The Controversy of Medications For ADHD

There is an intense controversy of medications for ADHD. The need for the medication to start out with is contentious. Further it is a contentious battle over whether ADHD is a real problem or an invented excuse for bad behavior.

Is ADHD real? Absolutely it is shown that people with the disorder have less activity in the parts of the brain that manage activity and function. This can make it difficult for a child to learn new skills. They can be irritable and act out simply because they can't tell a parent what's wrong.

Doing chores at home and school become so difficult that the child will either not do what they're told but they actually do forget. Most children with ADHD have a very hard time with multiple commands such as go get your shoes, your socks, and bring them to me.

You could have a child who stays in their room forgetting what they were told or they will bring just one of the things you asked them to get.

ADHD children also have extremely high degrees of activity. They seem to be always moving even in their sleep. If they are told to sit still, it's next to impossible for them.

They be tapping their feet or their fingers.

Impulsive behavior is also a symptom of ADHD. This might be noticed in young children who are climbers. They will attempt to get as high as they can, if they can. Older children might take risks such as riding down a steep hill on a skateboard, roller blades, or a bike.

Children may dart after a ball as rolls into the street without thinking about traffic. They tend to forget or ignore the possible consequences of their actions.

Stimulant medication is prescribed for many children with ADHD/ADD. They do work for most children. Keep in mind though that stimulants do not work for everyone. This is true of any treatment that is implemented.

Stimulants are immoderately addictive. They can make children who take them for a prolonged period, much more likely as adults to have depression and substance abuse problems. This is of great concern to many parents. These are not the only side effects either.

Children may have sleepless nights, not want to eat as usual, and they could suffer with depression. They may also become irritable. Stimulants can affect their livers' their hearts, and cause thoughts of suicide or about dying. Children should be closely monitored while on stimulants.

Holistic medicine is becoming more popular among most people especially parents who want to avoid the dangers of stimulants and other ADHD medications. If used in conjunction with an antidepressant, children and young adults are at a much higher risk of suicidal ideation and attempts. Sadly many succeed.

The holistic approach is the system of belief that the mind, body, and spirit should be harmony. Natural supplements for ADHD are a combination of specific vitamins, minerals, botanical extracts, and herbs that are known to be of benefit to people with ADHD.

The supplements should be made by a person who is a certified homeopath and be purchased from them as well. If they are purchased at a grocery or pharmacy store be sure they are FDA approved for maximum safety and benefit.

New ADHD Medication in Patch Form

New meds for ADHD are always being developed. One of the newer drugs is in patch form. The patch is water resistant, and can be used by people who cannot swallow a pill, such as children. It is also convenient for parents who need an extended release form for the kids at school. With the patch the school would not have to administer any medications.

Methylphenidate (amphetamine), a controlled substance is the medication used for the patch. This new ADHD medication is the same stimulant that is used in Ritalin, Concerta and Focalin. The drug is time released and delivered more slowly than pills. The medication in the patch passes through the skin and into the bloodstream instead of the digestive system. The patch does have the same side effects such as no appetite, trouble falling asleep, headaches, stomachache and tics, skin irritation or rash where the patch is placed on the body.

Some drugs marketed for other causes are trying to be passed off as a new drug for ADHD when in reality they have been on the market for years and for treating a completely different condition. The question is "Do we really need another new ADHD medication"? Especially since the thought now among ADHD experts is that ADHD does not get better as the patient gets older. ADHD in adults is growing and they experience a higher rate of unemployment, divorce, drug abuse.

With all the controversy relating to new meds for ADHD why not try something that has been just as effective and without all the problems associated with pharmacy medications. Why are we so quick to jump on the prescription route? Alternatives medicines might be your answer if you are looking for something else besides a prescription drug that can cause dependency.

ADHD's Hardest Question - Should I Medicate My ADHD Child?

I think that anyone with ADHD would choose to manage his or her disease without medication if that were possible. I think that there is not a parent worth their weight in salt that would give their kid a pill every day if it were not necessary. There are behavioral interventions and dietary interventions that have been found to help ADHD and classroom modifications have also proved to be very helpful for children with ADHD. Parents are obliged to exhaust other avenues of treatment before resorting to a 'pill' cure. A 'pill' cure however is sometimes inevitable.

I work in health care. I see patients every day with uncontrolled high blood pressure, uncontrolled high cholesterol, and uncontrolled high blood sugar. Many of these patients have not even tried to control their diseases with life style modifications. Many of them continue to eat poorly, never exercise, and have made no modifications to their lifestyles to try and control their medical problems. Many other of these patients are doing EVERYTHING possible to keep their disease in check and despite their best efforts are still seeing laboratory values and blood pressures that are dangerously high.

