Short term effects of methylphenidate on the cognitive, learning and academic performance of children with attention deficit disorder in the laboratory and the classroom. Effects of OROS Methylphenidate on Academic, Behavioral, and Cognitive Tasks in Children 9 to 12 Years of Age With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Academic achievement and emotional status of children with ADHD treated with long-term methylphenidate and multimodal psychosocial treatment. Effects of atomoxetine with and without behavior therapy on the school and home functioning of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Atomoxetine in the Management of Children with ADHD: Effects on Quality of Life and School Functioning A longitudinal study of risk and protective factors associated with successful transition to secondary school in youth with ADHD: prospective cohort study protocol Design and rationale of controlled study of long-term methylphenidate and multimodal psychosocial treatment in children with ADHD. Symptomatic improvement in children with ADHD treated with long-term methylphenidate and multimodal psychosocial treatment. Common and unique therapeutic mechanisms of stimulant and nonstimulant treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. A Laboratory School Comparison of Mixed Amphetamine Salts Extended Release (Adderall XR®) and Atomoxetine (Strattera®) in School-Aged Children With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Executive functioning in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: combined type with and without a stimulant medication history. A pilot study for augmenting atomoxetine with methylphenidate: safety of concomitant therapy in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder Methylphenidate and children with attention deficit disorder. Dose effects on classroom academic and social behavior. Executive Impairment Determines ADHD Medication Response: Implications for Academic Achievement Stimulant treatment in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder moderates adolescent academic outcome. Effectiveness of a School-Based Multicomponent Program for the Treatment of Children with ADHD Methylphenidate in Children With ADHD With or Without Learning Disability Children with ADHD treated with long-term methylphenidate and multimodal psychosocial treatment: impact on parental practices. Dose-response effects of methylphenidate on ecologically valid measures of academic performance and classroom behavior in adolescents with ADHD. Five-fold increase in national prevalence rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and other psychiatric disorders: a Danish register-based study. Effects of atomoxetine and methylphenidate on sleep in children with ADHD. Stimulant medication effects in a summer treatment program among young children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Effects of Methylphenidate on Impulsive Responding in Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Sixteen children meeting diagnostic criteria for Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ( ADD-H ) were tested on methylpheni date ( 0.3 mg/kg ) and placebo on cognitive , learning , academic and behavioral measures in a double-blind study . Assessment s were carried out in the laboratory and in the children 's regular classrooms . Results indicate methylpheni date -induced improvements on a majority of the measures . Drug-induced changes reflected increased output , accuracy and efficiency and improved learning acquisition . There was also evidence of increased effort and self-correcting behaviours . It is argued that review ers have underestimated the potential of stimulants to improve the performance of ADD-H children on academic , learning and cognitive tasks Objective . To assess effects of OROS methylpheni date on cognitive and academic tasks in 9 to 12 year olds with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . Methods . A double-blind , within-subject , crossover design was used to compare OROS methylpheni date with placebo in a laboratory classroom setting on several cognitive and academic tasks for 68 children who met r and omization criteria . Results . Performance on the following measures was significantly better when children received individually optimized OROS methylpheni date than placebo :  math fluency and accuracy measured by the Permanent Product Math Test , ADHD symptoms observed in the laboratory setting , computerized indices of attention and impulsivity as measured by the Test of Variables of Attention ( TOVA ) , and visual — spatial working memory ( Finger Windows Backwards ) . Study medication was well tolerated ; adverse events were generally consistent with previous reports . Conclusions . OROS methylpheni date improves performance on measures of attention and vigilance , behavior , and working memory in a laboratory school setting in 9 to 12 year olds with ADHD OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that intensive multimodal psychosocial intervention ( that includes academic assistance and psychotherapy ) combined with methylpheni date significantly enhances the academic performance and emotional status of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) compared with methylpheni date alone and with methylpheni date combined with nonspecific psychosocial treatment ( attention control ) . METHOD One hundred three