Children suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) usually struggle in the classroom but researchers found that children who were given medication performed better on standardized math and reading tests than children with ADHD who did not take medication.

“Our study shows that there is a true, long-term learning effect that can be measured objectively,” said  lead researcher Richard Scheffler, PhD, of the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health.

In the study 594 children diagnosed with ADHD from kindergarten through fifth grade were tracked by examining standardized math and reading scores as well as working with information about each child’s family and medical background.

The 60 % who took prescribed drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall performed better on standardized tests than those with ADHD who were not given medication. The researchers also found that medicated children were about one-fifth of a school year ahead of their non-medicated peers in math and about one-third of a school year ahead in reading, but both groups still lagged behind their classmates who did not have ADHD.

The research which appears in the May issue of the journal Pediatrics was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. 

According to the report nearly 8 % of American children, or 4.4 million children are diagnosed with ADHD, 56 % are prescribed medications, mostly stimulants like Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall.  Boys are more commonly diagnosed with the disorder than girls.

Although earlier studies have shown that medication helps with short-term memory in the classroom, Scheffler said the study is one of the first to show that treatment is associated with long-term improvements in academic performance.

“We are not saying that all children with ADHD need to be on medication,” Scheffler said. "We're not promoting drugs as the answer. But we did find medication does improve standardized math and reading scores in the long term," he said. "Our study found that the children with ADHD who used the medication were several months ahead of their non-medicated peers in reading and math, which is significant because early progress in school is critical to ongoing academic success," he added.

Scheffler said children with ADHD who are left untreated do poorly in school, with higher dropout rates and more substance abuse, arrests and social isolation.

"They're labeled as bad kids," he said. "Drugs are part of the answer. But we need parent involvement, understanding what this is and how to work with the kid. We need the school to be involved. We also think that special services like tutoring need to be made available."

Scheffler said the drugs have been proven safe, with few side effects which can include loss of sleep and appetite and, in rare cases, temporary hallucinations and psychosis.