What Kind of Seizures Is Ritalin Used For?

Ritalin is used widely for the treatment of attention deficit disorder (ADD )as well as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, there are a variety of other situations in which Ritalin is recommended, including narcolepsy (a sleep disorder).

Misconceptions

• Due to broad (and increasing) applications, there are a misconceptions about when Ritalin is used appropriately. Many consumers wrongly assume that Ritalin is a seizure medication.

Effects

• Although Ritalin affects the central nervous system of a patient, the drug works as a stimulant. Stimulation of the central nervous system is contraindicated for an individual with a seizure disorder.

Warning

• A patient with a history of seizure disorders, including epilepsy, must disclose this information to her physician when contemplating Ritalin.

Significance

• Although it is clear that Ritalin aggravates pre-existing seizure conditions, there is no hard evidence that it creates such problems for a patient with no such history.

Benefits

• There are instances in which the benefits of a Ritalin to a patient with a mild seizure condition outweigh the risks. In these limited cases, a doctor appropriately will prescribe this medication.