More and more children are receiving ADHD medication

Prescription of ADHD drugs to children continues to increase despite reports to the contrary

09/05/2011

While Barmer GEK announced a trend reversal in the prescription of drugs for the treatment of attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at the end of April, the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) today presented a report in Hamburg, which reports the increase in prescriptions in the field of ADHD. Medication themed.

According to Techniker Krankenkasse, more and more children and adolescents in Germany are taking medication for the treatment of ADHD. In 2009, around 27 out of 1,000 adolescents insured by Techniker Krankenkasse between the ages of six and eighteen were prescribed the drug Ritalin (methylphenidate). According to the TK this corresponds to an increase of 32 percent compared to the year 2006. The end of April by the Barmer GEK noted turnaround in the prescription of Ritalin & Co in 2009, has not confirmed the Techniker health insurance with their report.

Changed drug guidelines for the prescription of ADHD drugs
In view of the massive increase in the prescription of ADHD drugs, the Federal Joint Committee (Joint Self-Administration of Doctors and Health Insurance Funds, G-BA) had already passed an amendment to the drug guidelines in December last year. Since then, doctors are only allowed to prescribe medications such as Ritalin if other therapeutic measures have been used previously and have been unsuccessful. After all, not every particularly active child suffers from ADHD and a drug treatment can be avoided after appropriate diagnosis under certain circumstances by therapeutic measures. In general, the TK in its report warned against the premature use of ADHD drugs since „The long-term effects of Ritalin and Co. have not been explored and the side effects are very controversial“ are. According to TK experts, anxiety or lack of appetite are also possible consequences of the active substance methylphenidate as well as effects on the growth of the children.

Almost two tons of ADHD drug delivered
The worrying figures of the Techniker health insurance are confirmed by the information provided by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. Between 2006 and 2009, the Federal Institute recorded an increase of 42 percent to a total of 1,735 kilograms for the quantity of the active substance methylphenidate delivered to pharmacies. In the 2006 baseline, the value was still at 1,221 kilograms, quoted the Techniker health insurance, the figures of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. For its own insured persons, the average prescribed amount of methylphenidate per young patient has risen from 195 in 2006 to 213 in 2009, according to TK. Still, especially active adolescents are far too often restrained with Ritalin and Co., according to the results of the current study. Before the prescription should therefore „a specially trained doctor (...) with parents, teachers and other caregivers to clarify whether the symptoms of the small patients do not have other causes“ can, stressed the pharmacist of the technician health insurance, Edda Würdemann. Thus, the premature prescriptions of methylphenidate and the threat of side effects were often completely prevent, said the expert.

ADHD patients need appropriate treatment
However, according to Edda Würdemann, the preparations containing methylphenidate still remain in very behavior-afflicted children „the tool of choice“. Because „only then can the symptoms be alleviated quickly, so that an accompanying behavioral or psychotherapy is made possible in the first place“, explained the pharmacist of the TK. According to the expert, however, it must be remembered that Ritalin can never replace a holistic therapy and that „the affected children learn (have to) deal with their symptoms in the long term - even without medication.“ The massive increase in the prescription of ADHD drugs clearly indicates maladministration in the treatment of patients. The three to ten percent of children in Germany who, according to expert estimates, suffer from typical ADHD symptoms such as attention problems, impulsivity and hyperactivity are entitled to appropriate treatment and should not simply be sedated with medications - especially the risk of side effects Statement of the technician health insurance has not yet been clarified. In the professional world, possible side effects of methylphenidate include symptoms such as headache and abdominal pain, internal arousal, slight increases in heart rate and blood pressure or weight loss. Also, nausea, cognitive impairment, depressed mood, and triggering and amplifying existing tic´s (uncontrollable, recurring motor contraction of individual muscles or muscle groups) are mentioned as potential consequences of taking methylphenidate. (Fp)

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ADHD: Prescription of Ritalin is restricted

Image: Gerd Altmann, Pixelio.de