March 21, 2000 WASHINGTON (AP) - The use and possible abuse of Ritalin to calm school-age children has long been a point of contention among doctors and parents.
Ritalin is most commonly prescribed for young children to treat a condition called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Children with this disorder often are disruptive in school, have trouble sitting still and act on inappropriate impulses.
The precise biological effect of Ritalin is poorly understood, but it is believed to calm ADHD behavior by boosting levels of a brain chemical, the neurotransmitter serotonin.
The widespread use of Ritalin is controversial because the diagnosis of ADHD is largely based on the observations of parents, teachers and doctors. There presently is no precise, consistent, instrumented diagnostic test for the disorder, although some are under study. Experts have said the lack of precision means the disorder may be diagnosed either too often or not often enough.
Research has shown generally that Ritalin relieves recognized ADHD symptoms in many children, but a study by a National Institutes of Health panel in 1998 suggested a combination of the drug and behavior modification training seems to work best.
The NIH study found that while Ritalin may correct problems with classroom behavior, no statistical evidence exists of improvement in academic performance. Many experts are uneasy about possible health effects of long-term Ritalin use.
Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
