Stimulant medication
Medicines that are often offered when ADHD makes daily life very hard. Only a specialist doctor can start them and keep an eye on them.
Applies across the UK
Stimulant medicines, such as methylphenidate, are the group most often offered for ADHD ADHD ADHD is a difference in the way a child's brain works. It affects how they pay attention, how much energy they have, and how easily they act on impulse. Read the full definition of ADHD . The name can be alarming, but in ADHD these medicines work by increasing activity in the parts of the brain that help control attention and behaviour. They are only prescribed by a specialist, they are reviewed regularly, and starting them is a decision made together with the clinical team, never something that just happens to your child. Whether to try medication at all is your family's choice, and saying no does not close the door on other support.
Where this comes from
- About methylphenidate for children , NHS. Checked 2026-08-14.
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