Is Earlier Stimulant Treatment Better for ADHD?

In children aged 9 to 12 years, earlier stimulant treatment lowered risk for declining academic performance in mathematics.

Although stimulant treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is known to improve inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, evidence that stimulants improve academic performance is inconclusive. Studies have shown improvement in some areas of cognitive performance from short-term treatment, but studies of longer-term treatment are inconsistent.

Researchers in Iceland linked national data on ADHD medication use and scores on standardized math and language tests in grades 4 and 7 for nearly 12,000 children born in 1994 to 1996. About 1000 children (8%) started ADHD medications during the study period; 96% received methylphenidate extended-release, and 34% were treated concurrently with another psychotropic medication.

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Reviewing Author

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics