NEW YORK -
14 year old Stephanie Person is on medication to help manage her attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Now The American Academy of Neurology is issuing a warning about an
alarming new trend. More and more children who don't have the disorder are using
ADHD medications to boost their attention in school.
The country's leading neurologists say
healthy children should not be using memory enhancing drugs because their brains
are still developing. There are also risks of becoming dependent on the drugs
and over-medication.
ADHD is one of the
most common childhood disorders and recent studies show it can continue into
adulthood. Experts say getting the right diagnosis is key, so patients can get
the right treatment.
There could be other problems underlying academic
struggles including anxiety, depression and insomnia.
If a student is having trouble in school..
doctors say parents should first make sure their child is getting enough sleep,
exercise and good nutrition.
The authors of today's paper say doctors have a
professional obligation to protect the best interests of a child and that
prescribing mind enhancing drugs for healthy students is not
justifiable.
