Medium-term Outcome of Children Given Stimulants for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Many studies have demonstrated the short-term efficacy of stimulant drugs in decreasing the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, long-term studies have not shown a similar effect. In this study, we report an audit of the medium-term outcome of 50 children with ADHD referred to a mental health service and treated with stimulants for at least 6 months. A poor outcome group was identified consisting of 30% of the children. As a group, they received a significantly higher dose of stimulant. More studies, with prospective design, are required to examine the medium-term outcome of children with ADHD on medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]