What are the risks of the use of stimulant medication and other treatments?
Stimulant drugs, when used with medical supervision, are usually considered quite safe. Although they can be addictive when abused by teenagers and adults, when taken as prescribed for ADHD these medications have not been shown to be addictive nor to lead to substance abuse problems. They seldom make children “high” or jittery, nor do they sedate the child. Although little information exists concerning the long–term effects of psychostimulants, there is no evidence that careful therapeutic use is harmful. When adverse drug reactions do occur, they are usually related to dosage and are always reversible. Effects associated with moderate doses are decreased appetite and insomnia. These effects occur early in treatment and may decrease with time. There may be negative effects on growth rate, but ultimate height appears not to be affected.
