Ritalin Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Ritalin, including details on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, prescription, dosage, side-effects.

Recommended Books on Ritalin

Do We Really Need Ritalin?: A Family Guide to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) A complete guide for parents of children diagnosed with ADHD, this book provides informative unbiased answers to questions about the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, including the common and controversial use of the drug Ritalin. The book addresses such concerns as how to choose a doctor and get a good diagnosis; who benefits from Ritalin and who doesn't; the side effects of Ritalin; and much more.

The Myth of ADHD and Other Learning Disabilities. Parenting Without Ritalin. A new perspective on ADHD and other learning disabilities.

21st Century Complete Medical Guide to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD or ADHD), Ritalin and other Treatment Options, Authoritative CDC, ... for Patients and Physicians (CD-ROM) This up-to-date electronic book on CD-ROM provides the best collection available anywhere of official Federal government information and documents on the subject of ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This CD-ROM uses next-generation search technology that allows complete indexing and makes all files on the disc fully searchable. For patients, practical information is provided in clearly written patient education documents. For medical professionals, doctor reference tools and texts have detailed technical information and clinical background material.

ADHD, once called hyperkinesis or minimal brain dysfunction, is one of the most common mental disorders among children. It affects 3 to 5 percent of all children, perhaps as many as 2 million American children. Two to three times more boys than girls are affected. On the average, at least one child in every classroom in the United States needs help for the disorder. ADHD often continues into adolescence and adulthood, and can cause a lifetime of frustrated dreams and emotional pain.

This thoroughly researched collection presents vital information from many authoritative sources: Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Contents include clinical and medical Information, with information on risk groups, signs, symptoms, testing, diagnosis, treatment, and clinical trials.

In addition to the comprehensive disease-specific coverage, as a bonus we have included an encyclopedic collection of general medical and health documents, with extensive material from the CDC, FDA, and NIH on hundreds of diseases. Since navigating the Internet to find additional non-governmental medical information can be confusing, we've also provided our exclusive "Guide to Leading Medical Websites" with updated links to 73 of the best sites for medical information! By using weblinks on the CD-ROM, you can quickly check for the latest clinical updates directly from the government.

This CD-ROM has over 44,000 pages reproduced using Adobe Acrobat PDF software and Reader software is included. Advanced search and indexing features are built into our reproduction, providing a complete full-text index. This enables the user to search all the files on the disk at one time for words or phrases using just one search command! The Acrobat cataloging technology adds enormous value and uncommon functionality to this impressive collection of government documents and material. There is no other reference that is as fast, convenient, comprehensive, and portable!

Our CD-ROMs are privately-compiled collections of official public domain U.S. government files and documents - they are not produced by the federal government. They are designed to provide a convenient user-friendly reference work, utilizing the benefits of the Acrobat format to uniformly present thousands of pages that can be rapidly reviewed or printed without untold hours of tedious searching and downloading. This book-on-a-disc makes a superb reference work and educational tool for patients and their families, physicians, and other medical professionals. (Information on this CD-ROM is not a substitute for professional medical advice; of course, readers are urged to consult with a professional health care provider for any suspected illness.)

Ritalin: Theory and Practice The key reference book for physicians and health care professionals involved in the clinical use and management of Ritalin includes comprehensive coverage and in-depth discussions of

Use in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Current theories of ADHD and the effects of Ritalin
Comparison of generic and brand Ritalin
Indications and contraindications
Mechanisms of Action
Side effects
Ritalin's abuse liability
Patterns of Ritalin prescribing in the United States
Neuroimaging
Results of studies on cognitive factors, behavior, and language

Detailed explanations and evaluations of the appropriate use of teacher and parent rating scales are provided, as well as the full edition of the Irvine Laboratory School Manual.

No More Ritalin: Treating Adhd Without Drugs Ever year in the U.S., over two million children are given the drug Ritalin to combat Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Now, Dr. Mary Ann Block shows why Ritalin may be very dangerous to a child's health--and offers parents safer and more effective alternatives. Using thorough research and actual case histories from her clinic, Dr. Block provides powerful evidence that a drug-free approach works.

Ritalin is Not the Answer Action Guide: An Interactive Companion to the Bestselling Drug-Free ADD/ADHD Parenting Program Since 1999, parents and teachers have relied on Dr. David Stein's groundbreaking book Ritalin Is Not the Answer as a resource to help them work with hyperactive children who have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit with hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Now the same principles and tools of the acclaimed Caregivers' Skill Program that Dr. Stein outlined in Ritalin Is Not the Answer are present in this easy-to-use companion workbook. Filled with self-tests, specific step-by-step guidelines, checklists, and exercises, Ritalin Is Not the Answer Action Guide offers a healthy, comprehensive behavioral program that has been proven to work!

