What is known about these drugs?
Here are experts' opinions on how these drugs work on the brain, whether they're safe, and what's known about long-term consequences. The experts are: Harold Koplewicz, M.D., director for the New York University Child Study Center; Russell Barkley, professor of psychiatry and neurology at University of Massachusetts Medical Center; Xavier Castellanos, M.D., a top ADHD scientist; Lawrence Diller, M.D., author of Running on Ritalin; Denver psychiatrist William Dodson, M.D.; and Peter Jensen, M.D., director of Columbia University's Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health.

The ritalin explosion
On average, two to three students in U.S. classrooms are on some kind of behavior-modifying drugs--and the numbers are increasing. Why? Here are the views of Harvey Parker, child psychologist and founder of Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD), an advocacy group; Harold Koplewicz, M.D., director for the New York University Child Study Center; Russell Barkley, professor of psychiatry and neurology at University of Massachusetts Medical Center; Peter Jensen, M.D., director of Columbia University's Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health; and Denver psychiatrist William Dodson, M.D.

The what, when and how of taking ritalin
In this excerpt from Running on Ritalin: A Physician Reflects on Children, Society, and Performance in a Pill, Dr. Lawrence Diller describes the process of determining proper dosage, how long Ritalin's effects last, and possible side effects and other considerations.

The multimodal treatment study of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
In December 1999, the Archives of General Psychiatry published the initial results of the most comprehensive study of treatment strategies for ADHD ever undertaken. The NIMH-sponsored study compared the treatment outcomes for almost 600 ADHD children at eight sites across the U.S., and found that stimulant medication treatment--alone or in combination with behavioral therapy--was more effective at treating ADHD symptoms than behavioral therapy alone.

What we don't know: ritalin and preschool age children
Here are some details on a National Institute of Mental Health study, launched in 2001, which is designed to help determine if Ritalin is effective, and safe, for very young children. Although very little is known about the short- or long-term effects of stimulant medications on this age group, prescription rates for them are rising dramatically.

The ADHD drugs
Clinicians who choose to medicate ADHD children have several options. Here's a list of the most commonly prescribed medications, along with the manufacturer, generic name, drug type, and an estimate of how long the drug stays in a child's system.

Ritalin abuse: statistics
Ritalin and other psychostimulant drugs used to treat ADHD, such as Dexedrine and Adderall, are regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration because they're considered to be potential drugs of abuse. Here is a range of statistics on the problem of non-medical use of Ritalin and other amphetamine-type drugs.

Statistics on stimulant use (with charts)
In little more than a decade, production levels and prescription rates for stimulant medication to treat ADHD have skyrocketed. Data collected by the U.S. Drug Enforcment Administration (DEA) indicates that the level of usage is inconsistent across American communities.

These articles were part of a PBS Frontline investigation into different aspects of ADHD.

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Reviewed: 02/2006