Information about Adarol for ADHD

Adarol is stimulant medicine used to treat ADHD in children. Like Ritalin, Adarol is a stimulant, but instead of being made of methylphenidate, it is a mixture of different amphetamine salts. It can help to reduce or improve the symptoms of ADHD, including having a short attention span and/or being hyperactive and impulsive. Adarol is generally given twice a day. Just like any other stimulants, Adarol should be started with a low dosage and then work you way up as needed. In general, the dosage of Adarol is about 1/2 that of methylphenidate (Ritalin) containing products, so 20mg of Ritalin would be about equivalent to 10mg of Adarol.

Children under the age of 3 should not be given Adarol. Instead, it is generally started at a dose of 2.5mg in children under age 5 and gradually increased as necessary. Older children often start with a 5mg dose. These double scored tablets are available in sizes of 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg, 15mg, 20mg, 25mg and 30mg.

Although generally well tolerated, the main side effects of Adarol include loss of appetite, insomnia, weight loss, emotional lability, abdominal pain and depression.
If side effects don't improve with time, your pediatrician may have to lower your child's dosage or consider changing to another medication, such as Concerta or Strattera.