Medication

Abstract

Some fifty years ago physicians first noted a seemingly paradoxical effect when they administered the stimulant medication, Dexedrine, to children with activity and attentional difficulties. Rather than the euphoric “high” commonly noted in adults, Dexedrine markedly reduced the motor activity and increased the attention span of some youngsters. Since that time, other medications of varying effectiveness have been introduced, including additional stimulants, Ritalin (methylphenidate), Cylert (pemoline), some antidepressants, Tofranil (imipramine), Desipramine, and even an antihypertensive, Catapres (clonidine). There is now more than twenty-five years’ worth of accumulated clinical experience and research study on the most commonly used stimulant medication, Ritalin, which will be the focus of discussion throughout this section. (Incidentally, it should be noted here that the generic name is the chemical title used primarily in the scientific literature to confuse the uninitiated. The trade name is usually catchier, easier to pronounce and remember, and is probably more expensive to buy than its generic equivalent.