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ADHD pills taken by families

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Taking attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs seems to be a family affair, according to an analysis of US prescription claims filed in 2005 for more than 107 000 children ages 5 to 19 and their parents.

The study found that parents of children on ADHD drugs were nine times more likely than other parents to be taking the drugs themselves, the Associated Press reported. It's long been recognised that ADHD runs in families.

The study was conducted by Medco Health Solutions, Inc. Among the other findings:

  • In families where a parent and child both started taking ADHD drugs last year, the parent started taking the drug first nearly 50 percent of the time.
  • Among children taking ADHD drugs, 7% had a parent also using such drugs.
  • The average age at which children started taking ADHD drugs was 13 for children and 43 for adults.

The study also found that mothers accounted for 60% of cases where a parent and child started taking ADHD drugs last year, even though ADHD is two to three times more common in males.

The explanation is that more women are being examined for attention-deficit problems, one expert told the AP. – (HealthDayNews)

Read more:
A-Z of Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Omega-3: a solution to ADHD?

September 2006

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