Students with Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder have a hard time adjusting to college life, but their struggle may be made harder by the fact that most universities do not adequately treat ADHD, according to a study done at University of Alabama.

Mark Thomas, a physician at the University of Alabama’s student health center, found most campuses are not effectively treating ADHD because they are not prescribing prescriptions for ADHD medications such as Adderall XR, Vyvanse and Ritalin.

‘Medications are by far the most effective treatment for students with ADHD,’ Thomas said.

Thomas conducted research to see how ADHD is diagnosed and treated on college campuses throughout the country. Thomas’s study consisted of 124 colleges and universities ranging in size and location. The online survey was sent to hundreds of directors of college health services.

Students who have been diagnosed with ADHD as children may need to increase or alter their usual dosage when entering college, Thomas said. Class schedules are different than high school and vary in length with large gaps between classes making it difficult for a student with ADHD to stay focused, he said.

However, college can trigger symptoms of ADHD in students who were not diagnosed during childhood. The college environment consists of more independent work than high school, Thomas said.

‘Ones not identified until college are usually more inattentive and less hyperactive,’ Thomas said. ‘The complexity of the work exceeds their ability to overcome it.’

Syracuse University’s ADHD management runs parallel with the guidelines for treatment that Thomas suggests in his study, said Kathleen VanVechten, associate director of SU Health Services.

‘I was amazed that what he is saying is what we discovered here at SU,’ VanVechten said. ‘The goal of SU Health Services is to help students safely continue their medications and help them to be successful in their new environment.’

Health Services’ management plan for students with ADHD includes prescribing medication proven to be effective in managing ADHD when appropriate and regular monitoring of a student’s response and possible harmful effects, said Cheryl Flynn, interim medical director of Health Services, in an e-mail. Health Services also encourages the use of non-medicinal treatment, she said.

Students with ADHD have the option of continuing their prescriptions and follow-up assessments from their home provider or having Health Services prescribe their medications. If the student decides to receive medication through SU, they are required to go to check-ups at least once every two months, which include checking the student’s blood pressure, heart rate and weight, VanVechten said.

Students may also be referred to receive additional psychotherapy at the SU Counseling Center or the Psychological Services Center on campus, VanVechten said.

Students may be referred for treatments without medication through SU’s Tutoring and Study Center, the Disabilities Services Center or another appropriate university resource. At these places students can get non-medication treatment such as tutoring, note-taking services, behavioral interventions and special test-taking accommodations, Flynn said.

Health Services does screening tests for students who think they may have ADHD but have never been diagnosed or treated. The initial evaluation consists of standard questions that would show if symptoms for ADHD have been present since childhood and if symptoms impact a student’s current occupational, school and relationship functioning. The tests also determine if symptoms could be caused by other psychiatric disorders or substance abuse, VanVechten said.

One of Thomas’ hopes for the study was for people to better understand the issue of ‘diversion’ among college students. Diversion is the practice of students taking medications that have been prescribed for someone else.

‘Students have a very casual attitude about medications and think it is okay to use them to stay awake or study better,’ said Thomas. ‘They do not realize how dangerous the medications can be and how high and severe the medical risks are.’

SU provides education about the risks of the medications and monitors student prescriptions to make sure the student prescribed is the only one taking it, VanVechten said.

‘We caution students about sharing medications,’ said VanVechten. ‘However in my experience students with ADHD do not share their meds because they need them.’

hadrost@syr.edu

Published on February 14, 2010 at 12:00 pm