Stimulants for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Stimulants may be the most effective treatment for the symptoms of ADHD: Reference inattention, Reference impulsivity, and Reference hyperactivity. These medicines can suddenly and dramatically improve behavior. But some people need to try different types and dosages of stimulants to find the one that works best for them. If treatment with a stimulant is successful, it usually helps control symptoms over time without increasing the dosage.^{Reference 1}

In about 70 out of 100 people who have ADHD, stimulant medicines improve symptoms.^{Reference 1}

Children often become calmer, more organized, and less stubborn. Examples of behaviors that improve include:^{Reference 1}

• Less interrupting, fidgeting, and finger tapping at school; increased on-task behavior.
• Better relationships at home with parents and siblings; better focus and on-task behavior; better compliance with parent requests and authority.
• Improved social relationships; increased attention during sports and other activities.

Although stimulants may also improve social adjustment or academic performance for some children, they have not been shown to sustain this benefit over the long-term.

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