children with ADHD ( ages 7 - 9 ) , free of conduct and learning disorders , who responded to short-term methylpheni date were r and omized for 2 years to receive one of three treatments : ( 1 ) methylpheni date alone , ( 2 ) methylpheni date plus psychosocial treatment that included academic remediation , organizational skills training , and psychotherapy as well as parent training and counseling and social skills training , or ( 3 ) methylpheni date plus attention control treatment . Children 's function was assessed through academic testing , parent ratings of homework problems , and self-ratings of depression and self-esteem . RESULTS No advantage was found on any measure of academic performance or emotional status for the combination treatment over methylpheni date alone and over methylpheni date plus attention control . Significant improvement occurred across all treatments and was maintained over 2 years . CONCLUSIONS In stimulant-responsive young children with ADHD without learning and conduct disorders , there is no support for academic assistance and psychotherapy to enhance academic achievement or emotional adjustment . Significant short-term improvements were maintained over 2 years OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of atomoxetine alone and in combination with behavior therapy on the school functioning of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . Most atomoxetine studies have not assessed school functioning other than by measuring the change in ADHD symptoms . Combining behavior therapy with atomoxetine may be particularly beneficial for the academic domain as medication has not been found to produce sustained benefits in this realm . However , there is little research examining the effects of combining atomoxetine and behavior therapy . METHOD In an 8-week open-label trial , 56 children aged 6 - 12 years with ADHD diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR were r and omly assigned to receive  atomoxetine and behavior therapy or atomoxetine alone . Behavior therapy consisted of an 8-week parenting course , a child social skills course , and a teacher-implemented daily report card of classroom behavior . The primary outcome was direct observation of the subject 's classroom behavior . Secondary outcomes included change in ADHD symptoms and functioning at home and school . All data were collected between March 2007 and May 2008 . RESULTS Classroom observations showed that atomoxetine decreased rule violations ( P < .0001 ) . Moreover , atomoxetine was associated with significant improvements in ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms at home and school and enhanced functioning in both domains ( Impairment Rating Scale : all P < .001 ) . Combined treatment led to greater improvements in parent-rated symptoms of inattention ( P < .01 ) , problem behaviors ( P < .001 ) , and academic impairment ( P < .05 ) . However , teachers did not report significant group differences . CONCLUSIONS Atomoxetine improved ADHD symptoms and classroom functioning as measured by parents , teachers , and direct observation . The addition of behavior therapy led to further improvements at home but not at school . TRIAL REGISTRATION clinical trials.gov Identifier : NCT00918567 The purpose of this study was to examine in a controlled trial the effects of atomoxetine on the management of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) symptoms and functional impairments at school and at home . Participants were 153 children ( age 8 to 12 years ) diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder who were r and omized to double-blind treatment with either atomoxetine  ( n = 101 ) or placebo  ( n = 52 ) . Findings revealed significant improvements both for parent and teacher ratings of behavior for children receiving atomoxetine therapy . Children also were reported to evidence a trend toward better response to active medication than to placebo for health-related quality of life as rated by parents . No significant effects were revealed for the teacher ratings of academic productivity . Data were interpreted to provide support for the efficacy of atomoxetine on the symptoms associated with ADHD . The effects of atomoxetine on other functional outcomes including academic performance and health-related outcomes are of interest , albeit less compelling for this particular investigation , than for the effects on overt symptom display Background Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) has a significant impact on child and adolescent development , especially in relation to school functioning and academic outcomes . Despite the transition to high school being a potentially critical period for children with ADHD , most research in this period has focused on academic outcomes . This study aims to extend previous research by describing academic , school engagement , behaviour and social-emotional outcomes for young people with ADHD in the first and third years of high school and to identify risk and protective factors predictive of differing outcomes across these four domains . Methods and design The Moving Up study is a longitudinal , prospect i ve cohort study of children with ADHD as they transition and adjust to high school ( age 12–15 years ) . Data are collected through direct assessment and child , parent and teacher surveys . The primary outcome is academic achievement , obtained