ADHD Medicines (for Teens) – Nemours KidsHealth

What Is ADHD Medicine?

After someone is diagnosed with ADHD, doctors may prescribe medicine to treat it. Medicine doesn’t cure ADHD. But it does help boost the ability to pay attention, slow down, and have more self-control.

Why Do People Need ADHD Medicine?

Not everyone with ADHD needs medicine. But medicine can help most people with ADHD stay focused longer, listen better, and fidget less.

People also benefit from therapy to learn and practice skills like staying organized, managing schoolwork, or dealing with stress. Medicine isn’t a shortcut to mastering these skills. But it does help people stay focused on learning them.

How Does ADHD Medicine Work?

ADHD medicines improve attention by helping normal brain chemicals work better.

The medicines target two brain chemicals, dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals affect a person’s attention and concentration.

How Do People Take ADHD Medicine?

People with ADHD can take different medicines. All of them need a prescription, and most are taken by mouth. They’re available as a tablet that is swallowed, chewed, or dissolved, or capsules that can be swallowed or opened and sprinkled on food. Some come in a liquid or a patch that is placed on the skin.

People usually take ADHD medicines once or twice a day, depending on the medicine.

Stimulants

These medicines include methylphenidate (brand names include Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, Daytrana), and amphetamines (e.g.,  Adderall, Dexedrine, Vyvanse).

Stimulants work as soon as you take them. How long they last depends on the medicine:

• Short-acting formulas last for about 3–6 hours.
• Long-acting formulas stay in the body for up to 12 hours. They can be helpful for people who have a long school day and need the medicine to stay focused for homework or after-school activities.

Non-stimulants

These medicines include atomoxetine (Strattera), clonidine (Kapvay), guanfacine (Intuniv), and viloxazine (Quelbree). Non-stimulants can take up to a few weeks to start working. Then, they work for 24 hours.

Before prescribing medicine, the health care team will ask if you are taking any other medicines. This includes over-the-counter medicines and supplements (like vitamins or herbal medicines). The care team will also want to know about your family’s medical history, especially if any family members had or have heart disease.

Doctors usually start by prescribing a low dose of a stimulant medicine. If you are taking a new ADHD medicine or dose, the doctor will want you and your parent to watch and see if the medicine helps.

People respond differently to medicines. If the first medicine doesn’t seem to work, even at the highest dose, then a doctor may try a different medicine. Some people need to take more than one ADHD medicine to get the best result.

What Else Can I Do?

You and your parents should watch for any
side effectsif you take a new ADHD medicine. Your doctor will adjust the dose and how often you take the medicine based on how much the medicine helps and if you have side effects.

You may need to go for several visits with the doctor over weeks or months to find the right medicine and dose. After that, the care team will want to see you every 3–6 months.

Going to all follow-up visits is important so the care team can check your height, weight, blood pressure, and heart rate. The care team will also monitor side effects and adjust the medicine dose, as needed.

To prevent problems, always do these things when taking ADHD medicine:

• Take the recommended dose.
• Take each medicine at the right time.
• Talk to a doctor before stopping the medicine or changing the dose.
• Keep all medicines in a safe place where others can’t get to them.
• Don’t give any of your medicine to anyone else.

Medicine is one part of treatment for ADHD. Treatment also can include therapy, parent support, and school support. Medicine works best when parents, teachers, and therapists help you learn any social, emotional, and behavioral skills that aren’t easy because of ADHD.

Are There Any Risks?

Like any medicine, ADHD medicines can have side effects. Not everyone gets side effects, though.

The most common side effects are loss of appetite and trouble sleeping. Other ADHD medicine side effects include jitteriness, irritability, moodiness, headaches, stomachaches, fast heart rate, and high blood pressure.

Side effects usually happen in the first few days of starting a new medicine or taking a higher dose. They often go away on their own after a few days or weeks as the body adjusts to the medicine.

If a side effect doesn’t go away, a doctor may decide to lower the dose or stop that medicine and try another. ADHD medicines only stay in the body for a few hours, so the side effects wear off as the medicine leaves the body.

