Stimulant Medication With a 14 Hour Duration is of Limited Use in Young Children With ADHD

Vyvanse is an amazing ADHD medication for adults1 in the morning. There is no way to shorten the
but it has a few problems when used for ADHD induration of action of Vyvanse. Giving him half the dose
children. This relatively new ADHD drug providesjust halves the stimulant effect, not the duration of
continuous stimulant coverage in a very smoothaction.
fashion. The drug consists of dextroamphetamineI once heard a psychiatrist suggest to a parent of an
bonded to the amino acid lysine. TheADHD child with this problem that she set her alarm
dextroamphetamine is only absorbed when the lysinefor 7am on weekends and wake her child up and to
bond is broken and this can only happen in thegive him his Vyvanse. A ridiculous suggestion such as
stomach or small intestine. This provides for anthis one is why physicians get the terrible reputation
amazingly smooth delivery of the dextroamphetaminethat they sometimes get. The Parents of Children with
into the blood stream. This delivery system has theADHD, who do not feel comfortable 'talking back to a
added effect of making this ADHD drug impossible tophysician', might have not have the nerve to tell their
abuse as you will get no effect if you crush it, inject itphysicians what a thoroughly bad idea this is. I know of
or snort it.no parent, in their right mind, who is going to wake their
Vyvanse's effect is very long acting, between 12-14peacefully sleeping ADHD child, at 7 am, on a stress
hours and there are some physicians who believe thatless weekend morning to give them their stimulant
the stimulant effect of Vyvanse is stronger than themedication.
stimulant effect of other dextroamphetamines such asA better suggestion from this psychiatrist would have
Adderall.been to offer this parent a medication with an 8-10
Many young children do extremely well on this ADHDhour duration of action that could be used on days
medication except for two problems that are bothwhen the child slept late. My guess is that there are
related to the duration of action. The first problem ismany parents of young children with ADHD who are
that these young children with ADHD are often notstruggling with what to do on days when a medicine
very hungry for the better part of 14 hours, which iswith a 14 hour duration is impractical. Maybe a solution
the amount of time that the drug action usually lasts.would be for the drug manufacturer to come out with
At dinner time, the ADHD child may only eat a smalla children's monthly dose pack of Vyvanse that
amount of dinner. Families that have children withincluded two to four days of a shorter acting
ADHD make all kinds of adjustments to familydextroamphetamine. These shorter acting pills would
schedules and routines to accommodate problemsbe used for the occasional days in the month when
such as this one. One family, I know, sets aside thethe child did not need 12-14 hour coverage.
ADHD child's dinner plate until it is time for his bedtimePsychiatrist and physician's treating children with ADHD
snack. By that time he is hungry and he then eats theand ADD who are taking Vyvanse should be routinely
rest of his dinner.asking parents what they are doing,as far as
The second problem is that children with ADHD havemedicating their children, on days when the children
days when they do not need to have a stimulant onwith ADHD sleep in late. Children with ADHD and
board for 14 hours. When a child with ADHD 'sleeps in'children with ADD should not be off all medication
and wakes up at 11am it is likely that this child will still gosimply because they woke up late and parents should
to sleep at his regular bedtime 8-10 hours later. If thisnot have to wake up taheir peacefully slumbering
child is given Vyvanse however, he will be awake untilchildren to give them ADHD medication.