Methylphenidate for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Clinical Question: Is treatment with methylphenidate associated with benefits or harms for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Bottom Line: Methylphenidate is associated with improvement in ADHD symptoms, general behavior, and quality of life; however, due to the very low quality of the evidence, the magnitude of the associated improvement is uncertain. Methylphenidate was associated with an increased risk of nonserious adverse events. There are too few data to assess the association with serious adverse events.