Home
>
Parenting
>
Ritalin (Methylphenidate) in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Ritalin (Methylphenidate) in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Ritalin is a good medication with a bad reputation. Its name causes more fear in the hearts of parents than any other medication. It is the topic of radio talk shows, protests by the Church of Scientology, and negative newspaper articles. And yet, I wonder, if it is so very bad, why is it so "over-prescribed" as the critics claim? Let's explore the issue further, and give some information to parents who might want to know more about the medication.

Tips to remember about Ritalin:

We have seen hundreds of kids benefit greatly from Ritalin. But doctors and parents must be observant and conservative. We have also seen some horror stories with Ritalin. Start slowly and cautiously. It is not a toy.

The short-acting pill is better than the timed-release pill. Also, the brand name "Ritalin" is much superior to the generic "Methylphenidate." Always begin your "trial" of medication with the real stuff. If that works, then feel free to see if the generic will work as well as the "real stuff."

Ritalin begins to work in about 15 or 20 minutes. It peaks in effectiveness at 1.5 to 2.5 hours, and lasts for about 3.5 to 4.0 hours.

Some kids have "withdrawals" or a "trough period" from coming off of the dose at about the 4 hour mark. They may become irritable, tearful, emotional, or bratty. This lasts for about 15 minutes, and tends to be worse with doses of 15 mg. or more. The best remedy for this that we've found is a 12 oz. Mountain Dew at about the 3.0 hour mark. The caffeine "deflects" or "flattens out" the angle of withdrawal. This trick works well.

Ritalin works somewhat differently in the brain than do the amphetamines like Dexedrine or ADDerall. Ritalin seems to primarily impact on longer term vesicular storage of Dopamine, while amphetamines impact primarily the pool of newly synthesized Dopamine. It also has a different effect on Norepinepherine.

From the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) 1997, page 867 we read, "Drug treatment should not and need not be indefinite and usually may be discontinued after puberty."

"Start with 5 mg twice daily, before breakfast and lunch?" "Administration of amphetamines for prolonged periods may lead to drug dependence and must be avoided."

Please understand that none of these statements from the PDR is supported by research. Most children with ADHD will still benefit from medications through their teenage years, and more than 50% of children with ADHD will still benefit from stimulant medications into adulthood.

Studies show that the medications work better if taken with or after meals.

Studies show, over and over again, that (1) ADHD kids who are never treated will have higher rates of drug use than non-ADHD kids, (2) ADHD kids that ARE treated, whether with medications, or biofeedback, or with anything, will have LOWER rates of drug us than non-ADHD kids. There is no evidence that using stimulant medications increases rates of drug use among adolescents or adults. Rather, the opposite is true.

We have seen Ritalin help hundreds of children, teens, and adults. Perhaps it can help you as well. But please be careful with it. And first, please consider some of the effective non-stimulant interventions than may be just as effective for you, but without the potential side-effects. Learn more about adhd and the treatment options at the ADHD Information Library.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including adhd and the treatment options , helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

monthly home cleaning Buffalo Grove ..

In The News:

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Ritalin (Methylphenidate) in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Parenting