One of the treatments for ADHD involves certain medications. Most parents have some concerns about putting their child on a medication that will be taken daily, perhaps for years. How can you be certain that the medication is safe, and will not have any lingering side effects? A new study suggests that the medications used for ADHD are safe, but doctors are questioning this finding.
Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine did a study where they evaluated data from more than 241,000 children who were taking ADHD drugs. The kids were between the ages of 3 and 17. They also looked at data from 965,000 kids who were not using ADHD medications.
In 2007, companies that manufactured ADHD medication in the United States had to produce guides that went along with the medications. The guides were designed to alert doctors and patients that using these medications comes with a “potential cardiovascular risk”.
The study showed that across the two groups, the kids who were taking ADHD medications, and those who were not, there were only 142 hospital claims of stroke. The scientists were unable to validate those claims from hospital records, however. A second analysis of the study revealed that there was a “statistically elevated” link between the medications Strattera and Ritalin, (and others), and situations of sudden death and ventricular arrhythmia. It is worth noting that Adderall and Ritalin have been known to raise heart rate and blood pressure.
Some doctors are saying that the risk of death from ADHD medications is low, and that it shouldn’t dissuade parents from giving their child these types of medications. The concept here is that if the medications are helping as a form of ADHD treatment, then it should be continued.
However, other doctors are saying that the study was a very small observational study, and may be providing false reassurance parents of children who have ADHD. It is worth noting that there hasn’t been a study addressing the potential of these types of drugs causing harm after long term use. It is known that other medications, that are not used for ADHD, that raise blood pressure and heart rate do produce long-term cardiovascular harm.
So, what is a parent to do? There are some choices. One option, of course, is simply to decide not to put your child on ADHD medication. This may work for kids who are responding well to behavioral treatments for ADHD and who have not yet been prescribed drugs. If your child is responding well to the ADHD medication that he or she is on, you might consider working with your doctor to find the lowest possible effective dose of the drug. It is possible that your doctor may have some other helpful ideas, as well.
Image by William Ross on Flickr