Long-Term Side Effects of Methylin

The long-term side effects of Methylin are currently not fully understood. One reported side effect of long-term use of stimulants is growth suppression; therefore, your child's growth should be monitored during the treatment process. Research scientists are also studying the long-term effects of methylphenidate (the active ingredient in Methylin) in animals, and have found that animals given the medicine early in life developed changes in behavior and brain chemistry.

Methylin Drug Information

Long-Term Side Effects of Methylin: An Overview

Methylin^® is a prescription medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. There are currently two forms of Methylin available:

Methylin Chewable Tablets^® (methylphenidate chewable tablets)
Methylin Oral Solution^® (methylphenidate oral solution).

Although short-term Methylin side effects have been studied, little is known about the long-term side effects of Methylin use.

Understanding Clinical Studies

Before medicines are approved, they must go through several clinical studies in which thousands of people are given a particular medicine and compared to a group of people not taking it. In these studies, side effects are always documented. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine. However, studies for Methylin were short (usually less than three weeks) and did not look at the long-term side effects.

Long-Term Side Effects of Methylin: Growth Suppression

Growth suppression has been reported as a side effect of long-term use of stimulants (such as Methylin) in children. This is usually small (less than an inch and less than two pounds), and children usually catch up to normal growth rates with time. Your child's growth should be monitored while he or she is taking Methylin.

(Long-Term Side Effects of Methylin Continued: Page 2)