The DOI matches its Crossref record; 25 of the 25 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Slowing of growth in height and weight on stimulants: A characteristic pattern
Abstract
Objective: The aims of the present study were to describe the growth pattern of children starting stimulant medication and to analyse the changes over time in height, weight and height velocity in a cohort of treated patients. Methods: Retrospective review of growth data from files of all newly treated patients with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder in one paediatric practice. Forty‐four boys and seven girls were treated for 6−42 months with either dexamphetamine (n = 32) or methylphenidate (n = 19). Results: During the first 6 months on stimulant medication 44 children (86%) had a height velocity below the age‐corrected mean and there was weight loss in 39 (76%). The height and weight standard deviation score (SDS) showed a progressive decline that was statistically significant after 6 and 18 months (P < 0.001, paired t‐test). The height velocity was significantly attenuated for the first 30 months (P < 0.01), being lowest during the first 6 months. The mean height deficit during the first 2 years was approximately 1 cm/year. The change in weight SDS was 2.4 times the change in height SDS after 30 months on treatment with a significant correlation (Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.88, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Stimulant medication is associated with a decrease in height and weight SDS during the first 6−30 months with a characteristic pattern on the growth chart.
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In the citing paper
“Current data indicate that the initial effect of stimulants on growth appears to attenuate over time [39, 114, 139] and early studies of the adult outcomes of children treated with stimulant medications have suggested that final adult height is not affected [55, 71].”
From European guidelines on managing adverse effects of medication for ADHD (2011) · cites this paper as [114]
In the citing paper
“Two recent chart-review studies of children treated with stimulant medication in clinical practices in the United States (Lisska and Rivkees, 2003) and Australia (Poulton and Cowell, 2003) have shown reductions in growth rates for up to 3 years without evidence of growth rebound.”
From Effects of Stimulant Medication on Growth Rates Across 3 Years in the MTA Follow-up (2007) · cites this paper as Poulton and Cowell, 2003
In the citing paper
“The finding of a reduction in growth rate in height that extends up to 3 years is consistent with two recent retrospective reviews of clinical charts (Lisska and Rivkees, 2003;Poulton and Cowell, 2003)”
From Effects of Stimulant Medication on Growth Rates Across 3 Years in the MTA Follow-up (2007) · cites this paper as Poulton and Cowell, 2003
Citations
Cites
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)
Hu, R. J. (2003) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b0-12-226870-9/01070-4 · Cited by 9,168
Physical growth: National Center for Health Statistics percentiles
Hamill, P. V. V., Drizd, T. A., Johnson, C., Reed, R. B., Roche, A., & Moore, W. (1979) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/32.3.607 · Cited by 2,322
Growth deficits in ADHD children revisited: evidence for disorder-associated growth delays?
SPENCER, T. J., BIEDERMAN, J., HARDING, M., O'DONNELL, D., FARAONE, S. V., & WILENS, T. E. (1996) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-199611000-00014 · Cited by 238
Hyperactive boys almost grown up. III. Methylphenidate effects on ultimate height.
Klein, R., & Mannuzza, S. (1988) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1988.01800360079012 · Cited by 220
Young Adult Outcome of Hyperactive Children Who Received Long-term Stimulant Treatment
HECHTMAN, L., WEISS, G., & PERLMAN, T. (1984) · Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0002-7138(09)60501-x · Cited by 178
Safer, D. J., & Allen, R. P. (1973) · PEDIATRICS · doi:10.1542/peds.51.4.660 · Cited by 158
Methylphenidate and Growth in Hyperactive Children: A Controlled Withdrawal Study
Klein, R. G. (1988) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1988.01800360075011 · Cited by 156
Growth of Hyperactive Children on Maintenance Regimen of Methylphenidate
Mattes, J. A. (1983) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1983.01790030087011 · Cited by 139
One-year follow-up of hyperactive boys treated with imipramine or methylphenidate
Quinn, P. O., & Rapoport, J. L. (1975) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.132.3.241 · Cited by 137
Growth of Hyperactive Children Treated With Methylphenidate
Satterfield, J. H. (1979) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1979.01780020102011 · Cited by 112
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- NSW Department of Health., 1999, Criteria for the Diagnosis and Management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents.
- Vaughan VC, 1969, Textbook of Paediatrics, 15
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Biederman, J., & Faraone, S. V. (2005) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(05)66915-2 · Cited by 1,463
Harpin, V. A. (2005) · Archives of Disease in Childhood · doi:10.1136/adc.2004.059006 · Cited by 789
Endocrine and Metabolic Adverse Effects of Psychotropic Medications in Children and Adolescents
Correll, C. U., & Carlson, H. E. (2006) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/01.chi.0000220851.94392.30 · Cited by 406
European guidelines on managing adverse effects of medication for ADHD
(for the European Guidelines Group), Graham, J., Banaschewski, T., Buitelaar, J., Coghill, D., Danckaerts, M., Dittmann, R. W., Döpfner, M., Hamilton, R., Hollis, C., et al. (2011) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-010-0140-6 · Cited by 374
Effects of Stimulant Medication on Growth Rates Across 3 Years in the MTA Follow-up
SWANSON, J. M., ELLIOTT, G. R., GREENHILL, L. L., WIGAL, T., ARNOLD, L. E., VITIELLO, B., HECHTMAN, L., EPSTEIN, J. N., PELHAM, W. E., ABIKOFF, H. B., et al. (2007) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/chi.0b013e3180686d7e · Cited by 323
Metadata
- Authors
- Poulton, A., & Cowell, C.
- Affiliations
- Nepean Hospital (AU)
- Children's Hospital at Westmead (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Poulton, A
- ORCID
- Poulton, A
- Venue
- Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2003-03-28
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 180-185
- ISSN
- 1034-4810 (ISSN-L)
- 1440-1754
- OpenAlex
- W2165350357
- Cited by
- 132
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 5.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pharmaceutical studies and practices
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology (medical) › Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, stimulant medication, d-amphetamine, methylphenidate, growth retardation, height velocity, weight loss, height deficit, children
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Central Nervous System Stimulants, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Body Height, Body Weight, Child, Child Development, Child, Preschool, Dextroamphetamine, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drug Administration Schedule, Female, Growth Disorders, Humans, Male, Methylphenidate, New South Wales, Probability, Prognosis, Retrospective Studies, Cohort Studies, Incidence, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution, Risk Assessment
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