Management of stimulant medications in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

In the United States, considerable media attention has been given to the growing number of youth diagnosed with ADHD and treated with psychotropic medications. The efficacy of stimulant medications long has been recognized clinically and is well documented in research. Studies suggest that treatment with stimulant therapy, when properly done, is more effective than psychosocial interventions that did not yield any significant benefits on a range of behavioral, emotional, psychosocial, and academic measures. The purpose of this article is to provide clinicians with everything they need to know but were afraid to ask about stimulant therapy for children and adolescents with ADHD.