Reply to ADHD meds don't help improve academic progress long term

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Reply to "ADHD meds don't help improve academic progress long term"

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[quote=Anonymous]Mother of 2 with ADHD and DW of another.  I thought the article makes some good points and raises some interesting questions.  It mirrors what our care providers have told us.  The medications don't improve intellectual functioning but improve behaviors.  That's consistent with what we see.  The only thing that seems to have helped my DSs' executive functioning is maturing.  However, the medication does help them be better aware of themselves and their behaviors.  It helps them regulate their attention and attend to tasks.  It also helps keep them from being disruptive to their own learning, the learning of others and our entire household.  It doesn't help them overcome their learning disabilities.  It does help them regulate their emotions and that's a positive for everyone.

I thought this quote from the articule deserved highlighting:  
[i]Some researchers think that the lack of evidence for long-term academic benefits is a result of flawed study design. Peter Jensen, a leader on the MTA study, says he believes that if the children had been maintained on the study's protocol, the initial gains they made would have lasted. Longer randomly controlled trials would be challenging both from a technical and ethical standpoint, but the suggestion highlights another problem, namely the discrepancy between the optimal care given during a trial and that which most children receive.[/i]

We participate in the NIH ADHD studies and return once a year for a follow up.  The researchers have been fabulous resources and I've greatly appreciated their advice.  They've been clear that medication and behavioral supports are the most effective means of addressing ADHD symptoms.  It's not easy to do and I can understand why people don't/can't maintain the protocols.

At this point, I like to think there's a long term benefit to the medication but even if there's not, I'll take the short term benefits.  We did everythign we could before turning to medication and I'm so glad to have finally found something that's effective.  We've had to change/tweak it over the years but it's been very positive in our life.  I don't knnow why people feel the need to bash it.[/quote]

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