Fourth-grader Josh was diagnosed with ADD after a lengthy work-up and evaluation.   He had been struggling in school and homework was a nightmare for both he and his parents. After the diagnosis was confirmed, I put him on a long acting stimulant medication, Concerta, which is a form of Ritalin. The results were dramatic. […]

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Children and teens with ADHD have varying needs for control of symptoms throughout their day.   The development of the methylphenidate transdermal patch, Daytrana, Shire Pharmaceuticals, has been a great advance in improved coverage and control of ADHD symptoms. The dose of this methylphenidate patch was studied in a recent Journal of the American Academy […]

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There has been a flurry of recommendations from the American Heart Association and the Food and Drug Administration which have clouded the air with a fog of uncertainty.   Does a patient need an electrocardiogram or an ECHO cardiogram before starting on medication for ADHD syndromes? Does a child that has been on medication for […]

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Attention deficit disorder (ADD) affects approximately 3-5 percent of all school age children in the United States.   This is also the incidence that is reported in Western Europe and Japan. ADD is not a single entity; rather, it is a constellation of symptoms that include inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. The symptoms are usually detectable […]

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This is the final series of articles addressing ADHD.   The research community in the 1990s became aware that children who were diagnosed with ADHD as youngsters generally continued to be ADHD as adults. In fact, we now know that over eighty percent of children continue to be diagnosed with ADHD as adults. The understanding, […]

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