A newer medication, Focalin, has less of an anorectric effect, but it has not been approved for use in childhhood ADD or ADHD. A variety of coping skills can be taught to improve the executive function of individuals with ADD or ADHD, but most children afflicted with disorder could never go on to complete rigid, rote, and detail-intensive educational pursuits such those leading to careers as physicians and lawyers, but then, so what??
One afflicted with ADD (which usually is the course of things as an ADD-er gets older) can complete a difficult course of study at the doctoral and post-doctoral levels in the sciences and even do so at top-drawer research universities and research centers. I know this because I did so, although I was diagnosed as having ADD until I was 50 y.o.
I've done reasonably well in life, quite largely due to prayers answered in the form of blessings from the Lord, and have done even better after starting to take carefully selected medications.
Methylphenidate (Ritalin) in all of its formulations became less effective, but I have found the advanced-generation medication, Focalin, to be ideal with respect to its pharmacological properties. One of my regrets is that, had I know that I have ADD I would have avoided companies and positions that did not permit flexibility re: time and work activities. I am thriving and prospering while doing things I enjoy and at which I excel after having retired from the Feral Gummint.
I sometimes refer to myself as "Timex:" I took a licking but have kept on ticking." My childhood school years through my undergraduate degree was miserable, and although I continue to struggle against longstanding "baggage," I thank the Lord several times a day for preserving me and keeping me off of a seat on a railroad track.
If any of you are affected by ADD or ADHD, please feel free to contact me via FReepmail. I may be able to be of help to you in your struggle or that of a loved one or friend.......
My oldest son was kicked out of kindergarten on the 2nd day of school. It wasn't until after his first surgery that we could even try Ritalin to deal with the hyperactivity. It helped a little, but not enough to warrant continuation. Cylert didn't help at all. We opted to line him up with special ed classes prepared to handle the problem. He has completed half of his work toward a BS in geology, but just doesn't have the capacity to handle more than one or two classes at a time. Completing his degree is going to be exorbitantly expensive due to the fee schedules oriented to people taking a more standard 16 units per semester. At 27 he is still somewhat emotionally immature. He is still inattentive. His is currently working as a cashier at Deseret Industries. A week of consecutive "zero out" events on his till is a big deal for him. He just passed his driver's license written exam too. It's a supervised license. He really needs a "safety" driver in place to augment his attention issues.
I suspect I'm also somewhat an ADD case myself. My mom was always nagging me to "finish" things. That prompted me to make lists of things that need to be finished, then ravenously consume the work on my list.
My youngest son hasn't faired as well. He was in special ed in San Diego too. When we moved to Idaho, the school system failed him in a big way. He dropped out in 8th grade. I'm trying to get him motivated to complete the GED so he is marketable. He says the special ed classes in San Diego went over the same narrow range of material, so he has much work to catch up with the curriculum of the "normal" students.