by linking to st and ardised test results . Secondary outcomes include measures of behaviour , ADHD symptoms , school engagement ( attitudes and attendance ) , and social and emotional functioning , including depressive symptoms . The mean performance of the study cohort on each outcome measure will be compared to the population mean for same aged children , using t-tests . Risk and protective factors to be examined using multiple regression include a child , family and school factors know to impact academic and school functioning . Discussion The Moving up study is the first Australian study prospect ively design ed to measure a broad range of student outcomes for children with ADHD during the high school transition period . Examining both current ( cross sectional ) and earlier childhood ( longitudinal ) factors gives us the potential to learn more about risk and protective factors associated with school functioning in young people with ADHD . The richness and depth of this information could lead to more targeted and effective interventions that may alter academic and wellbeing trajectories for young people at risk of poor outcomes .The study is approved by The Royal Children ’s Hospital Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee ( 33206 ) . Findings will be disseminated through peer- review ed journals and conference presentations OBJECTIVE To describe the rationale , methodology , and sample characteristics of a dual-site treatment study ( New York and Montreal ) of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) conducted between 1990 and 1995 . The hypotheses were that ( 1 ) methylpheni date combined with comprehensive multimodal psychosocial treatment was superior to methylpheni date alone in improving multiple functions and ( 2 ) the efficacy of the psychosocial intervention result ed from its specific components and not from nonspecific treatment effects . METHOD One hundred three children with ADHD ( ages 7 - 9 ) , free of conduct and learning disorders , who responded to methylpheni date , were r and omized for 2 years to ( 1 ) methylpheni date treatment alone ; ( 2 ) methylpheni date combined with multimodal psychosocial treatment that included parent training and counseling , academic assistance , psychotherapy , and social skills training ; or ( 3 ) methylpheni date plus attention control treatment that excluded specific aspects of the psychosocial intervention . Children were switched to single-blind placebo after 12 months ; methylpheni date was reinstituted when clinical ly indicated . Assessment s included ratings by parents , teachers , children , and psychiatrists ; school observations in academic and gym classes ; and academic performance tests . Almost 80 % of families completed the 2-year study . Companion papers present treatment effects . CONCLUSIONS A comprehensive 2-year psychosocial treatment was delivered successfully to children with ADHD and their families OBJECTIVE To test the hypotheses that in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) ( 1 ) symptoms of ADHD , oppositional defiant disorder , and overall functioning are significantly improved by methylpheni date combined with intensive multimodal psychosocial treatment compared with methylpheni date alone and with methylpheni date plus attention control and ( 2 ) more children receiving combined treatment can be taken off methylpheni date . METHOD One hundred three children with ADHD ( ages 7 - 9 ) , free of conduct and learning disorders , who responded to short-term methylpheni date were r and omized for 2 years to ( 1 ) methylpheni date alone ; ( 2 ) methylpheni date plus psychosocial treatment that included parent training and counseling , social skills training , psychotherapy , and academic assistance , or ( 3 ) methylpheni date plus attention psychosocial control treatment . Assessment s included parent , teacher , and psychiatrist ratings , and observations in academic and gym classes . RESULTS Combination treatment did not lead to superior functioning and did not facilitate methylpheni date discontinuation . Significant improvement occurred across all treatments and continued over 2 years . CONCLUSIONS In stimulant-responsive children with ADHD , there is no support for adding ambitious long-term psychosocial intervention to improve ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms . Significant benefits from methylpheni date were stable over 2 years CONTEXT Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is a highly prevalent and impairing psychiatric disorder that affects both children and adults . There are Food and Drug Administration-approved stimulant and nonstimulant medications for treating ADHD ; however , little is known about the mechanisms by which these different treatments exert their therapeutic effects . OBJECTIVE To contrast changes in brain activation related to symptomatic improvement with use of the stimulant methylpheni date hydrochloride vs the nonstimulant atomoxetine hydrochloride . DESIGN Functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after 6 to 8 weeks of treatment with methylpheni date ( n = 18 ) or atomoxetine ( n = 18 ) using a parallel-groups design . SETTING Specialized ADHD clinical research program at Mount Sinai School of Medicine , New York , New York . PARTICIPANTS Thirty-six youth with ADHD ( mean [ SD ] age , 11.2 [ 2.7 ] years ; 27 boys ) recruited from r and omized clinical trials . