ADHD: Too many children are taking Ritalin, says drugs watchdog

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25 September 2008

Doctors are finally being urged to reduce the use of Ritalin and other ‘chemical coshes’ against children with ADHD (attention-deficit, hyperactive disorder).

Far too many children are being given the drugs, says the UK’s National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice). In the UK, around 700,000 children take the drugs, a seven-fold increase in usage in the past 10 years. The situation is far worse in the USA where prescriptions are written for around 5 million children and adolescents.

Nice says the drugs should be reserved for those children who are severely affected by the problem. The group has issued new guidelines, which will restrict the drugs to just a third of all ADHD children.

(Source: Daily Telegraph, 24 September, 2008).

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