Children taking medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may experience psychiatric symptoms from the drugs, such as hallucinations, hearing voices, paranoia and mania, the US Food and Drug Administration suggests.

 

The study was published in the journal Pediatrics. It was based on data from 49 clinical trials conducted by makers of the drugs. The FDA researchers found that drugs such as Ritalin, Focalin, Adderall XR, Daytrana, Concerta, Strattera and Metadate can cause psychosis and mania in some patients, including some with no obvious risk factors. In most of the cases, children hallucinated that worms, bugs or snakes were crawling on them.

 

“Patients and physicians should be aware of the possibility that psychiatric symptoms consistent with psychosis or mania, when they arise in the course of drug treatment or ADHD, may represent adverse drug reactions,” the FDA researchers concluded.

 

The number of children with hallucinations due to the drugs is small, however the symptoms were absent in kids taking placebos. The researchers did not know for sure why some children experience psychotic reactions to the drugs or what causes the symptoms.

 

ADHD is one of the most well-recognized childhood developmental problems. The condition is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. According to government estimates, ADHD affects more than 4.4 million children. The bad news is that ADHD symptoms continue in adulthood for about 60 percent of children with ADHD, thus having repercussions on adults’ daily activity.

 

According to a study released by researchers at the Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, lack of concentration in adults with ADHD costs each of them 22.1 days of “role performance” per year including 8.7 extra days of absence.