Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Stimulants Effect on Growth | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
My 11-year-old son is taking Adderall® for ADD and is doing really well. I am just wondering if this drug could possibly stunt his growth into puberty.— Cat | | | ANSWER |
August 29, 2001 | | | Dear Cat,
Adderall® is a stimulant medication, closely related to amphetamines and methylphenidate (the key ingredient in Ritalin®, Concerta®, Metadate®, etc.). Stimulants are by far the most commonly prescribed medications for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and they all have the potential side effect of reducing growth. The main way they do this is by cutting down the child's appetite.
By having a child eat during the time of day that the medication is least active (often around dinner time, and at breakfast before the first dose of the day), and giving a relatively high-calorie diet, it's possible to give a child a normal nutritional intake, even though he doesn't eat a lot at many meals.
On average, the decline in growth with stimulants is small (a few centimeters at most), and children may catch up somewhat by growing for a longer period of time during puberty. So, although they are short as teens, they often reach normal height in adulthood.
A child who is average or large for age, and who has a good diet, probably doesn't have to worry too much about growth stunting from taking stimulant medication for ADHD. A child who is short or small to begin with may have more of a problem, and may need his dosage adjusted, or perhaps a different medication altogether.
For more on treatment of ADHD, see our ADHD section.— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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