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Methylphenidate, a central nervous system stimulant, is approved by the U.S. FDA as first-line pharmacotherapy for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children 6 years and older. Although short-term safety and efficacy of methylphenidate for ADHD is well established, concerns exist about longer-term safety and effect on pediatric growth.
European researchers prospectively followed 756 treatment-naive children (mean age, 9 years; age range, 6–17 years) with ADHD who were beginning treatment with methylphenidate. Control cohorts were 391 nonmedicated children with ADHD and 263 children without ADHD. Propensity-score analysis was used to control for baseline differences between groups.
At 2 years, no significant differences were o…