“My son has ADHD. Is medication safe for him?”

ADD can be a very difficult problem for the parents as well as the child and the parents have to be able to understand that the child has a real problem and it just cannot be diagnosed with a blood test or a simple physical examination. If the child, indeed, has ADD, the medications that are used for treatment have been around for 10+ years and have been shown to be very effective. They help the child concentrate better and handle impulse control much better and their work shows great improvement. The side effects are very minimal, they do not cause shortness of growth or weight loss. In the very beginning, the child may have a little hyperactivity and some insomnia, but if he continues with the medication, after about 10 days, the side effects disappear and the beneficial effects show through.

All ADHD medications have side effects. Make sure they are on the safest dose and are carefully monitored

To the Parent with a Concern:

In my practice as a developmental pediatrician, I am MUCH more concerned about the cause of a child’s inattention and FIRST want a comprehensive evaluation of his/her learning and cognitive abilities including language. Then I become focused on what to do about those causes. Medication unless administered along with other – often multiple – interventions invites long-term complications that amount to a bandaid over the cause.

Sincerely,

Sharon McDonough-Means, MD

Daily treatment for ADHD on the smallest effective dose has shown to improve school performance and usually have little side effects if he does not have seizures of heart disease. He would need to be monitored for growth and blood pressure. There are newer long acting stimulants that have newer side effects