Although there are specialized instructional procedures for inattentive students that appear promising, research demonstrating that such interventions are associated with long-term gains in academic achievement is currently lacking”.

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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Instructional Modification

  • “Instructional modifications, although helpful and important, try to compensate for a child's attention problems rather than alleviating those problems directly”.

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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Medication Treatment

  • This is also true for the impact of medication treatment on the long-term academic success of students with ADHD. 

Although medication treatment…”has been shown to be profoundly helpful in many areas, there is currently little evidence that it results in substantially better academic outcomes…”

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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Medication Treatment

  • “Medication, although clearly yielding important short-term gains in attention for many children, does not produce any enduring gains in a child's ability to focus and attend”.

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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EEG biofeedback

  • “Promising results of EEG biofeedback in reducing inattentive symptoms among AD/HD children have also been recently reported (Monastra, Monastra, & George, 2001) and are summarized at www.helpforadd.com/2003/january.htm ”

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Interactive Metronome

  • The Interactive Metronome is another new technology that has also shown promise in enhancing children's attention and academic functioning (http://www.interactivemetronome.com/home/index.asp)

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Inattentive but not Disruptive

  • Many children who are inattentive tend to disturb others and are generally disruptive in the classroom. These are usually the first to be noticed, recommended for testing and identified.

  • However, there are children who may be inattentive but do not disturb others. These children often go unnoticed and are not identified as needing special assistance.

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Inattentive but not Disruptive

  • “ This can be true even among inattentive students whose problems are severe enough to warrant an ADHD diagnosis, and may be especially likely to occur for girls who are inattentive. 

  • As a result, these children may fail to acquire critical academic skills in the early grades, which put them on a path of academic struggles”.

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/february.htm

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AD/HD Coaching

  • AD/HD coaching …aims to nurture your ability to self-initiate change in your daily life. It is a supportive, practical, concrete process in which you and your coach work together to identify and pursue your goals.

  • Coaching helps individuals with …AD/HD to develop the structures necessary to function effectively and to learn practical approaches to the challenges of daily life.

http://www.add.org/articles/coaching/model.html

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AD/HD Coaching

  • The coach guides the process yet does not drive it; provides structure without imposing it; asks questions without judgment.

  • Strategies are developed to address issues of: time management,

eliminate clutter in one's home or office,

become more effective in personal and professional life.

http://www.add.org/articles/coaching/model.html

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AD/HD Coaching

  • The coach provides encouragement, recommendations,
  • feedback,
  • and practical techniques such as: reminders, questions, and calendar monitoring.

  • ADD coaching is not psychotherapy. Coaches are not licensed therapists, nor do coaches make any representation of such.

http://www.add.org/articles/coaching/model.html

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AD/HD Coaching

What is the role of the client?

  • Coaching is a process that happens over time. Since it is a client-driven service, for coaching to be successful you must possess a strong desire for personal growth and improvement.

  • Coaching focuses on your being in action towards self-edification, self-improvement, creating life balance, and reaching goals.

http://www.add.org/articles/coaching/model.html

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Medications

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Ritalyn & Ritalyn SR
(Sustained release)

  • “Ritalin is a dopamine transmitter blocker and hence it amplifies [dopamine] release….
  • …the amplification of weak dopamine signals in subjects with ADHD by [Ritalin] would enhance task-specific signaling…
  • …improve attention and decrease distractibility…”

( the most common symptoms of ADHD)

http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jan2001/nida-16.htm

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Ritalyn
Methylphenidate HCL

  • Its onset of action is rapid: 20-30 minutes.
  • It has the shortest duration of action of 2-4 hours.
  • Many children only benefit for 3 hours from medication.
  • There may be a significant "rebound" when the medication wears off, constituted by over-agitation and/or anxiety.

http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/medications.htm#Ritalin

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Ritalyn-SR
Methylphenidate HCL

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Adderal

  • Adderall is made by Richwood Pharmaceuticals, and was previously known as 'Obetral'. The dosage of Adderall is roughly equivalent to a comparable dose of Dexedrine. Adderall tablets consist of equal amounts of Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine, with both short and long-acting preparations. The therapeutic effect is apparently more subtle and smooth than other preparations and the length of action is 6-9 hours.

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Adderal

Important points to note when prescribing or taking Adderall:

  • 1. It provides therapeutic cover for a full school or working day.
  • 2. Adderall has been used for 'impulse-control.'
  • 3. Adderall has a distinct anorexic effect and therefore management of diet, especially in children, is essential.
  • 4. Because Adderall has a slow onset of action and a sloped drop-off of action, anxiety induced at the onset of action and rebound at drop-off is reduced over other stimulants

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Dexedrine

  • Dextroamphetamine saccharate/Dextroamphetamine sulfate (Dexedrine):

  • Dexedrine is one of the better known stimulant medications and is second only to Ritalin in the treatment of ADHD. The generic equivalent of Dexedrine is Dextroamphetamine Sulfate. Because the PDR continues to list Dexedrine under "Diet Control" medications, some insurance companies will not cover Dexedrine for the treatment of ADHD.