The individuals described above should all be started on medications to control their dangerous medical problems. For those patients who are unwilling to try lifestyle modifications, medication is needed because these problems lead to great illness and even death and without medication, these individuals will have a very poor quality of life. For those patients who have tried everything and are still not controlled, medication is needed for the very same reason.

I think that for ADHD we are required to take the same approach for ourselves and for our kids. We need to exhaust every lifestyle modification measure available to control the symptoms of ADHD. If we succeed with lifestyle measures, we will need to stay vigilant and not stray from our daily regimen. If we do not succeed with these modifications or are unwilling to try lifestyle modifications, we should seek medication.

ADHD causes low self-esteem, squelches the attainment of our full potential as individuals, and isolates us because we can be difficult people to be around. While none of these things will kill us like say diabetes or hypertension might, they can make our lives sad and miserable. Studies done on young males indicate that the rate of suicide is increased when there is a diagnosis of ADHD. Whether this is related to the comorbidities of depression and Bipolar Disorder is unknown but the imperative to medicate in these cases is still the same. Daily medication is never our first choice. It is, however, our last resort because our lives and the lives or our children may very well depend on it.

A Parent's Guide - ADHD Medication Long Term Effects

Given the troubling short term side effects, you are smart to be concerned about ADHD medication long term effects. In this article, you will learn about the dangers of ADHD drugs, so you can make better treatment choices for your child.

First, let's talk about ADHD drugs in general. There are two types of drugs: stimulants and non-stimulants. These drugs work by suppressing the symptoms of ADHD and helping your child to concentrate. Unfortunately, these medications have side effects including:

• Restlessness


• Headaches


• Appetite loss and/or upset stomach


• Facial tics


• Moodiness


• Depression


• Heart problems

ADHD Medication Long Term Effects

Although many researchers fear that children who take ADHD drugs in childhood may be more likely to engage in recreational drug use as adults, this has not been proven conclusively.

Since ADHD drugs are relatively new, we can only infer ADHD medicine long term effects by looking at the short term issues associated with taking these drugs. First of all, it's important to note that some of the side effects of the drugs are the same as the symptoms of the disorder, like restlessness and mood swings. This means, for some kids, taking drugs can make their symptoms worse.

Second, side effects like loss of appetite and sleeplessness can affect your child's development. For a child who is already having problems at school, this may delay growth and put him further behind other children. It's also important to note that the ADHD medication long term effects on the brain have yet to be determined.

Third, you may not be aware of this, but stimulant medications can cause sudden death in kids who have heart issues.

Fourth, stimulants can worsen symptoms like depression, anxiety and aggression. When the brain is steeped in these emotions for an extended time, it ceases to produce feel-good neurotransmitters that offset dark moods and can lead to full blown psychiatric disorders. It is especially important to take extra precautions with kids who have a family history of suicide, depression or bipolar disorder.

If reading the ADHD medicine long term effects gives you pause, then you have to ask yourself an important question: do the benefits of giving my child an ADHD drug far outweigh the risks? If your answer is "no," then you should consider giving your child a natural remedy.

Although many parents think that natural remedies pale in comparison to the effectiveness of ADHD drugs, this is simply not the case. In fact, when you look at all the benefits of natural remedies, they are clearly more effective. First and most important, natural remedies can restore proper functioning to the brain by giving it the nutrients it needs to function at its best. Second, natural remedies have no short term side effects. Third, holistic medicines will not interact with other drugs your child is taking. Fourth, these remedies have been clinically proven to reduce symptoms like fidgeting, hyperactivity, impulsivity, mood swings and more while improving focus and the ability to finish tasks.

Of course, like anything, it's important to realize that some remedies are better than others. Look for one that has been FDA-approved and contains ingredients like Arsen Iod and Verta Alb which have been shown to be effective. In addition to being able to give these remedies to your child with confidence in their efficacy and safety, you will no longer have to be concerned about ADHD medication long term effects.

Helping Teens Cope With ADHD Medication Side Effects

Many parents find it challenging when it comes to helping teens cope with ADHD medication side effects. While the cure for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has yet to be found, medical professionals are discovering that certain types of medications are quite productive when it comes to treating teenagers.

These medications do not cure ADHD by any means, but they do assist in controlling the troublesome symptoms that are often experienced by teenagers. The most common types of medications that are prescribed for this age group are those that contain stimulants. While ADHD stimulant medications are quite productive, they often result in many uncomfortable side effects.

The teen years are extremely challenging. Having to experience ADHD medication side effects often just add to the normal, everyday challenges that the teen experiences on a day to day basis. As a parent, you will likely discover that your child has a hard time adjusting. The best thing that you can do is explain to your teen that certain side effects may, in fact, be experienced.

