Medications used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (known as ADHD) are becoming increasingly common each year, as the number of children diagnosed with the condition skyrockets. But as stimulant medications increase in popularity, so, too, do the known risks and dangers of utilizing pharmaceutical treatments to ameliorate symptoms of ADHD in children and teens.
Two recent studies on the impact of ADHD stimulant medications on children and teens are currently making waves in the news, and, while the findings are a bit worrisome, the research also makes a strong case for alternatives to popular ADHD drugs.
Considering recent developments in ADHD medication research, you might wonder why stimulant treatment for the condition remains a first-line tactic to treat the condition in children.
Stimulant medications for ADHD are not new, and neither is the default of prescribing them for a diagnosis of the condition in children.
While the prescribed treatments for ADHD are controversial (and, some say, heavily overused as a primary option), they are generally considered effective to manage symptoms in both children and adults.
As any parent raising a child with ADHD knows, unmanaged symptoms can be incredibly disruptive – both at home and in educational settings. Children struggling to focus can be irritable, angry, tantrum prone, quick to frustration and perceived as disobedient in classroom settings.
ADHD isn’t just unpleasant for the parents and teachers, though. From a kid’s perspective, the constant cognitive fight to remain focused and complete tasks can lead to anxiety, stress, insomnia and other secondary symptoms.
Health concerns aside, the use of stimulant medications to treat ADHD symptoms in children and teenagers is not without additional disadvantages.
One frequently cited difficulty in treating ADHD with stimulants is the high cost and time-consuming process of securing the medications, such as Ritalin.
Potentially addictive and with a high risk of being abused, ADHD drugs are often heavily restricted by law. As such, specialist visits are required monthly to continue these treatments, and the costs can quickly add up.
In addition, the legal restrictions placed upon these pharmaceutical remedies have led to a supply shortage, resulting from a discrepancy between prescriptions written by doctors and the amount of ADHD medication legally allowed to be on the market. Parents often find themselves unable to fill prescriptions for children already accustomed to the medications … sometimes resulting in an abrupt and more severe return of symptoms, as well as an increase in stress and decrease in mood stability in children.
While effective, stimulant medications for ADHD are both difficult to obtain and sometimes expensive – and two new studies have added to the growing concerns parents have about using the drugs to treat the condition in children.
Over the years, side effects of ADHD medications have been carefully tracked. A few known downsides of stimulant drugs include:
However, two newly released studies have outlined additional concerns about ADHD treatment, adding to the list of adverse effects.
In the July 2014 issue of the medical journal Pediatrics, research indicated that children who are diagnosed with ADHD are twice as likely to later both experiment with and abuse recreational drugs.
Researchers are still investigating the link between ADHD in kids and adult drug abuse, but the role of stimulant medications is under particular scrutiny.
Dr. Michael Duchowny, a pediatric neurologist at Miami Children’s Hospital, told CBS that a direct link had not been established, but he commented:
Children with ADHD need to be counseled about the risk of substance abuse … Obviously, the medications that are used to treat ADHD have the potential for abuse, but the vast majority of children with ADHD do not develop a substance abuse problem.”
Duchowny added that additional studies are needed to “find out why some children are more susceptible than others,” and urged parents to be aware of the potential for addiction and recreational use of ADHD stimulant medications:
Parents need to be aware that the medications prescribed for ADHD have the potential for abuse. They also have to be aware of the symptoms of substance abuse, and distinguish those from ADHD … Counseling is important, and awareness is the key to preventing the problems.”
The potential of ADHD drugs to adversely impact an individual’s relationship to substances later in life is a long-term concern, but additional research raised questions about the immediate risks of pharmaceutical treatment of the condition in children.
New research out of Denmark, where use of ADHD drugs is far less common in children, indicates that potential cardiac problems are also a concern when considering the use of stimulants such as Ritalin.
The research indicated that rare cardiac problems may be twice as likely in kids treated with ADHD drugs, and study lead author Dr. Soren Dalsgaard cautioned that such risks should not be forgotten in the consideration of such medications, adding:
Indeed, the benefits from ADHD medication can be worth the risk of adverse effects, but we should not underestimate the risk of cardiac effects.”
Stimulant medications are only one way, albeit a common one, to address the pervasive symptoms of ADHD in children.
Some parents have reported mild gains in mood and focus when experimenting with diet – however, such changes are both time-consuming and restrictive, as well as unpredictable. A lengthy process of strict elimination and waiting are often necessary to pinpoint dietary triggers.
The exact cause of ADHD and focus disorders is not precisely known, and as such, treating the condition is a challenge.
Research suggests that micronutrients – a nutritional “magic wand” used by the body to create necessary enzymes and perform crucial cognitive functions – may offer a safer, effective way to improve focus and stability and reduce ADHD symptoms.
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