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Dexedrine

  • 4. Dexedrine 5mg is about equivalent to 10mg of Ritalin. In other words it is about twice as potent as Ritalin.
  • 5. Ingestion of Vitamin C and Dexedrine simultaneously, e.g., taking medication with orange juice, may significantly reduce Dexedrine absorption.
  • 6. Because Dexedrine in the SR form is long acting, it is very useful for Middle and High school students who forget to take their second or third dose. Dexedrine, however, has the potential side effect of reduced appetite.

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Dexedrine

Important things to bear in mind when prescribing or taking Dexedrine:

  • 1. The onset of action is 30 minutes, slower than Ritalin.
  • 2. The coverage provided by Dexedrine is 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours; about an hour longer than Ritalin, especially with adult administration.
  • 3. Dexedrine purportedly has a "smoother" onset of action and "drop-off" than Ritalin. It is usually almost completely absorbed and therefore one does not usually see the variation in onset of action that one sees with the use of Ritalin.

Dexedrine

Important things to bear in mind when prescribing or taking Dexedrine:

  • 4. Dexedrine 5mg is about equivalent to 10mg of Ritalin. In other words it is about twice as potent as Ritalin.
  • 5. Ingestion of Vitamin C and Dexedrine simultaneously, e.g., taking medication with orange juice, may significantly reduce Dexedrine absorption.
  • 6. Because Dexedrine in the SR form is long acting, it is very useful for Middle and High school students who forget to take their second or third dose. Dexedrine, however, has the potential side effect of reduced appetite.

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Concerta

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Cylert*

  • * Pemoline (Cylert) for ADHD:
  • Cylert ranks third in sales for the treatment of ADHD. Cylert is manufactured by Abbott; no generic is available.

  • Unlike other stimulant medications Cylert has an onset of action of about an hour and must be taken for 1-2 weeks before improvement occurs. It is recommended that the dosage of this medication be increased in increments of 18.75mg every 2-3 days over several weeks. Cylert is more expensive than Ritalin or Dexedrine.

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Cylert*

  • 1. Liver enzyme changes have occasionally been noted on patients taking Cylert. Baseline liver enzymes are recommended with follow ups at 3-6 months.
  • 2. Persons using alcohol are at higher risk with this medication. Patients with either liver or kidney compromise should not take this medication.
  • 3. SSRI's affect the use of Cylert due to their effects on the liver P450 isoenzymes.
  • 4. Cylert is a useful alternative for patients with cardiovascular disease as it has no effect on this system.
  • 5. Cylert may cause insomnia, appetite suppression, and tics.

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Self-Help Books

  • Change Your Brain, Change Your Life: The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Anger, and Impulsiveness by M.D. Daniel G. Amen

  • Windows into the A.D.D. Mind: Understanding and Treating Attention Deficit Disorders in the Everyday Lives of Children, Adolescents and Adults by Daniel G. Amen

  • Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD by Daniel G. Amen

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Self-Help Books - for Kids

  • Putting on the Brakes: Young People's Guide to Understanding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

AND

  • The "Putting on the Brakes" Activity Book for Young People With ADHD by Patricia Quinn & Judith Stern

  • Learning to Slow Down and Pay Attention: A Book for Kids About ADD by Kathleen G. Nadeau

  • Sparky's Excellent Misadventures: My A.D.D. Journal by Phyllis Carpenter, et al

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Self-Help Books -
for YoungKids

  • Shelley, the Hyperactive Turtle (Special Needs Collection) by Deborah M. Moss

  • Jumpin' Johnny Get Back to Work! : A Child's Guide to ADHD/Hyperactivity by Michael Gordon

  • Otto Learns about His Medicine: A Story about Medication for Children with ADHD by Matthew Galvin

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Vision Therapy

  • VISION THERAPY improves visual skills that allow a person to pay attention. These skill areas include visual tracking, fixation, focus change, binocular fusion and visualization.

When all of these are well developed, children and adults can sustain attention, read and write without careless errors, give meaning to what they hear and see, and rely less on movement to stay alert.

http://www.add-adhd.org/attention_deficits_ADHD.html

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Occupational Therapy

  • OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY for children with sensory integration dysfunction enhances their ability to process lower level senses related to alertness, body movement and position, and touch.

This allows them to pay more attention to the higher level senses of hearing and vision.

http://www.add-adhd.org/attention_deficits_ADHD.html

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Treatment of Allergies

  • TREATMENT OF ALLERGIES to pollens, molds, dust, foods and/or chemicals by eliminating or neutralizing them has also been shown to alleviate the identical symptoms, and without side effects.

http://www.add-adhd.org/attention_deficits_ADHD.html

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Abuse of AD/HD Medication

  • ...“When stimulants are taken as prescribed, and treatment is appropriately monitored, they are safe, effective for the vast majority of children and teens with ADHD, and do not increase the risk for developing substance abuse problems…”
  • “In fact…children with ADHD who are treated with stimulants are less likely to develop substance abuse problems than those who are not”.

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/may.htm

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Abuse of ADHD Medication

  • “…stimulant medication abuse is a far bigger problem among those who are not prescribed stimulants than among those who are. 
  • Nonetheless, some adolescents taking medication to treat ADHD do misuse or abuse their medication, and it seems important for parents and professionals to be vigilant about this possibility. 
  • …it is likely that such abuse is most likely to occur among adolescents who have also developed serious conduct problems in addition to ADHD. 

http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/may.htm

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