Abstract This paper studies the use of Ritalin and other pharmaceutical options in treating children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). After providing an overview of the disorder and its diagnosis in children, the paper then analyzes the efficacy and controversy over using Ritalin and other drugs (including dextroamphetamines) to treat ADD/ADHD. The author looks at dosing suggestions and potential side-effects, concluding that the benefits of Ritalin -- when properly proscribed and used -- outweigh the risks.
From the Paper "Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and its close relative Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are neurological developmental disabilities which are known to effect between 3-5% of school age youth. Scientists have suggested that the disorders are genetically transmitted. Research has not definitively shown that either disorder is chemically based, although some doctors believe that ADD/ADHD are caused by a chemical imbalance in specific neurotransmitters that normally help the brain regulate behavior. The National Institute of Mental Health has shown, however, that subjects with ADD or ADHD have a lower rate of glucose usage in the brain - glucose being the brain's primary source of energy. However, Merck states that less than 5% of children with the disorder show any signs of neurologic damage or structural abnormality in the brain."
