Long‐term Use and Discontinuation of Methylphenidate with Hyperactive Children
- 1 December 1979
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
- Vol. 21 (6), 758-764
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8749.1979.tb01698.x
Abstract
The long-term effects of methylphenidate on the behavior and academic functioning of hyperactive children are described. Children (36) having a positive response to methylphenidate entered a 3-yr follow-up study in which they were closely monitored physically, behaviorally and psychometrically. During this period 13 children spontaneously discontinued medication: there were no statistically significant differences between them and the children who continued medication in terms of age, IQ or ratings at initial interview. The greatest improvement in performance occurred in the early months of treatment, but was only partially maintained during long-term therapy and little change occurred after medication was discontinued. Sustained improvement is related to factors other than continued medication, and drug therapy may be regarded as a short-term intervention until more positive social and school behavior can be established.This publication has 8 references indexed in Scilit:
- Home management of hyperkinetic childrenThe Journal of Pediatrics, 1978
- Childhood Hyperactivity: A New Look at Treatments and CausesScience, 1978
- A 2-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF 72 HYPERACTIVE BOYSJournal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 1976
- Psychostimulants and children: A review and analysis.Psychological Bulletin, 1976
- Observations on Effects of a Central Stimulant Drug (Methylphenidate) in Children With Hyperactive BehaviorPediatrics, 1975
- Hyperactive ChildrenPublished by American Medical Association (AMA) ,1974
- Hyperactive children. A continuous long-term placebo-controlled follow-upPublished by American Medical Association (AMA) ,1974
- Methylphenidate in the Treatment of Hyperkinetic ChildrenClinical Pediatrics, 1974