Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that increases
hyperactive and impulsive behaviors above their usual level. Individuals with ADHD may also
have difficulty focusing their attention on a single task. Other symptoms of ADHD include
fidgeting, acting without thinking, irritability, persistent repetition of words, and constant mood
swings. As of 2016, about 6.1 million children were diagnosed with ADHD in the United States
(CDC, 2020). About 388,000 of the children were aged 2-5 years, 2.4 were between 6 and 11
years, and 3.3 million children were aged 12-17 years (CDC, 2020). This paper will contrast the
commonly known notions about ADHD medications in children versus the evidence-based
research on the topic. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Read more
Children below three years diagnosed with ADHD were given Adderall,
dextroamphetamine, Dextrostat, or dextroamphetamine oral solution. However, children aged six
years and above can be treated with medications such as Metadate CD, Desoxyn, Ritalin, Ritalin
LA, Strattera, and Quillivant XR, to mention but a few. The mentioned medication help reduce
hyperactivity and improve attention in children with ADHD. Also, the drugs help improve
children’s ability to cope with frustrations, focus, learn and work.

One of the notions widely propagated by people about ADHD drugs in children is that it
causes stunted growth. However, evidence-based research on the topic reveals that both
stimulant and non-stimulant medication have no relationship with stunted growth (Poulton et al.,
2016). Researchers and health professionals agree that stimulant medication does not affect the
final height of children (Poulton et al., 2016). This means that there is no height difference
between children who take ADHD medication and those who did not. This is despite the fact that
boys treated with stimulant drugs for a period exceeding three months exhibited a later growth spur than boys who did not take the drugs (Poulton et al., 2016). Order

The only negative side effect of stimulants when treating ADHD among children is that it causes loss of appetite and increases the production of dopamine (Poulton et al., 2016). This has the effect of slowing down the
growth effects, although it is short-lived. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder;
Another misconception widely held by people is that ADHD medication in children
increases the risk of drug abuse in adulthood. However, this is not true, and there exists no
evidence to show that. The evidence-based data on the topic reveals that stimulant medication in
treating ADHD does not automatically cause drug addiction in adulthood (Wimberley et al.,
2019). Further investigations show that adolescents and adults who have never take ADHD
medication in their childhood make the largest segment (Wimberley et al., 2019). Other
researchers believe that stimulant medications among children diagnosed with ADHD neither
increases nor decreases the risk of substance abuse in adulthood (Wimberley et al., 2019). This
means that participants in the studies treated with ADHD during childhood were neither more
likely nor less likely to develop substance use disorders (Wimberley et al., 2019). Therefore, the
notion that ADHD medication increases the risk of developing substance use disorders is false.
It should be noted that ADHD itself increases the risk of developing substance use
disorders and not the medications (Wimberley et al., 2019). Research shows that young adults
and adolescents with ADHD are twice or thrice as likely to develop alcohol use disorder as their
counterparts without the condition (Wimberley et al., 2019). Therefore, the risk of developing
substance use disorder is in the condition and not the treatment.