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Changes in brain activation during a go/no-go test of response inhibition and investigator-completed ratings on the ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Parent Version . RESULTS Treatment with methylpheni date vs atomoxetine was associated with comparable improvements in both response inhibition on the go/no-go test and mean ( SD ) improvements in ratings of ADHD symptoms ( 55 % [ 30 % ] vs 57 % [ 25 % ] ) . Improvement in ADHD symptoms was associated with common reductions in bilateral motor cortex activation for both treatments . Symptomatic improvement was also differentially related to gains in task-related activation for atomoxetine and reductions in activation for methylpheni date in the right inferior frontal gyrus , left anterior cingulate/supplementary motor area , and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex . These findings were not attributable to baseline differences in activation . CONCLUSIONS Treatment with methylpheni date and atomoxetine produces symptomatic improvement via both common and divergent neurophysiologic actions in frontoparietal regions that have been implicated in the pathophysiology of ADHD . These results represent a first step in delineating the neurobiological basis of differential response to stimulant and nonstimulant medications for ADHD Mixed amphetamine salts extended release ( MAS XR ; Adderall XR ® ) and atomoxetine ( Strattera ® ) were compared in children 6 to 12 years old with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) combined or hyperactive/impulsive type in a r and omized , double-blind , multicenter , parallel-group , forced-dose-escalation laboratory school study . Primary efficacy measure was the SKAMP ( Swanson , Kotkin , Agler , M-Flynn , and Pelham ) behavioral rating scale . Changes in mean SKAMP deportment scores from baseline were significantly greater for MAS XR ( n = 102 ) than for atomoxetine ( n = 101 ) overall ( -0.56 and -0.13 , respectively ; p < .0001 ) and at each week ( p < .001 ) . Adverse events were similar for both treatment groups . The extended time course of action and greater therapeutic efficacy  of MAS XR suggests that it is more effective than atomoxetine in children with ADHD Behavioral and neuropsychological functioning in unmedicated children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) who have a history of medication treatment ( Rx ) versus those who are treatment naïve ( TN ) has , to our knowledge , not been previously studied . Ninety-four children in four groups ( ADHD/Rx , ADHD/TN , learning disabilities [ LD ] , and controls ) were evaluated , while unmedicated , on measures of achievement , neuropsychological functioning , and behavior . The ADHD/Rx group performed significantly better than the TN group on writing , Stroop interference , and measures of attention , and performed as well as the control group on executive functioning , verbal working memory , and academics . Behaviorally , the ADHD groups showed more difficulty with mood and externalizing behaviors compared with the LD and control groups , with the ADHD/TN performing the most poorly . Findings suggest that the ADHD/Rx group shows better executive and academic functioning even when unmedicated Background This study examined augmenting atomoxetine with extended-release methylpheni date in children whose attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) previously failed to respond adequately to stimulant medication . Methods Children with ADHD and prior stimulant treatment ( N = 25 ) received atomoxetine ( 1.2 mg/kg/day ) plus placebo . After 4 weeks , patients who were responders ( n = 4 ) were continued on atomoxetine/placebo while remaining patients were r and omly assigned to either methylpheni date ( ATX/MPH ) ( 1.1 mg/kg/day ) or placebo augmentation ( ATX/PB ) for another 6 weeks . Patients and sites were blind to timing of active augmentation . Safety measures included vital signs , weight , and adverse events . Efficacy was assessed by ADHD rating scales . Results Categorical increases in vital signs occurred for 5 patients ( 3 patients in ATX/MPH , 2 patients in ATX/PBO ) . Sixteen percent discontinued the study due to AE , but no difference between augmentation groups . Atomoxetine treatment was efficacious on outcome measures ( P ≤ .001 ) , but methylpheni date did not enhance response . Conclusion Methylpheni date appears to be safely combined with atomoxetine , but conclusions limited by small sample . With atomoxetine treatment , 43 % of patients achieved normalization on ADHD ratings The short-term , dose-response effects of methylpheni date hydrochloride were evaluated on academic and social classroom measures in 29 children with attention deficit disorder . In a double-blind , cross-over design with order r and omized , children received a placebo for two weeks and three doses of methylpheni date hydrochloride ( 0.15 mg/kg , 0.3 mg/kg , and 0.6 mg/kg ) for one week each . Dependent measures included the output and accuracy of performance in grade -appropriate reading comprehension workbooks and arithmetic problems , spelling word acquisition , and observations of disruptive and on-task behavior . Beneficial drug effects and linear dose-response curves on all dependent measures were found . The results suggest that beneficial methylpheni