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Health

Ritalin can be risky for preschoolers, study suggests

But claims that there might be some benefits for kids under 6 draws fire.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published October 20, 2006

CHICAGO - Is it safe to give preschoolers Ritalin, the popular attention deficit disorder drug?

The first long-term government study of that age group warns of side effects with the stimulant drug, which isn't recommended for children younger than 6.

There were benefits for children who had severe ADHD, but the researchers said preschoolers on Ritalin are more likely than older children to develop side effects.

The research was done because of concerns over reports that soaring numbers of preschoolers are being given psychiatric drugs.

The study's message is to proceed with caution, said Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health.

The research involved children with severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The researchers did say, however, that the benefits of low-dose treatment outweigh the risks for these youngsters.

But critics disputed that.

"I hope publication of this does not lead to more overprescribing," said Dr. Sidney Wolfe of the watchdog group Public Citizen. "The safety isn't adequately established, the efficacy even less."

About 40 percent of children developed side effects and about 11 percent dropped out because of problems including irritability, weight loss, and slowed growth.

Preschoolers on methylphenidate, or generic Ritalin, grew about half an inch less and gained about 2 pounds less than expected during the 70-week study.

The study appears in the November edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Several of the researchers have financial ties to makers of ADHD drugs, including Ritalin.

About 8 percent of U.S. children have ADHD, including about 3 percent of preschoolers.

Previous research found that about 1 in 100 preschoolers had been prescribed Ritalin, which has been approved for use only in children aged 6 and older.

Dr. David Fassler, a psychiatry professor at the University of Vermont, said the study does a good job of outlining pros and cons of Ritalin treatment in preschoolers.

"This is exactly the kind of information we need to help parents make informed decisions about treatment options for young children with ADHD," Fassler said.

[Last modified October 20, 2006, 05:45:41]