How Much Stimulant Medication is Appropriate For Hyperactive School Children?

Abstract

This research tested the hypothesis that a relatively modest dose of stimulant medication would produce optimal effects on cognitive and impulse control performance when compared to three other dosage levels in hyperactive school children. The efficacy of the medication was measured using a school-like visual search and matching task tapping concentration and impulse control that previously has been shown to be sensitive to stimulant drug effects. Task performance was found to be optimal at the predicted dose level, supporting the original hypothesis. The importance of school health personnel involvement in the adjusting of dosage levels of stimulant medication was stressed. A role for school health personnel in facilitating communication between physicians and teachers was suggested.