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"Helping you to help your ADD ADHD child"by Anthony Kane, MD | ||
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A New ADHD Drug On The Horizonby Jeannine Virtue Modafinil is a stimulant drug that is chemically unrelated to the other stimulant ADHD medications. Although Attenace is a stimulant medication, it is not classified as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act. This translates to the convenience of phone-in refills and less prescription hassles at the pharmacy. Attenace has a different chemical structure but it still poses many side effects consistent with the side effects of the other stimulant ADHD medications. There are also a few new side effects, like sexual dysfunction, that adults might find less than pleasant. First, it is not known how well Attenance will work or how it compares in effectiveness to the current ADHD drugs since the three trials conducted on Attenace only compared Attenace to a placebo instead of to its potential competitors. Cephalon conducted three 9-week double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of more than 600 children and adolescents between the ages of six and 17 with ADHD. Cephalon reports that Attenace "significantly improved" the symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents, when compared to placebo, in three studies of the drug. Secondly, Attenace (modafinil) has side effects ranging from mildly disturbing to potentially life-threatening. Given the relatively small test sampling to date, Attenace side effects are not fully known at this point. It can be assumed that Attenace will have similar side effects to Provigil since they are made from the same drug. Below are a listing of common Provigil (modafinil) side effects.
Attenace
may be habit forming and has the potential for abuse and
dependence. You should discuss the abuse and dependence
potential of Attenace with your doctor. This drug should
not be taken by anyone who has been or currently is dependent
on alcohol or drugs.
Before taking Attenace, tell your doctor if you have;
Attenace,
along with all other ADHD medications currently on the market,
is not recommended for children under the age of six since
its safety and effectiveness has not been determined. Despite
ADHD drug manufacturer's own labels warning against prescribing
these powerful drugs to young children, doctors increasingly
prescribe ADD medications to children under the manufacturer
recommended age. About The Author Jeannine Virtue is a freelance journalist who specializes in health topics. Visit the Attention Deficit Disorder Help Center at http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com for information about treating Attention Deficit Disorder without the use of Ritalin or other ADHD medications. One has to remember that stimulants are medications and as such have an element of risk with their use. They are not to be used casually. There must be a medical indication that outweighs the risk. However, when there is a real indication, parents should not hesitate to use stimulants. This is not to say that medication is the only or even best approach for any particular child. As I have outligned in How to Help the Child You Love, there are over thirty-five different effective treatments for ADHD. Often a non-medical treatment is better for certain children. Another important thing to remember is that using stimulant medication is not a life long sentence. These medications can be used on a short term basis while you are trying to design a more effective treatment program. I also describe this in How to Help the Child You Love. Anthony Kane, MD ADD ADHD Advances “If the drugs that you ADHD child takes concern you, I can help!” ADD ADHD Treatment and Medication Help |
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