Prescribing ADHD drugs to Healthy Kids Harmful

Drugs meant to improve cognitive function, memory and thinking abilities should not be prescribed to healthy kids, a team of neurologists from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) request health practitioners.

William Graf from the University of Yale University and colleagues analyzed parents' and youngsters' latest trend of depending up on drugs, known as neuroenhancements to improve school grades or concentration. While looking at the issue closely, the researchers found number of American children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) shooting up considerably during the last 20 years and the trend playing an important role in the occurrence. 

"Doctors caring for children and teens have a professional obligation to always protect the best interests of the child, to protect vulnerable populations, and prevent the misuse of medication," Graf, said in a news release. "The practice of prescribing these drugs, called neuroenhancements, for healthy students is not justifiable."

The researchers cautioned doctors against providing the medications to healthy kids as the impact of the long-term use of the drugs is not fully known.

"You're giving amphetamines to kids. I think we have to be worried about how that affects the brain, mood, rational thought... and we don't have enough data about that yet," Graf told Reuters Health.

However, according to Almut Winterstein, a pharmacy researcher from the University of Florida in Gainesville, when used for short period, these stimulants can increase heart rate and blood pressure, Reuters Health reported.

The statement is reported in the online issue of AAN's Neurology.

ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects children. According to previous records, nearly one in 11 American children suffers from the disorder that cannot be fully cured and lasts into adulthood.

Children with ADHD face problems in paying attention, have trouble in controlling impulsive behaviors (acting without thinking about the consequences), and tend to be hyper active. An early identification and treatment of ADHD is important, as the disorder can have a negative impact on learning and academic development.

The current findings come in the midst of an ongoing debate worldwide about the negative impact of ADHD drugs on children. In Oct.2012, Dr. Michael Anderson, a pediatrician for many poor families in Cherokee County, north of Atlanta, revealed health experts prescribing some powerful attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pills for some low-income children without the disorder, to help them improve their academic performance.

The benefits and risks of providing ADHD medicines to children have been a topic of controversy for a long time. Ritalin or Methylphenidate, the stimulant commonly used to treat narcolepsy (uncontrollable sleepiness) and ADHD, has been associated with severe side effects including addiction, insomnia or trouble sleeping, nausea, dizziness, decreased appetite, headaches, bed-wetting, depression, weight loss, seizures and heart palpitations. According to drug enquirer, it has other severe side-effects, like slowing children's growth and leading to blurred vision.