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October 19, 2006 – Is it safe to give
preschoolers Ritalin, the popular attention deficit disorder
drug? The first long-term government study of that age group
warns of side effects with the stimulant drug, which isn't
recommended for children under age 6.
There were benefits for children who had
severe ADHD, but the researchers said preschoolers on Ritalin
need close monitoring because they're more likely than older
children to develop side effects. The research was done because
of concerns over reports that soaring numbers of preschoolers
are being given psychiatric drugs, including Ritalin. The
study's message is, proceed with caution, said Dr. Thomas
Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health.
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