Parents Shouldn't Ask for ADHD Meds for Healthy Kids
By Kate Goodin
The headline might seem obvious, but a study published in the medical journal Neurology found that teens and children who are perfectly healthy are routinely being prescribed ADHD medications as "study drugs"-often asked for by parents.
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The Los Angeles Times reports that over three percent of 12th graders who take ADHD meeds do so for reasons other than its intended use. Additionally, parents-and teens old enough to ask for medication-are taking advantage of the pervasiveness of ADHD and the prescription of stimulants to get the drugs as test-taking "steroids," or a way to boost focus and attention.
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Study author William Graf, MD, of Yale said that it's up to doctors to refrain from prescribing these medications to otherwise healthy kids. "Doctors caring for children and teens have a professional obligation to always protect the best interests of the child, to protect vulnerable populations, and prevent the misuse of medication," he said in a press release about the study.
Have you noticed an increase of ADHD medications in your child's school?
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