The U.S. Government’s first overall study of the popular Attention Deficit Disorder prescription drug Ritalin has found that the product has side effects that are not at all healthy, but at the same time the positive aspects are present as well. The study was focused for the first time ever on children under the age of six.
Pre-schoolers are more likely to develop side effects as a result of taking Ritalin as compared to older kids, the study found. With more and more young children being given these strong psychiatric drugs, it was long overdue for a study to be done on the effects of drugs like Ritalin on younger children.
I’m not sure how one is classified as having ADD if under age six, since a child’s natural energy and curiosity probably rules the data as it should. But management of these kids takes priority in many cases, making tools like Ritalin a must I suppose. I am not sure I agree with this precept, but nonetheless it happens daily. It’s finally kind of nice to know that effects of drugs like Ritalin on young children are at least being researched and discussed.
Author by Brian White
