Sunday, June 3, 2007

Aderol to Help with ADHD

The medication Aderol is a central nervous system stimulant used to treat ADHD in kids. The generic name for Aderol is amphetamine-dextroamphetamine. What is the difference between Ritalin and Aderol since Ritalin is also a stimulant. The difference is that Aderol, instead of being made of methylphenidate, it is a mixture of different amphetamine salts. It can help to reduce or improve the symptoms of ADHD, including having a short attention span and/or being hyperactive and impulsive. Aderol comes in 2 forms, Aderol and Aderol XR. The difference being Aderol is a short acting stimulent which is usually taken twice a day while Aderol XR is a long acting stimulant that can be given just once a day. It usually lasts 10-12 hours in many children. How old or how young can children start to take Aderol? Aderol is said to be approved for use in children over 3 years of age. However, the Aderol XR is approved for children over age 6 and it is available as a once a day capsule.

Some stimulants have caused sudden death in children and adolescents with serious heart problems or congenital heart defects. Before using Aderol, tell your doctor if your child is allergic to any drugs, or if your child has a congenital heart defect, high blood pressure, heart failure, heart rhythm disorder, or recent heart attack, a personal or family history of mental illness, psychotic disorder, bipolar illness, depression or suicide attempt, epilepsy or other seizure disorder.

As with any drugs, side effects will come to play and you are advised to monitor your child when he is on any medication. Although generally well tolerated, the main side effects of Aderol and Aderol XR include loss of appetite, insomnia, weight loss, emotional lability, abdominal pain stomachache and depression. If side effects don't improve with time, your child's pediatrician may have to lower your child's dosage or consider changing to another medication.