ADHD drug warnings

CHILDREN with ADHD should be screened for psychotic symptoms before being prescribed medications like Ritalin as a new study reveals some are at risk of the stimulants sparking hallucinations and paranoia.

Professor James Scott from the University of Queensland School of Medicine led an evaluation of thousands of children and found pharmacotherapy was linked to the onset of psychotic events.

“The evidence suggests that a psychotic event occurs in one out of 68 cases of children treated with stimulant medications for one year,” Prof Scott said. Adverse reactions usually resolved when the drugs were removed.