fearfullness as a side effect to adderoll

My 9 year old daughter has been taking adderoll (5mg. twice a day) for ADD since Sept. This amount has significantly effected her life in a very positive way.  She has always displayed some signs of inappropriate fears. For example she is afraid of being left behing -even in school where she knows everyone.  Lately these fears have increased; -panic in the dark, afraid to stay with her tutor(who she adores), inability to make decisions regarding clothes choices, etc.  I have been told the location in the brain for fear and impulsiveness are close together. Could there be any relationship between this increase in behaviors and the adderoll? If not, what should I do about these fears?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Sue,

It's unlikely, after the length of time your daughter has been on the medicine, and since there's been no change in dose, that the increase in fearfulness is due to the Adderal. For a short time, if you want to investigate this possibility, see if the prescribing physician will approve discontinuing the medication. You'll know quickly if it makes a difference. But this isn't a side effect one would expect.

Be sure not to defer to the fears; you'll only exacerbate or support them. Patiently encourage your daughter to 'soldier on'. When she's fearful or reticent, ask her "What will help? What can you do to feel better?' Or, 'How can you solve this?' You'll notice that the responses all inducate that there are things she can do to make the situation better.

If there's no improvement, and the fears are impeding in significant ways in your daughter's day-to-day life, arrange an evaluation with a child clinician. If the fears, inability to decide, etc. are not a major problem, there's no need to seek help.

Is your daughter under any particular stress of late that might account for the increase? Kids with a baseline of anxiety will usually show an increase when they are feeling under some stress, tension or pressure.