Medical Group Warns Against Giving Attention Drugs to Healthy Teens
Healthy children and teenagers should not be given drugs
designed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the American
Academy of Neurology said this week. While young people with the
disorder benefit from the treatment, the group noted, a growing number
of healthy young people are taking these medications in an effort to
increase concentration and school performance.
“Doctors caring for children and teens have a professional obligation
to always protect the best interests of the child, to protect
vulnerable populations, and prevent the misuse of medication,” said
position statement author William Graf, M.D. of Yale University, in a news release. “The practice of prescribing these drugs, called neuroenhancements, for healthy students is not justifiable.”
The statement
concludes there are both legal and developmental reasons these
medications should not be prescribed to healthy children and teens, Reuters
reports. The long-term effects of these drugs have not been studied in
children, the group notes. Children and teens may not have sufficient
decision-making abilities while their cognitive skills and emotional
abilities are still developing. In addition, children and teens face the
risks of being over-medicated and dependent on the drugs, according to
the statement.
“The physician should talk to the child about the request, as it may
reflect other medical, social or psychological motivations such as
anxiety, depression or insomnia. There are alternatives to
neuroenhancements available, including maintaining good sleep,
nutrition, study habits and exercise regimens,” Dr. Graf said.
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