Ritalin Effects on ADHD Child | ADHD Information for Parents and Child

Last week I’ve posted 2 articles from US News about Ritalin’s effects on adhd child. You can find the exerpts in Related Articles section below, in case you landed first here on this web page as you are searching about Ritalin’s effects.

Ritalin Effects on ADHD Child: Warning to Parents

I have gotten this Ritalin effects information from the book: Prescription for Nutritional Healing p. 232, by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC.

The prescription medication methylphenidate (Ritalin) has become the most commonly prescribed medication to ease hyperactivity. Researchers are discovering, however, that this medication has many potentially serious, long-term side effects including:

decreased appetite,
weight loss,
insomnia,
slowed growth,
increased heart rate,
increased blood pressure,
a period of increased irritability and intolerance at the onset of use,
and the possibility of developing of Parkinson’s disease.

Adverse reports have been released in recent years warning parents of the possible side effects of Ritalin — with some reports even comparing it to cocaine.

Other ADHD Medications: Various Side Effects Reported

Other prescription medications often prescribed include:

detroamphetamine (Dexadrine, a stimulant that produces calming effects equivalent to Ritalin),
pemoline (Cylert, a stimulant that has been restricted by the FDA to use as a secondary medication because it can cause liver failure),
metamphetamine (Desoxyn),
amphetamine-detroamphetamine combination (Adderall),
and tricyclic antidepressants (if depression is suspected).
For periods of extreme anger and aggression, a tranquilizer called thiordazine (Mellaril) may be prescribed, but it should be used only as a last resort.

Various side effects, some of them serious, have been reported with all of these medications.

Other ADD/ADHD Medications and Ritalin Effects on ADHD Child: Masking the Symptoms

Due to the many potentially harmful side effects of the medications available for ADD/ADHD sufferers, a growing number of parents and health professionals are turning to all or a combination of the following as a way to reduce, and even possibly eliminate the symptoms of ADD/ADHD:

alteration of diet,
vitamin and mineral supplementation,
herbal remedies,
counseling,
and the love and support of family, teachers, and friends.

Many believe that medicating the problem is merely masking the symptoms without getting to the root of the problem.

Minimizing ADHD Medication and Ritalin Effects on ADHD Child

Health Tip: Taking ADHD Medications

(HealthDay News) — Medications prescribed to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may effectively manage symptoms, but they can also cause a number of side effects.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to minimize side effects caused by ADHD drugs:

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Take only the minimal dose necessary to control your symptoms. Speak with your doctor about determining the right dose for you.
If you have stomach upset, take your ADHD meds with food.
As long as your doctor says it’s OK, consider the weekend “drug-free days” when you can skip your medication.
If ADHD meds cause undesired weight loss, add healthy snacks to the day’s menu.¹

¹Health Tip: Taking ADHD Medications – US News and World Report

More Online Information: Ritalin Effects

Few Brain Side Effects In Ritalin Study -CBS News
Ritalin, a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), may not leave long-term side effects on the brain, a new study shows. The Ritalin side effects study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, was conducted on rats, not people. ADHD is typically diagnosed in children, and Ritalin is one of the most commonly prescribed ADHD drugs, Milner’s team notes.
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/03/health/webmd/main3014389.shtml

Ritalin (methylphenidate) Side Effects and Abuse
Ritalin, the most frequently prescribed stimulant drug for Attention Deficit Disorder, has been the focus of much controversy. This controversy includes harmful Ritalin effects, Ritalin abuse (including snorting Ritalin), Ritalin addiction and other Ritalin side effects.

There are few people in the United States who have not heard of Ritalin. It’s the brand name for a drug called methylphenidate and the ADHD drug of choice for physicians treating Attention Deficit Disorder. Every day five million children in America line up for their daily dose of Ritalin.

Since Attention Deficit Disorder hit the mainstream in the 1980s, prescriptions for Ritalin have skyrocketed. So have reports of children snorting Ritalin, Ritalin abuse and harmful Ritalin effects.
http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com/ritalin_side_effects.htm

ADHD and Ritalin & medication
What are the side effects of Ritalin?

As with any drug, there are side effects with the use of Ritalin. Some users will experience little or no side effects, while others may have to discontinue its use due to them. Some of the more common side effects include insomnia, decrease in appetite, headaches, stomach aches, and irritability. Whenever a child begins using Ritalin, close observations need to be made. Many doctors recommend that the child start the dosage on the weekend so that parents can see how the medication will affect the child.
http://www.essortment.com/all/adhdritalinmed_rfzt.htm

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