ABSTRACT
Issues about growth patterns in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have long been of interest to families and professionals. By far the greatest attention has been paid to the possible effects of stimulants on height and weight, since these medications typically are used to treat ADHD in children during a significant interval of the growth development. Current evidence indicates that, on average, persistent use of stimulants does result in decreased rates of growth for both height and weight, especially during the first several years when used in prepubertal children. The magnitude of the effect seems to be related to total medication exposure. Less clear is whether stopping the medication either with “drug holidays” or completely while a child is still growing permits for “growth rebound.” This latter issue relates, in part, to unresolved questions about whether ADHD itself may be associated with changes in growth patterns.