Your health care team will give you more information about possible side effects for the medicine they prescribe. If you notice anything that worries you, tell your parent and talk to your doctor right away.

Some people don’t like the idea of taking medicine for ADHD. But the right medicine can make a big difference. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns. Ask questions. Your health care team can help you and your parent decide if trying a medicine for ADHD is right for you.

ADHD Medications List: Stimulants and Nonstimulants

Stimulants are the most common ADHD medications, but they don’t work for everyone. Non-stimulants have fewer side effects but take longer to work. Making certain lifestyle changes may also help reduce symptoms.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that causes a range of symptoms.

These include:

• problems concentrating
• forgetfulness
• hyperactivity
• an inability to finish tasks

Medications can help decrease ADHD symptoms in children and adults. In fact, many drugs are available to treat ADHD.

While not every person with ADHD takes the same drugs, and treatment approaches can vary between children and adults, the following list of drugs for ADHD can help you talk to your doctor about the options that are right for you.

Stimulants are the most commonly prescribed medications for ADHD. They’re often the first course of drugs used for ADHD treatment.

You might hear this class of drugs called central nervous system (CNS) stimulant medications. They work by increasing the amounts of two neurotransmitter hormones called dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

This effect improves concentration and decreases the fatigue that’s common with ADHD.

Many brand-name stimulants are now only available as generic versions, which cost less and may be preferred by some insurance companies. However, other drugs are only available as brand-name products.

Amphetamines

Amphetamines are stimulants used for ADHD. They include:

• amphetamine
• dextroamphetamine
• lisdexamfetamine

They come in immediate-release (a drug that’s released into your body right away) and extended-release (a drug that’s released into your body slowly) oral forms. Brand names of these drugs include:

• Adderall XR (generic available)
• Dexedrine (generic available)
• Dyanavel XR
• Evekeo
• ProCentra (generic available)
• Vyvanse

Methamphetamine (Desoxyn)

Methamphetamine is related to ephedrine and amphetamine. It also works by stimulating the CNS.

It’s not known exactly how this drug works to help ADHD symptoms. Like other stimulants, methamphetamine may increase the amounts of hormones like dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain.

It can reduce your appetite and increase your blood pressure. This drug comes as an oral tablet taken once or twice per day.

Methylphenidate

Methylphenidate works by blocking the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine in your brain. This helps increase levels of these hormones.

It’s also a stimulant. It comes in immediate-release, extended-release, and controlled-release oral forms.

It also comes as a transdermal patch under the brand name Daytrana. Brand names include:

• Aptensio XR (generic available)
• Metadate ER (generic available)
• Concerta (generic available)
• Daytrana
• Ritalin (generic available)
• Ritalin LA (generic available)
• Methylin (generic available)
• QuilliChew
• Quillivant

Dexmethylphenidate is another stimulant for ADHD that’s similar to methylphenidate. It’s available as the brand-name medication Focalin.

Nonstimulants affect the brain differently than stimulants do. These drugs also affect neurotransmitters, but they don’t increase dopamine levels. In general, it takes longer to see results from these drugs than from stimulants.

These drugs come in several classes. A doctor might prescribe them when stimulants aren’t safe or are ineffective. They may also prescribe them if a person wants to avoid the side effects of stimulants.

Atomoxetine (Strattera)

Atomoxetine (Strattera) blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine in the brain. This lets norepinephrine work longer.

The drug comes as an oral form you take once or twice per day. This drug is also available as a generic.

Atomoxetine has caused liver damage in a small number of people. If you have signs of liver problems while taking this drug, your doctor will check your liver function.

Signs of liver problems include:

• a tender or swollen abdomen
• yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
• fatigue

Clonidine ER (Kapvay)

Clonidine ER (Kapvay) is used to reduce hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and distractibility in people with ADHD. Other forms of clonidine are used to treat high blood pressure.

Because it also lowers blood pressure, people taking it for ADHD may feel lightheaded.

This drug is available as a generic.

Guanfacine ER (Intuniv)

Guanfacine is normally prescribed for high blood pressure in adults. This drug is available as a generic, but only the time-release version and its generics are approved for use in children with ADHD.

