ADHD Medication - Sydney Cognitive Development Centre

ADHD Medication Information

Unfortunately for many children with ADHD, one of the first treatments is
stimulant ADHD medication. The ADHD medications that are currently
prescribed in Australia are dexamphetamine and methylphenidate.
Methylphenidate is available as a short-acting preparation (eg. Ritalin), and
as a long-acting or extended release preparation (eg. Ritalin LA or Concerta).
Other stimulant medications are used to treat ADHD but are not available in
Australia (eg. Adderall).

Some people get better results from dexamphetamine, while others get
better results from methylphenidate. Currently it is not possible to predict
which stimulant will be most effective for a particular person. In choosing the
medication, the doctor has taken into account individual symptoms and
circumstances. If one stimulant medication does not relieve the symptoms,
the doctor may suggest trying the other.

Up until recently, dexamphetamine was the less expensive of the short-acting
stimulant medications due to its listing as a pharmaceutical benefit on the
Commonwealth Government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). In
August 2005 short-acting methylphenidate (Ritalin) was also included on the
PBS as a treatment for ADHD and can now be obtained for the same cost as
dexamphetamine. Long-acting methylphenidate, which is not available on the
PBS, became available in Australia in 2003.

In Australia, atomoxetine (Strattera) is the only non-stimulant medication
approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (Commonwealth
Department of Health and Ageing) for the treatment of ADHD. Atomoxetine is
quite a different compound to the stimulant drugs and the effects it produces
on chemicals in the brain is different to that of the stimulants. Its use in the
treatment of ADHD is relatively new and doctors are only beginning to gain
experience in its use. Antidepressants have been studied as a treatment for
ADHD and have generally been found to be less effective than stimulants.

The ADHD stimulant medications are found to have a short-term
effectiveness of up to 80 percent in reducing the symptoms of Attention Deficit
Disorder in school-age children. For these people, ADHD medications
reduce their hyperactivity and improve their ability to focus, work, and learn.
However, there are downsides and side effects to these medications. Many
doctors feel the side effects of ADHD medications should be carefully
weighed against the benefits before prescribing ADHD medications like
Ritalin or Concerta.

ADHD medication as the "Quick Fix"?

Research is clear that stimulant ADHD medications can be helpful, at least in
the short term. Parents and teachers often rush to applaud ADHD
medications when the child's schoolwork and behavior improve after starting
ADHD medications. While the ADHD medications can allow these changes
to take place, the effect wears off when the ADHD medications wear off.

The ADHD medications do not increase knowledge or improve academic
skills, though the ADHD medications can help people pay better attention and
complete their work. The ADHD medications only control the symptoms
instead of addressing the causes of ADHD symptoms. ADHD medications
are like glasses, braces or allergy medications. These ADHD medications
don't cure the disorder. They only temporarily control the symptoms.

A growing number of health professionals, parents and educators believe
that ADHD is a disorder, but they do not agree that a long-term course of
medication is the answer. Since children do not outgrow Attention Deficit
Disorder medications merely postpone dealing with the causes. Because of
this, many health professionals believe that children displaying the
symptoms of ADHD should not be treated solely with ADHD medications.
they encourage that the child receives other therapies which target a broad
range of problems that children with ADHD suffer including:

Social skill training
Cognitive training
Classroom & educational intervention
Training in organisational skills
Behaviour management training (for parents)

See our ADHD 7-Step treatment program for more details: [click here]