There are a number of choices if you are considering a medication for your child to treat ADHD. What do you know about them? And are you aware of the side effects...?
There are five main classes of drugs used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children: amphetamine, atomoxetine, dextroamphetamine, dexmethylphenidate, and methylphenidate.
According to most estimates, more than 75 percent of methylphenidate prescriptions are written for children, with boys being about four times as likely to take methylphenidate as girls. Production and prescription of methylphenidate rose significantly in the 1990s, especially in the United States, as the ADHD diagnosis came to be better understood and more generally accepted within the medical and mental health communities.
It has a "calming" effect on many children who have ADHD, reducing impulsive behavior and the tendency to "act out", and helps them concentrate on schoolwork and other tasks. Adults who have ADHD often find that MPH increases their ability to focus on tasks and organize their lives.
Methylphenidate has been found to have a lower incidence of side-effects compared to dextroamphetamine, a less commonly prescribed medication.
MPH is a dopamine reuptake inhibitor, which means that it increases the level of the dopamine neurotransmitter in the brain by partially blocking the transporters that remove it from the synapses.
