The use of psychostimulants in the pediatric patient.

The psychostimulant drugs have a long history of safe and effective usage in the treatment of ADHD. They remain the drugs of first choice in this condition. Children with ADHD should be aggressively treated with at least two different classes of psychostimulants before moving to nonpsychostimulant agents. As long as side effects are not troublesome, higher dosages may be used to adequately control the ADHD symptoms, and such high dosages do not impair learning. No evidence shows long-term effects of psychostimulants on growth. Effective use of the psychostimulants is essential for any clinician involved in the treatment of children with ADHD.