"My 11-year-old has been taking a stimulant for two years. How much longer should he stay on it? I worry it may cause adverse effects."
by
Larry Silver, M.D.
Your son should stay on the medication as long as symptoms interfere with his success in school, at home, or socially. Some individuals “outgrow” ADHD in adolescence, but most continue to have symptoms throughout their lives. Stimulant medications have been used to treat ADHD since the 1950s. So far, we have found no adverse long-term effects.