The time-release version is called Guanfacine ER (Intuniv).

This drug may help with memory and behavioral problems. It may also help improve aggression and hyperactivity.

Q&A

Are the same drugs that are used to treat ADHD in children used to treat adult ADHD?

Yes, in most cases. However, the dosages of many of these drugs are different for kids than they are for adults. Also, the side effects of these drugs are different in adults than they are in children. Your medical history can limit your treatment options. It’s important to talk to your doctor about your medical history to get an idea of which of these drugs is likely to work best for you.

— Healthline Medical Team

Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Was this helpful?

Your doctor may suggest other ADHD treatments along with medications.

For instance, a 2012 article said that changing your diet may alleviate some ADHD symptoms.

A 2014 study found that taking omega-3 supplements may also modestly improve symptoms in children with ADHD. However, newer research has found that diet changes may not improve ADHD symptoms. Further research is needed.

Talk to your doctor about your drug options as well as the alternatives, such as these natural remedies. It’s important to discuss all ADHD treatment options with your doctor to gain the best results.

Is methylphenidate an effective treatment for children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and does it cause unwanted effects?

Basic provisions

– Methylphenidate may reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and help children concentrate. Methylphenidate may also help improve the overall behavior and quality of life of children with ADHD.

Methylphenidate does not appear to increase the risk of serious (life-threatening) adverse effects when used for up to six months. However, it is associated with an increased risk of non-serious adverse effects such as sleep problems and decreased appetite.

– Future studies should be more focused on reporting adverse effects and should be conducted over longer periods of time.

What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed and treated childhood psychiatric disorders. Children with ADHD have difficulty concentrating. They are often hyperactive (fidgety, unable to sit still for long periods of time) and impulsive (do things without stopping to think). ADHD can make it difficult for children to do well in school because they have difficulty following instructions and concentrating. Their behavioral problems can prevent them from getting along well with family and friends, and they often get into more trouble than other children.

How is ADHD treated?

Methylphenidate (eg Ritalin) is the most commonly prescribed drug for children and adolescents with ADHD. Methylphenidate is a stimulant that helps increase the activity of certain areas of the brain, such as those associated with concentration. Methylphenidate can be taken as a tablet or applied to the skin as a patch. Its dosage form can be formulated to act immediately or act slowly over several hours. Methylphenidate may cause unwanted effects such as headaches, stomach pain, and sleep problems. Sometimes it causes serious unwanted effects such as heart problems, hallucinations, or “tics” (twitches) of the face.

What did we want to find out?

We wanted to find out whether methylphenidate improves children’s ADHD symptoms (attention, hyperactivity), based primarily on teachers’ ratings on various scales, and whether it causes serious adverse effects such as death, hospitalization, or disability. We were also interested in less serious adverse effects such as sleep problems and loss of appetite, as well as its impact on children’s overall behavior and quality of life.

What have we done?

We searched for studies investigating the use of methylphenidate in children and adolescents with ADHD. Study participants had to be 18 years of age or younger and have a diagnosis of ADHD. They may have had other disorders or diseases, they may have taken other medications, or they may have received behavioral therapy. They were supposed to have a normal IQ (intelligence quotient). Most of the trials compared methylphenidate to a placebo, a pacifier that looks and tastes like methylphenidate but does not contain the active ingredient. Participants were to be randomly selected to receive or not receive methylphenidate. We compared and summarized the results of these studies, and assessed our confidence in the evidence, based on factors such as study methods and study size.

What did we find?

We found 212 studies involving 16,302 children or adolescents with ADHD. Most studies have compared methylphenidate with placebo. Most of the studies were small and included about 70 children with an average age of 10 years (age ranged from 3 to 18 years). Most studies were short, averaging about a month; the shortest study lasted only one day, and the longest 425 days. Most of the research has been done in the USA.

