Ritalin-type drugs best to treat ADHD in children, shows study
by Sarah Boseley Health editor from on (#3WCHA)
Methylphenidate drugs safest and most effective while adults do better on amphetamines
Ritalin and other drugs of the same class are the most effective and safest medications to prescribe for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a major scientific review.
The review of ADHD drugs shows that they work, and work well, in spite of concerns among the public and some doctors that children in the UK are being overmedicated. Ofsted's chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, has likened the drugs to a "chemical cosh" and claimed they were being overprescribed, disguising bad behaviour among children that could be better dealt with.