Nature's Ritalin for the Marathon Mind: Nurturing Your ADHD Child With Exercise Millions of children who are diagnosed with ADHD can reduce or eliminate their medication while vastly improving their quality of life-just by exercising more, according to Stephen C. Putnam, author of this landmark book on the subject.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become an epidemic, with an estimated 5 percent of American children now on prescription drug regimens and the numbers increasing at a rapid rate. Meanwhile, the average child gets less exercise than in past generations, thanks to television, video games, and other inactive pastimes.

Putnam, in testing his theories, brought together a wide range of studies, anecdotal evidence, and laboratory research, reaching a firm conclusion that for many ADHD children, an exercise regimen controls the condition as well as drugs-without the unwanted side effects. The result of that research is the new book, Nature's Ritalin for the Marathon Mind: Nurturing Your ADHD Child with Exercise (Upper Access Books, $9.95). The findings include the following:

• Laboratory experiments have established that aerobic exercise has a chemical effect on the brain similar to that of Ritalin and other psychostimulant drugs, and the same ability to help people to focus their minds.

• ADHD has a variety of symptoms and causes, and neither exercise nor drugs is effective in treating all cases. However, in general, the children who respond the best to medication also respond the best to exercise.

• Psychostimulant drugs reduce a child's desire for rough-and-tumble play, thereby decreasing exercise and increasing the dependence on drugs. This can be turned around if activities involving aerobic exercise are worked into the child's schedule.

• While children usually need help from parents and others to become motivated to take up a regular exercise routine, the motivation-once it starts-is self-perpetuating. In other words, once children understand that the exercise regimen makes them feel better, improves social life, helps them with school, and provides other benefits, they pursue it with enthusiasm.

Putnam emphasizes that "This is not an anti-Ritalin book. The benefits of Ritalin and other medications for many children have been well established." He also notes that any change in treatment must be undertaken in consultation with the child's physician. Yet in case after case, he notes that by adopting a regular exercise routine, children have been able to reduce, and often eliminate, medication while improving social and academic life.

In addition to explaining the scientific issues, the book provides details on how to determine the optimum amount of exercise and the optimal schedules, plus numerous suggestions of ways to motivate your children to take up appropriate activities. "Motivation is the tricky part for most kids," Putnam says. "They're not going to exercise just because a parent is nagging them. But once they start feeling the benefits, they'll want to keep it up. Parenting is never easy, and every situation is different. In researching and writing the book, I tried to cover the wide range of situations that parents face. "

Speed, Ecstasy, Ritalin: The Science of Amphetamines Amphetamines have had a relatively short, though chequered history. From their use in wartime, their abuse by the beat generation, up to the popularity of Ecstasy in the late 20th century, many have found amphetamines an enjoyable, though unpredictable, stimulant. More than that though, amphetamine-based treatments have been found to have beneficial effects for those suffering from attention deficit disorders, and are now widely prescribed in the US and elsewhere as a treatment for children and adults.
What is the truth behind these medical claims? What are the real effects of stimulants like Ecstasy? Just how harmful are amphetamines?
In this book, a leading authority on psychoactive drugs explores the uses and abuses of amphetamines. Starting with a look at the origins of amphetamines, their use in wartime, their use by poets, musicians - even a President of the US, it presents a fascinating and accessible account of amphetamine use. It examines the evidence for the claims that drugs like Ecstasy kill, and considers the widespread use of amphetamines for ADHD, presenting a thorough account based on science and fact, rather than dogma.

Help for the Hyperactive Child: A Practical Guide Offering Parents of ADHD Children Alternatives to Ritalin As hyperactivity in children becomes more and more common, many parents are desperate to find a solution. Although there is no quick fix--prescription medications, for example, can often make the situation worse rather than better--there is an answer that has worked for many families.

Scientific studies have shown that a change in diet--specifically, the restriction of certain foods and the addition of others--can greatly decrease a child's hyperactive tendencies. Help for the Hyperactive Child is a user-friendly book that first explains how these dietary modifications can help, and then guides you in pinpointing the foods to which your child may be having adverse reactions. Recipes are included, along with suggestions for making other important lifestyle changes. Help for the Hyperactive Child can help your hyperactive child.

The Ritalin Fact Book: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You

After a vivid and harrowing tale of a young man placed on numerous medications that only compounded his problems, Breggin dives into several fairly technical chapters concerning the effects of stimulating drugs on children and how they can actually cause psychiatric disorders. He repeatedly insists that ADHD, which he refers to in quotation marks as "ADHD," can be corrected by improved parenting and teaching styles, and assures readers that a biochemical basis for the disorder is "simply nonsense." For many children this may be true, but the book will be frustrating reading for parents who have been exploring therapy and self-control training for years without positive effects.

While many of Breggin's detailed explanations of chemistry and character are important for navigating the maze of pediatric mental health, his explosively negative style could do as much harm as good. --Jill Lightner

© 2004-2008 Ritalin Research Today. All Rights Reserved.