You should inform them that they may become anxious, depressed, and even experience mild to severe mood swings. This is all normal. These side effects on top of the hormonal changes that occurring in the body may be an uncomfortable experience for them and those around them. Simple explain that you support them and will be understanding.

Many teenagers that experience ADHD medication side effects may become quite tired, and even lose their appetite. They may begin to feel the need to sleep more or may not be able to get to sleep at all. They may know that they need to eat, but they may not be able to at all. If you find that your teenager is experiencing these types of ADHD medication side effects, it is important to enlist the assistance of a medical professional.

Urgent Warning to Parents! The Dangers of ADHD Medication Side Effects

It is no secret that ADHD medication side effects can be seriously harmful to one's health. Moreover, children comprise majority of ADHD patients and they are quite vulnerable to the side effects of ADHD medications. What is more bothersome is that there are still some parents who would choose to give prescription drugs like stimulants despite numerous reports and warnings about its use.

To those parents and ADHD patients who do not know some of the detrimental ADHD medication side effects to the body, allow me to enumerate them. ADHD prescription medication may cause long-term effects to the brain, cardiovascular problems, psychiatric problems, and even a potential for abuse and addiction.

Would you want your child to have bipolar disorder or schizophrenia when he gets older just because of a medication that you decided to give him? On top of that, there are other ADHD medication side effects, less dangerous but nonetheless disconcerting, like loss of appetite, insomnia, weight loss, restlessness, and stunted growth.

Medication is not the only solution to ADHD. Other therapies are available that have been proven to help with the symptoms of the disorder, without those side effects of ADHD medications. These include behavioral therapy, yoga, biofeedback training, dietary modification, meditation and homeopathic remedies, among others. Homeopathic remedies, in particular, are said to be just as effective in controlling symptoms of ADHD, without harmful effects and risks of abuse and addiction.

These treatment options are definitely worth considering, given the dangerous side effects of ADHD medications. Some might argue that the possibility of these dangerous effects is not high. Let me tell you this. Although these harmful effects do not happen to all patients who take it, it is real, there are documented cases, and it can very much happen to anyone.

As parents, we should all be concerned about ADHD medication side effects. Our kids have enough things to worry about themselves. This one is our responsibility. You are given the choice to see in different perspectives, weigh all your options, and see which will likely result in the least harm. Do yourself a favor and make sure that you pick the right choice.

Facts About ADHD Medications - Stimulant Prescription Medications

When discussing facts about ADHD medications one must first examine stimulant medications. Stimulant prescription medications designed to treat ADHD generally impact either nerve cells in the brain or dopamine containing neurons in the brain. These medications focus on increasing the number of these neurotransmitters in the synapses. You may recall from high school that synapses are the areas in the brain that transmit and receive thought processes in the brain. These types of medications that stimulate brain activity are commonly known as short and long term stimulant medications. Stimulant medications for ADHD dominate the market, with millions of prescriptions written annually. While their popularity continues to grow, the list of side effects associated with them also continues to grow. For this reason you should thoroughly investigate the facts about these types of ADHD medications.

Facts about ADHD Medications - Stimulant Medications

Prescription stimulant medications are formulated to boost the amount of dopamine or norepinephrine (or both) being released into the synapses. Examples of stimulant medications are:

Ritalin: Last year an estimated 2,000,000 children were prescribed this medication. It is still the most widely used ADHD medication. Perhaps it has retained its popularity due to the release of a generic version.

Dexedrine: If may come as a surprise that Dexedrine is the oldest medication used for ADHD and is still one of the most popular. It is currently available in both short and long term (taken once a day) varieties.

Adderall: This medication has been compared to Dexedrine but contains both left and right handed forms of stimulant, so it is supposed to work a little more on norepinephrine containing neurons than Dexedrine. Both short and long term varieties are currently available.

Desoxyn: Amazingly this is the same as methamphetamine causing havoc in so many of our communities today. As a prescription medication it is reasonably inexpensive. Desoxyn works for some ADHD patients. It is only available in short term form.

Cylert: This medication is of the feel good variety, releasing only dopamine. If you are prescribed this drug you should be aware that it can cause damage to the liver

Provigil: This prescription med for ADHD is primarily used for sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. Provigil works differently than the other stimulant drugs listed above. Currently in research trials, Provigil seems to be showing positive results in expanding its accepted treatment status to include ADHD.

Facts about ADHD Medications - Alternative Treatments

Natural treatments for ADHD have recently started to gain popularity. This is probably due to the growing list of side effects associated with conventional ADHD treatment options; such as depression. Natural alternative treatment options can deliver equally suitable results that will last, without causing worrisome side effects. There are many natural supplements that have been shown to help alleviate the symptoms of ADHD, the most promising of which may be the homeopathic remedies.