Selecting the Right Medication for Your ADHD Child - Medication for Your ADHD Child

In February 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered drug manufacturers to add warning labels to all ADHD stimulant medications addressing cardiac and psychiatric risks associated with ADHD drugs.

Nonstimulant ADHD Medication

Individual children respond to drugs differently; a child may benefit from one drug but not another. Because some children don't benefit from stimulant drugs, doctors have turned to other medications to treat ADHD.

Strattera (Atomoxetine)

Sold under the trade name Strattera, this is the first nonstimulant ADHD medication approved by the FDA. Like the stimulants, Strattera works on the norepinephrine brain chemicals. And also like stimulant drugs, Strattera is effective in treating and controlling ADHD symptoms. However, this medication is not a controlled substance and children are less likely to abuse the drug or become dependant on it.

Strattera is given in a single dose either in the morning or afternoon. Effects last until the next dose. It may be taken with or without food. However, some evidence shows that taking it with food will decrease any stomach upsets.

Side Effects of Strattera

Overall, Strattera is well tolerated with minimal side effects, according to the AAP. It doesn't cause many of the potential side effects linked to stimulants, such as sleeplessness. The most common side effects: upset stomach, decreased appetite, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and mood swings. Generally these side effects are not severe, and only a very small percentage of children in clinical trials testing Strattera stopped this ADHD medication due to side effects.

There have been reports of slightly decreased growth in children and teens taking Strattera. It is recommended that children and adolescents be observed, measured, and weighed periodically while on this ADHD medication. Allergic reactions are rare but do occur, usually as swelling or hives. The doctor or other health care professional should be advised immediately if anyone taking Strattera develops a skin rash, swelling, hives, or other allergic symptoms.

In 2004, Strattera began carrying a warning label that the drug should be stopped if patients showed signs of jaundice -- yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, a sign of liver damage. If blood tests show evidence of liver damage, the drug should also be stopped.

Antidepressants as ADHD Medications

Various types of antidepressant medications have all been shown to help children and adults with ADHD, says the AAP. These include Pamelor , Aventyl, Tofranil, Norpramin, Pertofrane, Effexor, Nardil, and Parnate. Some are better tolerated than others. Some have side effects that can be a problem.

However, antidepressants are not approved by the FDA to treat ADHD. And antidepressants are generally not as effective as stimulants or Straterra at improving attention span and concentration. Also, in 2004 the FDA determined that antidepressant medications increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children with depression and other psychiatric disorders.

Sources:

• Clinical Practice Guideline: Treatment of the School-Aged Child With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, American Academy of Pediatrics, PEDIATRICS Vol. 108 No. 4 October 2001, pp. 1033-1044.
• FDA warning on ADHD medications, Feb. 2007.
• Efron, D. "Side Effects Of Methylphenidate And Dexamphetamine In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; A Double-blind, Crossover Trial," Pediatrics 100 (1997).
• Strattera website, strattera.com

next: Where Does Strattera Fit into the Treatment of ADHD?
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