date effects on classroom behavior may be accompanied by enhanced academic achievement in some hyperactive children Methylpheni date ( MPH ) often ameliorates attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) behavioral dysfunction according to indirect informant reports and rating scales . The st and ard of care behavioral MPH titration approach seldom includes direct neuropsychological or academic assessment data to determine treatment efficacy . Documenting “ cool ” executive-working memory ( EWM ) and “ hot ” self-regulation ( SR ) neuropsychological impairments could aid in differential diagnosis of ADHD subtypes and determining cognitive and academic MPH response . In this study , children aged 6 to 16 with ADHD inattentive type ( IT ; n = 19 ) and combined type ( n = 33)/hyperactive-impulsive type ( n = 4 ) ( CT ) participated in double-blind placebo-controlled MPH trials with baseline and r and omized placebo , low MPH dose , and high MPH dose conditions . EWM/ SR measures and behavior ratings/classroom observations were rank ordered separately across conditions , with nonparametric r and omization tests conducted to determine individual MPH response . Participants were subsequently grouped according to their level of cool EWM and hot SR circuit dysfunction . Robust cognitive and behavioral MPH response was achieved for children with significant baseline EWM/SR impairment , yet response was poor for those with adequate EWM/ SR baseline performance . Even for strong MPH responders , the best dose for neuropsychological functioning was typically lower than the best dose for behavior . Findings offer one possible explanation for why long-term academic MPH treatment gains in ADHD have not been realized . Implication s for academic achievement and medication titration practice s for children with behaviorally diagnosed ADHD will be discussed Treatment with psychostimulant medication has been shown to improve scholastic functioning in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . However , the extent to which long-term academic gains are apparent in those having received such treatment remains elusive . This study examined prospect ively the relationship of childhood stimulant treatment to academic functioning during adolescence . Children ( n = 169 ) were initially recruited and diagnosed with ADHD when they were 7 - 11 years old . A sub sample of those with childhood ADHD ( n = 90 ) was reevaluated on average 9.13 ( SD = 1.5 ) years later . Prob and s who did and did not receive treatment with stimulant medication were compared to each other and to a never-ADHD comparison group ( n = 80 ) on three subtests from the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-II ( WIAT-II ) , as well as high school grade point average ( GPA ) and number of retentions in school as derived from school records . Analyses of covariance controlling for severity of childhood ADHD symptoms indicated that prob and s treated with psychostimulant medication achieved better academic outcomes , as measured by WIAT-II subtests and high school GPA , than those not treated with psychostimulants ( p < .05 ) . However , treated prob and s did not fare as well as the never-ADHD comparison group . Psychostimulant treatment for children with ADHD may benefit long-term adolescent academic performance , although the extent of improvement is likely to vary as a function of multiple factors The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a multicomponent program for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) carried out by teachers in a classroom context . Dependent measures included neuropsychological tasks , behavioral rating scales for parents and teachers , direct observation of behavior in the classroom , and academic records of children with ADHD . Fifty children with ADHD participated in the study . The teachers of 29 of the 50 students  were trained in the use of behavior modification techniques , cognitive behavior strategies , and instructional management strategies . The other 21 students formed the  control group . Parents ' and teachers'ratings detected improvements in primary symptoms ( inattention — disorganization , hyperactivity — impulsivity ) and in behavioral difficulties usually associated with ADHD ( e.g. , antisocial behavior , psychopathological disorders , anxiety ) . Furthermore , the results showed increased academic scores , enhanced classroom behavioral observations , and improved teachers ' knowledge about the strategies directed toward responding to the children 's educational needs Objective : To explore treatment response to Osmotic Release Oral System ® ( OROS ) methylpheni date in children with ADHD with and without comorbid learning disability ( LD ) . Method : Data were analyzed from two 6-week , double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled , crossover studies evaluating individually determined doses of OROS methylpheni date versus placebo in 135 children ( ages 9 to 12 years ) with ADHD with or without an LD in reading , math , or both . The sample was demographically diverse , with 31 % females and more than 40 % minority , predominantly African American and Hispanic . On two laboratory school days , participants received either OROS methylpheni date or placebo and were given a battery of cognitive and behavioral tests . Results : Treatment with OROS methylpheni date led to improvement