Psychiatry

Answer 4 Appetite suppression and sleep disturbance. Treatment of ADHD with medication is effective, and stimulant medications are the first-line treatments for the disorder. Informed consent from the patient (and the guardians) is crucial and includes a review of the most common adverse effects of these medications, including appetite suppression, insomnia, stomachache, headache, and irritability. Most of these effects will dissipate over time. Growth suppression appears to be dose related, if it appears at all. Although lowering of the seizure threshold can be accomplished by toxic doses of stimulants, no evidence exists to prove that stimulants actually produce a significantly lowered seizure threshold at the usual therapeutic ranges. Neurologic or psychiatric consultation is recommended before initiating stimulant treatment for patients with tics or Tourette’s syndrome or if new tics develop during treatment. Click here to return to the questions

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