Study links ADHD medicine with better test scores

AP News Source Link.

CHICAGO (AP) -- Children on medicine for attention deficit disorder scored higher on academic tests than their unmedicated peers in the first large, long-term study suggesting this kind of benefit from the widely used drugs.

The nationally representative study involved nearly 600 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder followed from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Children's scores on several standardized math and reading tests taken during those years were examined. Compared with unmedicated kids, average scores for medicated children were almost three points higher in math and more than five points higher in reading. The difference amounts to about three months ahead in reading and two months in math, the researchers said.

This bid to further medicate our children is dispicable. There is no way that they can possible believe that medication will help children be smarter. I have 4 children none of whom are on any perscriptions, but yet all of them score higher than all of their classmates on standardized tests. There are several children in their classes that are currently on ADHD drugs, so why are they not the top of the class if this study is real.

I personally feel that this is a grab by the phama companies to make more money in a dying economy. Take this drug Jimmy, it will make you smarter. I don't think so. I hate that they want to drug our children and control their state of mind through drugs.

I though drugs were bad. Maybe that is only if you don't buy them for "mental" adjustments.

Just say no?

While I don't agree with drugging our kids, when I took some ADHD meds it made it so much easier for me to focus and get stuff done. So I am sure if I was in school still I would probably get better test scores then I did back then.

Yeah, these kinds of psychoactive drugs are horrible for anyone, much less kids. When I was in second grade they tried to put me on them and my mom wouldn't let them. I DID take some one time, by one time I mean one pill, but my parents didn't like what they did to me and I never took them again =)

I always scored in the top 5% in the nation on standardized tests.

its not that the medicine will make them smarter, its more that the medicine will make them not question things and more obedient. its only a matter of time before all kids are required to be medicated in order to attend school. low income parents will probably be the first ones to do so as they will think this will give their children a much needed help to break the cycle. the media will justify it as a new wonder drug that makes kids smarter making them less likely to be violent, but then again maybe i think too much.

reply to post by T0XiK


That is kind of the path of thought that I was having on the matter. It would make for a more passive and easily influenced youth. I would, like you, never medicate my children with mind altering "head meds".

This bid to further medicate our children is dispicable. There is no way that they can possible believe that medication will help children be smarter. I have 4 children none of whom are on any perscriptions, but yet all of them score higher than all of their classmates on standardized tests. There are several children in their classes that are currently on ADHD drugs, so why are they not the top of the class if this study is real.

I personally feel that this is a grab by the phama companies to make more money in a dying economy. Take this drug Jimmy, it will make you smarter. I don't think so. I hate that they want to drug our children and control their state of mind through drugs.

I though drugs were bad. Maybe that is only if you don't buy them for "mental" adjustments.

Just say no?

you couldnt be more wrong.

Amphetamines guys Amphetamines and methylphenidate


Ritalin is abused for the stimulant effects it produces, including appetite suppression, wakefulness, euphoria, and increased focus and attentiveness.

So why would you NOT score better when taking it... Errr Doh !!! that is what it is supposed to do. Medicating normal (whatever that means) kids is shocking if that is what is being suggested (and it seems it is)

Please note:
"Children taking controversial medicine for attention deficit disorder are more successful at school than their non-medicated peers, scientists say.

Nearly 600 children with ADHD were followed for five years from the age of five in the first long-term study of its kind.

The youngsters taking Ritalin scored higher on academic tests and were three months ahead of their peers at reading and two months ahead in maths.
But both groups had lower scores on average than a separate group of children without ADHD.

It further goes on to say that "Most ADHD drug users in the study were using stimulants of some kind although the study didn't identify which ones"

So some of them could have been on Ritalin and other not. BTW Caffeine does the same thing, if any of you guys drink red bull or do pro plus at exam times you know what I mean.

No-one is ever going to medicate my kids without my permission ADHD can be a bit of a bandwagon, my nephew was diagnosed and my sis in law (a nurse) titrated him off the stuff as she didn't like what it did to him. Guess what his scores improved as he thought he was still taking it.

Cures for behavioral disorder shouldn't always come out of a bottle if you ask me. But this is not a case of big pharma doing anything as Amphetamines have been cheap as sand for decades and no-one would make money from this except perhaps some drug dealers....

Have a good one/