in ADHD Rating Scale scores for participants with or without comorbid LD . Both groups performed better during treatment with OROS methylpheni date than placebo on measures of cognitive skills ( i.e. , Test of Variables of Attention , Finger Windows Backwards ) , academically related tasks ( i.e. , Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills , Test of H and writing Skills – Revised , Permanent Product Math Test ) , and observed classroom behavior ( i.e. , Swanson , Kotkin , Alger , M-Flynn , and Pelham Scale ) . Conclusion : In children with ADHD with or without comorbid LD  , behavior and performance improved during treatment with OROS methylpheni date OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that multimodal psychosocial intervention , which includes parent training , combined with methylpheni date significantly enhances the behavior of parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) , compared with methylpheni date alone and compared with methylpheni date and nonspecific psychosocial treatment ( attention control ) . METHOD One hundred three children with ADHD ( ages 7 - 9 ) , free of conduct and learning disorders , who responded to short-term methylpheni date therapy were r and omized for 2 years to receive either ( 1 ) methylpheni date treatment alone ; ( 2 ) methylpheni date plus psychosocial treatment that included parent training and counseling , social skills training , academic assistance , and psychotherapy ; or ( 3 ) methylpheni date plus attention control treatment . Parents rated their knowledge of parenting principles and negative and positive parenting behavior . Children rated their parents ' behavior . RESULTS Psychosocial treatment led to significantly better knowledge of parenting principles but did not enhance parenting practice s , as rated by parents and children . Significant improvement in mothers ' negative parenting occurred across all treatments and was maintained . CONCLUSIONS In nonconduct-disordered , stimulant-treated children with ADHD , parent training does not improve self-rated parental behavior . The benefits of brief stimulant treatment for negative parental behavior are sustained with extended treatment The effects of methylpheni date on the academic performance and classroom behavior of 45 adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were studied . During a 6-week , placebo-controlled medication assessment in the context of a summer treatment program , participants received a double-blind , crossover trial of 3 doses of methylpheni date . Dependent measures included note-taking quality , quiz and worksheet scores , written language usage and productivity , teacher ratings , on-task and disruptive behavior , and homework completion . Group data showed positive effects of methylpheni date on academic measures ; however , the greatest benefit came with the lowest dose . Although additional benefit did occur for some participants with higher doses , the largest increment of change usually occurred between the placebo and 10-mg dose . Many adolescents did not experience added benefit with increased dosages , and in some cases they experienced deterioration . Guidelines for assessment of medication effects are discussed OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and time trends in prescriptions of methylpheni date , dexamphetamine , and atomoxetine in children and adolescents , within three diagnostic groups : 1 ) autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) , 2 ) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) , and 3 ) other psychiatric disorders . METHODS Data from six different national registers were used and merged to identify a cohort of all children and adolescents born in Denmark between 1990 and 2001 ( n=852,711 ) . Sociodemographic covariates on cohort members and their parents and lifetime prescriptions of methylpheni date , dexamphetamine , and atomoxetine were extracted from the registers . Prescriptions were also stratified by duration ( < 6 months . vs.≥ 6 months ) . RESULTS Sixteen percent of 9698 children and adolescents with ASD ( n=1577 ) , 61 % of 11,553 children and adolescents with ADHD ( n=7021 ) and 3 % of 48,468 children and adolescents with other psychiatric disorders ( n=1537 ) were treated with one or more ADHD medications . There was a significant increase in prescription rates of these medications for all three groups . From 2003 to 2010 , youth 6 - 13 years of age with ASD , ADHD , and other psychiatric disorders had 4.7-fold ( 4.4 - 4.9 ) , 6.3-fold ( 6.0 - 6.4 ) , and 5.5-fold ( 5.0 - 5.9 ) increases , respectively , in prescription rates of ADHD medications . CONCLUSION This is the largest study to date assessing stimulant treatment in children and adolescents with ASD , and is the first prospect i ve study quantifying the change over time in the prevalence of treatment with ADHD medications in a population -based national cohort of children and adolescents with ASD . The prevalence of stimulant treatment in youth with ASD of 16 % is consistent with earlier studies . The past decade has witnessed a clear and progressive increase in the prescription rates of medications typically used to treat ADHD in children and adolescents in Denmark . This increase is not limited to only those with ADHD , but includes others with neuropsychiatric disorders , including ASD . The risks and benefits of this