Medication · StimulantPrescription
Ritalin · Concerta
The most prescribed ADHD medicine. Reviews, side effects and research on methylphenidate from parents of autistic and ADHD kids.
11 reviews · 2 languages · collected October 2026
The reviews so far were written by parents in Japan (9) and Taiwan (2).
Of 11 reviews, 9 said things got better and 2 said they got worse.
4.5 children better for every one worse
Only 11 reviews so far, so treat the percentages as a rough guide.
Got better
Girl · ADHD
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Jun 24, 2015
A daughter with ADHD has taken extended-release methylphenidate for several years, pausing during school holidays. She says finding things and concentrating are easier when she takes it.
Got worse or stopped
Girl · ADHD
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Sep 18, 2018
A parent let their daughter trial Concerta over the summer break. Focus in class improved, but she was very tired, restless and talkative, so she went back to Strattera.
11
Girl · ADHD
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Jun 24, 2015
A daughter with ADHD has taken extended-release methylphenidate for several years, pausing during school holidays. She says finding things and concentrating are easier when she takes it.
Boy · ADHD
🇹🇼 Taiwan · Traditional Chinese · Dec 21, 2018
A parent of a boy recently diagnosed with ADHD says he is taking Ritalin and his symptoms have eased somewhat. They still worry about how he is doing at school.
Age 8 · Boy · ADHD
🇹🇼 Taiwan · Traditional Chinese · Apr 16, 2023
A parent of an 8-year-old boy with ADHD says he has kept taking methylphenidate since starting school. It isn't dramatic, but it helps him stay steadier, and on days he skips it the teacher reports problems.
Girl · ADHD
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Aug 5, 2016
A parent's daughter with ADHD takes it only on school days. While it works, her urge to chew and her restlessness go away, and objects look more three-dimensional so they are easier to find.
Girl · ADHD
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Mar 2, 2015
A girl with ADHD first tried it at age 6 and felt limp with stomach pain and headache, but after a retry at school entry she has taken it for about three years. Parent sees clear change, with reduced appetite while it works.
Girl · ADHD & autism
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Jul 25, 2014
A parent of a daughter with both ADHD and autism reports about two years of use in total, with one break. Without it her hyperactivity and impulsivity are severe, so they continue it, skipping weekends and long holidays.
Boy · ADHD & autism
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Dec 31, 2018
A boy with both autism and ADHD started methylphenidate and his careless slips have gradually decreased. No appetite loss so far, and the medication seems to suit him.
Age 6 · Girl · ADHD
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Mar 26, 2013
A parent of a 6-year-old girl with ADHD and high impulsivity stopped after a one-week trial because of strong side effects, then restarted at year-end with far milder effects. She now sits and concentrates better at school, though poor appetite slows her weight gain.
Girl · ADHD
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Sep 18, 2018
A parent let their daughter trial Concerta over the summer break. Focus in class improved, but she was very tired, restless and talkative, so she went back to Strattera.
Girl · ADHD
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Dec 10, 2013
A parent's daughter with ADHD took this medication for about a year and a half starting around age 6. Daily functioning and attention were better on it, but her weight barely increased so it was stopped, after which attention problems returned.
Boy · ADHD
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Jun 14, 2012
A boy diagnosed with ADHD took methylphenidate for about five years and it suited him well, alongside strong school support. He stopped two weeks ago and daily life has stayed much the same.
Moderate improvement
734 PubMed papers · 14,138 participants
An analysis of 68 trials in children and teens found ADHD symptoms improved, and quality of life improved moderately. It may slightly slow height and weight gain.
Key studiesPMID 42134365PMID 38823477PMID 42199906
Read this apart from parent experience. Studies average many children, so they may not match your child.
Needs a prescription and regular check-ups.
Share of all reviews that mention it.
These are report counts, not how often it happens.
Call emergency services or go to the ER right away if your child
If an unusual change lasts more than a few days, tell your child's doctor.
We only pick posts in which parents describe trying something with their own child, from public parent forums and personal blogs. We don't copy the posts: we pull out the result, duration and side effects, write a short summary, and link every review to its original. These are parents who chose to write, so the numbers may differ from the real picture.
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