Ritalin Uses: Understanding ADHD, Narcolepsy & Seizures

Ritalin is used widely for the treatment of attention deficit disorder (ADD )as well as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, there are a variety of other situations in which Ritalin is recommended, including narcolepsy (a sleep disorder).

Misconceptions

• Due to broad (and increasing) applications, there are a misconceptions about when Ritalin is used appropriately. Many consumers wrongly assume that Ritalin is a seizure medication.

Effects

• Although Ritalin affects the central nervous system of a patient, the drug works as a stimulant. Stimulation of the central nervous system is contraindicated for an individual with a seizure disorder.

Warning

• A patient with a history of seizure disorders, including epilepsy, must disclose this information to her physician when contemplating Ritalin.

Significance

• Although it is clear that Ritalin aggravates pre-existing seizure conditions, there is no hard evidence that it creates such problems for a patient with no such history.

Benefits

• There are instances in which the benefits of a Ritalin to a patient with a mild seizure condition outweigh the risks. In these limited cases, a doctor appropriately will prescribe this medication.