HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
Medications for ADHD in children
Medication can help tamariki (children) with ADHD to concentrate, feel calmer, and think before they act. Parents or caregivers will decide together with a paediatrician or child psychiatrist whether medication is right for their tamaiti (child).
Often doctors will try behaviour therapy before medications. But tamariki with severe ADHD may need medications straight away.
Behaviour therapy is a talking treatment. A trained therapist counsels and supports your tamaiti and whānau (family), and teaches you skills to manage the behaviour that goes with ADHD. Some approaches involve working one-to-one with a therapist. Other approaches involve group activities with other tamariki or parents.
Studies have shown that medication is more effective than behaviour therapy alone.
Methylphenidate
The most common medication used for treating ADHD is a stimulant called methylphenidate. Methylphenidate comes as tablets and works quickly.
- The effects of the standard tablets (called Ritalin and Rubifen) only last a few hours. Your tamaiti will usually need to take their medication before school and during the middle of the school day.
- The long-acting versions (called Ritalin SR, Rubifen SR and Concerta) can work for up to 12 hours, so there is no need for a dose at school.
It may seem unusual to treat ADHD with a stimulant medication, but it actually has a calming effect on tamariki with ADHD.
Common side effects of methylphenidate include loss of appetite, mild tummy discomfort and mild headache. These can usually be reduced by starting on a low dose. They often improve once the tamaiti has been taking medication for a while. If your tamaiti develops any side effects, discuss them with your general practice team.
Monitoring
If your tamaiti is on stimulant medication, they need to see your general practice team every 3 months to get a new prescription. This is because stimulant medication is a controlled script, which means it can only be prescribed monthly, by your general practice team, psychiatrist or paediatrician. Your general practice team will probably check things like the height, weight, pulse and blood pressure of your tamaiti at the same time.
About 1 in 5 tamariki can stop medication after 1 year of treatment. Some may need medication for a few years. Your general practice team may suggest trying no medication (for a few days up to 2 weeks) every now and then to see how well your tamaiti can manage without it. If there is a problem, they can start the medication again.
Stimulant medications do not make tamariki with ADHD feel high, although some kids report feeling slightly different or funny. The medications are considered safe. Although some parents worry that stimulant medications may lead to substance abuse or dependence, there is little evidence of this.
Non-stimulant medication
Stimulant medication is usually tried first for treating ADHD. If your psychiatrist believes that a non-stimulant medication is a better option, they may prescribe Atomoxetine. It is the most common non-stimulant medication used for treating ADHD. You or your tamaiti will need to meet the necessary criteria for funding. Talk to your psychiatrist about this.
HealthInfo recommends the following videos
- Listening to Families – Medication for ADHD
A child psychiatrist answers families' questions about ADHD medications.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed November 2021.
Review key: HIADH-15144
