Ritalin to 5 years old

Our  5 years  old son has been  on Ritalin for about one year, at a dose - 3/4 pill of 10 mg   twise  a day. Over the last month we  change  for 1 pill and we  thinking of trying  
Ritalin-SR.  Is there any  information  for that  age?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Anat,

Stimulant medications are commonly used with even young children to treat Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, though the condition should be at a high level of severity to warrant such treatment in a child younger than seven years.

If your child has tolerated Ritalin well, there's no reason to be worried about the use of Ritalin SR (Sustained Release). If the Ritalin is not helpful, Dexedrine can be used (in fact, it is often preferred in very young children).