1043-3155 Pediatr Neurol Briefs pedneurbriefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs Pediatric Neurology Briefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs 2166-6482 1043-3155 2166-3155 Pediatric Neurology Briefs Publishers Chicago, IL, USA PNB-11-06-b 10.15844/pedneurbriefs-11-1-11 Attention Deficit Disorders Neurology Pediatrics Nervous System Diseases Child Development Brain Diseases Neurosurgery Child Infant Methylphenidate Usage for ADHD in the 1990s http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-7931 Millichap J. Gordon MD 1 2 * Division of Neurology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Correspondence: Dr. J. Gordon Millichap, E-mail: jgmillichap@northwestern.edu 01 1997 01 05 2016 11 1 6 7 Copyright: © 1997 The Author(s) 1997 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Increased methylphenidate usage for attention deficit disorder in the 1990s

The usage and usage trends for methylphenidate (MPH) treatment of ADHD from 1990 through 1995 were estimated by the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Johs Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore County Health Department, and the Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.

 Methylphenidate Medication Stimulant Therapy

The usage and usage trends for methylphenidate (MPH) treatment of ADHD from 1990 through 1995 were estimated by the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Johs Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore County Health Department, and the Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD. A review of regional and national databases showed a 2.5-fold increase in the prevalence of MPH treatment of youths with ADD in this time period. Approximately 2.8% (1.5 million) US children aged 5 to 18 received MPH for ADD in 1995. The increased usage was related to more prolonged treatment, more girls, and adolescents receiving medication for ADD. [1]

COMMENT. A 2.8-fold increase in methylphenidate usage between 1990 and 1995, as shown in this study, is far less than the media claims of a 6-fold increased usage, based on DEA production quotas for methylphenidate in this time period. The findings do not address the appropriateness of stimulant therapy for ADHD.

Safer DJ Zito JM Fine EM Increased methylphenidate usage for attention deficit disorder in the 1990s Pediatrics 1996 Dec 98 1084 1088 8951257