practice await further study STUDY OBJECTIVES This study compared the effects of atomoxetine and methylpheni date on the sleep of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . This study also compared the efficacy of these medications for treating ADHD in these children . DESIGN R and omized , double-blind , crossover trial . SETTING Two sleep disorders centers in the United States ; 1 in a private- practice setting and 1 in a hospital setting . PATIENTS 85 children diagnosed with ADHD . INTERVENTIONS Twice-daily atomoxetine and thrice-daily methylpheni date , each for approximately 7 weeks . MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Relative to baseline , the actigraphy data indicated that methylpheni date increased sleep-onset latency significantly more than did atomoxetine ( 39.2 vs 12.1 minutes , p < .001 ) . These results were consistent with the polysomnography data . Child diaries indicated that it was easier to get up in the morning , it took less time to fall asleep , and the children slept better with atomoxetine , compared with methylpheni date . Parents reported that it was less difficult getting their children up and getting them ready in the morning and that the children were less irritable , had less difficulty getting ready for bed , and had less difficulty falling asleep with atomoxetine , compared with methylpheni date . There were no significant differences between medications using the main measures of efficacy for ADHD treatment . Atomoxetine was superior on some secondary ADHD treatment-efficacy measures , based on parent reports . The only significant differences in treatment-emergent adverse events were greater incidence of decreased appetite and greater incidence of insomnia with methylpheni date . CONCLUSIONS Patients receiving twice-daily atomoxetine had shorter sleep-onset latencies , relative to thrice-daily methylpheni date , based on objective actigraphy and polysomnography data . Although both medications decreased nighttime awakenings , the decrease was greater for methylpheni date OBJECTIVE This study examined the effectiveness of stimulant medication on multiple domains of functioning in 36 young ( 5 to 6 years old ) children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . METHOD Five- and 6-year-old children attending a summer treatment program between 1987 and 1997 underwent a r and omized clinical assessment of the effect of two doses of methylpheni date ( 0.3 mg/kg versus 0.6 mg/kg ) and placebo on social behavior and academic performance . RESULTS Methylpheni date had an effect on all four social behaviors and improved two of the three areas of academic functioning . Dose effects were present for three of the seven dependent measures . Individual analyses indicated a therapeutic response rate between 39 % and 100 % across dependent measures . Furthermore , individual analyses of response indicated that across several important dependent measures , 39 % to 98 % of children showed little incremental improvement with the higher dose compared with the lower dose of stimulant medication . CONCLUSIONS Stimulant medication is an effective treatment for young children diagnosed with ADHD ; however , multiple domains of functioning must be assessed to determine the most effective dose for young children with ADHD The present investigation examined the effects of methylpheni date on impulsivity in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . A task was design ed to measure empirically the ADHD child 's proclivity to blurt out incorrect answers before giving a final and /or correct response . Twenty-six ADHD children referred for double-blind placebo-controlled assessment of medication responsiveness and 14 non-ADHD controls were given a visual search word-matching task to assess impulsive responding . An analysis of covariance showed that ADHD children on methylpheni date made fewer impulsive errors than ADHD children on placebo . The control group made fewer impulsive errors than the ADHD children in the placebo condition , but the performance of the ADHD children on medication approximated the performance of the children without ADHD . These preliminary findings suggest that the word-matching task may be a useful tool for assessing impulsive responding and determining the benefits of stimulant medication on impulsivity . ( J Child Neurol 1993;8:157 - 163 )
Drug treatment benefited children in the amount of school work that they completed , by up to 15 % , and less consistently improved children ’s accuracy in specific types of academic assignments , such as arithmetic .
Methylpheni date , dexamfetamine and mixed amfetamine formulations all showed beneficial effects on children ’s on-task behaviour and academic work completion .
These review findings suggest that medication for ADHD has the potential to improve children ’s learning and academic achievement
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) has a significant impact on children ’s classroom behaviour , daily functioning and experience of school life .
However , the effects of drug treatment for ADHD on learning and academic achievement are not fully understood .
This review was undertaken to describe the effects of methylpheni date , dexamfetamine , mixed amfetamine salts and atomoxetine on children ’s on-task  behaviour and their academic performance , and to perform a meta- analysis to quantify these effects .