Can medications “cure” it? No, they can help control the condition, like insulin can control diabetes, but they cannot cure it: ADHD cannot be cured, but it can be treated! (About 1/3 of children’s symptoms disappear as the brain matures) l Are medications addictive? No. Some studies suggest that treating ADHD with CNS stimulants in childhood can lead to substance abuse later in life. Studies have shown that, in contrast, treatment of ADHD with CNS stimulants significantly reduces the risk of later substance abuse. Do medications help? Absolutely! More effective than any single treatment l Are medications alone enough? No, the complete treatment includes: self-management, behavioral therapy, learning coaching, learning disability counseling, etc. l Will medications affect my child’s height and weight? At the beginning of medication, there may be a loss of appetite, which may result in a lower weight and a slightly shorter height. However, later on (during adolescence), there is no significant difference between children on medication and normal children. Medical studies have not found a significant relationship between excitatory drugs and malnutrition and short stature.