Ritalin May Raise Risk of Sudden Death in Children

Boston (HealthKnowItAll) - Results of a new study find that children who are given drugs to help control their ADHD are at a 7 fold increased risk of sudden death.

This study result is alarming for sure, and may change the way that parents choose to deal with their children who are diagnosed with the condition.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the study has major limitations, and that parents should not shy away from asking for ADHD drugs to treat their children.

For their study, researchers compared the sudden deaths of 564 children who died from unknown causes, comparing their deaths with those killed in vehicle accidents.

They noted that children who took drugs to curb their ADHD were up to 7 times more likely to die suddenly than children who were not taking the drugs.

The study will be published in its entirity in The American Journal of Psychiatry.