A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

Though there are certainly some children who experience developmental, learning, and social difficulties due to symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and who can realize remarkable benefits through the use of prescription medications, it may seem that an excessively large number of youths are diagnosed with the issue and given pills. Concerns about the over-use of drugs geared towards children with symptoms of ADHD has risen in recent years as some parents and mental health professionals note the potential of therapy and other treatment types to provide a more meaningful and long-term solution for kids with difficulties focusing.

This issue has been given its own spotlight recently with the release of a report showing that abuse of prescription medications for ADHD has risen over 75% in the last eight years. The steep incline in abuse may correlate with increasing amounts of prescriptions being written for children who may not truly need the medication. Concerns about proper education about the medications and misunderstandings spread among youths as to potential benefits of taking excessive amounts of the pills are also being voiced in response to the discovery of the surge in abuse. A low number of deaths –precisely four– were connected with the abuse of such medications, but over forty percent of teens who reportedly abused the drugs exhibited moderate to severe side effects, and were prone to receiving hospitalization or visits to the emergency room.

While taking such medications off the market may hinder children who can benefit from their safe usage, greater dialog among psychiatrists, doctors, families, and children is clearly needed in the effort to prevent further potentially fatal use of pills indicated for the treatment of ADHD.

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