Lm. Musten et al., EFFECTS OF METHYLPHENIDATE ON PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN WITH ADHD - COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL FUNCTIONS, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36(10), 1997, pp. 1407-1415
Objective: To report on implications for methylphenidate treatment of
this very young age group and the need to examine factors related to a
chieving compliance. Method: Thirty-one children with attention-defici
t hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), aged 4 to 6 years, participated in a
double-blind, placebo-controlled study using placebo, 0.3 mg/kg, and 0
.5 mg/kg of methylphenidate twice per day. Results: Improvements relat
ed to medication were obtained on cognitive tests of attention and imp
ulsivity as well as behaviors assessed by parent rating scales. In an
interactive setting with their mothers, attentional abilities and the
children's ability to work more productively also showed improvement.
However, no changes were obtained with respect to the children's tende
ncy to comply with parental requests. Side effects increased slightly
with the high dosage of medication but remained mild. Conclusion: The
results suggest that methylphenidate can be used to improve the functi
oning of preschool-age children with ADHD, in a manner similar to thei
r school-age counterparts.