Dangers of ADHD Medications

The Dangers of Prescription ADHD Medications:

Have you ever imagined that your child's medication could be harmful to them? According to a study done by the U.S. Centers for disease control and prevention in 2006, ADHD medications send more than 3000 people a year to the emergency room, and 80% of them are children! So what is causing these problems with our children's medication?

There are so many different medications out there for ADHD nowadays that it's hard to even know where to begin. Knowing which type of medication you or your child is taking is the start to finding out about the side effects for that kind.

The most common types of medication for ADHD are stimulants. These include Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta, three of the most widely prescribed medications. Stimulant medications can cause personality changes. Changes can include becoming listless or withdrawn. Even personality disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been noted.

Safety concerns of stimulant medications are vast. Sudden death due to cardiac arrest has occurred in several people, even children. The American Heart Association is recommending that all individuals have a cardiac evaluation prior to beginning any stimulant medication -- children included. Stimulant medication abuse is also becoming a widespread problem for our society too, especially among teenagers and young adults. Long term side effects on the developing brain are unknown to date.

Some doctors have switched to using non-stimulant medications or even medications that aren't FDA approved for ADHD. This is especially true if you or your child has anxiety issues in addition to ADHD. These carry name labels such as Strattera, Prozac, and Tenex. Use of Strattera carries a high risk of suicide. Antidepressants, which are sometimes used to treat this condition, do also. If your child is on these medications already, and you notice signs of suicidal thoughts, you should call your child's doctor immediately. These include voiced thoughts of wanting to harm themselves or others, extreme lethargy or irritability.

One of the dangers little known to parents is the consequences of stopping ADHD medications abruptly. If you and your doctor decide that you need to change or stop the medication your child is on, weaning slowly is important. This will avoid unpleasant or even dangerous side effects.

Now that you know this, what should you do? First, talk to your doctor and find out his or her thoughts on these dangers. Again, never stop taking ADHD medications abruptly, as this can be very dangerous! Keep researching. The more educated you are about a medication you or your child is taking, the more informed decision you can made. There are a lot of natural ADHD remedies out there, with the numbers of these growing by leaps and bounds daily. Behavior modification classes are being used, usually running 8 to 12 weeks long. Sometimes even the simplest changes can make an enormous difference. If by doing so, could you take a huge health risk factor off of you or your child? It's definitely some food for thought.

You can find out about a natural ADHD remedy for children that has a proven track record by visiting Native Remedies today.

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