ADHD Medications: Used or Abused?
The child who can’t sit still, doesn’t
pay attention, never finishes homework,
has little self-control: it’s
the classic portrait of attention-deficit/
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Thankfully,
advances in medicine mean most
children who have ADHD can control the
condition instead of letting it control them.
But with more than 10 million prescriptions
for ADHD medications written every
year, the risk of these drugs being used illegally
grows. Are your children at risk?
What can you do to protect them?
The Drugs and What They Do
The drugs used most often to treat ADHD are methylphenidate (Ritalin® and Concerta ®), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine®) and amphetamine (Adderall®). All are stimulants. But surprisingly, these drugs have a calming effect on children with ADHD. They help children to be more alert, more focused and better able to learn and get work done.Research shows that these drugs act similarly to cocaine and methamphetamine. And that’s created a growing illegal “market” for ADHD drugs among teens and college students. It’s considered an easy way to get high, stay awake for days on end or lose weight. Unfortunately, this is a dangerous game. Abusing these drugs can cause rapid or irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, paranoia, fatal seizures and heart failure.
How Parents Can Help
Here’s what parents can do to help prevent abuse of ADHD drugs:Protect your child’s medication. If your child has a prescription for an ADHD drug, teach the child never to share or sell medications, and to tell you if someone asks to buy the pills. And check with the doctor about once-a-day doses. That way, children don’t have to carry medications with them.
Watch for signs of abuse. If your child doesn’t take ADHD drugs, these symptoms may signal that the child is experimenting with them illegally:
- Extreme wakefulness
- Lack of appetite or unexplained weight loss
- Dilated pupils
- Racing heartbeat
- Restlessness, irritability and hostility