Based on teacher ratings compared to placebo or no treatment, methylphenidate:

– may reduce ADHD symptoms (21 studies, 1728 children)

– may not affect serious adverse effects (26 studies, 3673 participants)

– may cause more non-serious adverse effects (35 studies, 5342 participants)

– may improve general behavior (7 studies, 792 participants)

– may not affect quality of life (4 studies, 608 participants)

Limitations of evidence

Our confidence in the evidence is limited for several reasons. Often, the people who participated in the studies might have known what treatment the children were taking, which could affect the results. In many studies, the results were not fully reported, and for some outcomes, the results varied between studies. The studies were small and used different scales to measure symptoms. In addition, most of the studies have only lasted for a short period of time, which makes it impossible to assess the long-term effects of methylphenidate. About 41% of the research was wholly or partly funded by the pharmaceutical industry.

How relevant is this evidence?

This is an update of a 2015 survey. The evidence is current to March 2022.

If you found this evidence helpful, please consider donating to Cochrane. We are a charity that produces accessible evidence to help people make health and care decisions.

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Translation notes:

Translation: Airat Usmanovich Ziganshina. Editing: Ziganshina Lilia Evgenievna. Russian translation project coordination: Cochrane Russia – Cochrane Russia on the basis of the Russian Medical Academy of Continuing Professional Education (RMANPE). For questions related to this transfer, please contact: [email protected]

Drugs for the treatment of attention disorders can cause irresistible erections

Prolonged and painful erections may occur in attention-deficit adolescents treated with psychostimulants. The boys, as well as their parents, were warned about this by the American authorities.

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning announcing the discovery of unusual side effects of a drug used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Overdiagnosis syndrome

Increasingly widespread attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is close to debunking:…

04 April 11:57

ADHD syndrome is a behavioral developmental disorder that manifests itself even in preschool and early school age. Children with this disease have difficulty controlling their behavior, they fail to concentrate on solving tasks –

they are careless, careless and frivolous.

It is believed that ADHD is based on neurobiological factors: genetic mechanisms or early organic damage to the brain. According to statistics, from 2 to 12% of children suffer from the syndrome, and it is more common in boys. Sometimes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder does not disappear and continues to be observed in adolescence and even in adults.

One drug used to treat the disorder is methylphenidate, a synthetic central nervous system stimulant that is similar to the amphetamine groups and produces similar effects. It was he who became the cause of concern for patients and medical services.

The US regulatory agency has stated that drugs based on this substance, such as Ritalin and concerto,

can cause priapism, a painful erection that lasts for several hours.

“Spice” kills the kidneys

Acute kidney failure, as another short-term adverse outcome of the use of synthetic. ..

April 24 11:44

“Patients on methylphenidate who have erections lasting more than four hours should seek medical attention to avoid long-term penis problems. Failure to take proper measures can lead to its permanent damage, ”says control statement .

Priapism for various reasons can occur in men when, without sexual arousal, the outflow of blood from the cavernous bodies of the penis is disturbed. Teenagers who have not reached puberty may not realize there is a problem and be embarrassed to turn to adults for help, officials warn.

Therefore, patients and their parents should “memorize” the signs and symptoms of priapism and, if it occurs, realize the need for treatment, doctors remind.

In total, from 1997 to 2012, the supervisory authorities received 15 complaints of priapism from those who took these psychostimulants. But due to the fact that doctors rely only on the statistics of voluntary applications, it is not known what the real danger of the drug is.

According to the doctors, the oldest person who applied was 33 years old, the youngest was 8 years old, and the average age is 12.5 years. Sometimes undesirable consequences occur when the dose of the drug is changed or when the drug is stopped.

Gas from Nord-Ost became a drug

The opioid carfentanil, which was allegedly part of the gas used in the assault…

17 June 19:29

According to doctors, in two cases, patients required surgery.

Doctors warn that if symptoms appear, you should not abruptly stop taking medication without consulting a specialist. Today in the United States, methylphenidate-based drugs help teenagers improve attention, reduce impulsivity, and improve overall social adjustment.

Between 1996 and 2008, the percentage of children and teens taking ADHD medications increased from 2.4 to 3.5, almost half a million, according to US government data released two years ago. “The steady increase in use among adolescents reflects the recent perception of the syndrome as childish.