Studies show that between 3 percent and 6 percent of schoolchildren are taking some kind of medication for attention deficit, and that number is likely to rise as science becomes more sophisticated in identifying individuals with the condition. Nationally, doctors recommended in 1999 that almost 7.7 million youngsters under 18 be placed on Ritalin or Adderall, almost a 23 percent increase from 1995, according to IMS Health, a pharmaceutical tracking firm. The market is just too significant to ignore. A low dose of Ritalin. Introduced in 1956.
Main ingredient is methylphenidate, with a duration of four to six hours.
Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1996. A combination of four amphetamines, including Dexedrine, with a duration of seven to eight hours. Main ingredient is methylphenidate. Copyright 2000 Cox News Service. All rights reserved.