Using a within-subject, repeated measure, double-blind design, methylphenidate was shown to be effective in treating the attention deficits of children with head injuries. Eight head-injured children, ages 7-15, meeting DSM III-R criteria for ADHD, were placed on a 2-week trial of methylphenidate (Ritalin), and similar 2-week trial of placebo. During the methylphenidate trial, all eight children were rated by parents as improved in their attentional capacities, and all but one, a child diagnosed as ADHD prior to injury and described as conduct-disordered, showed a pattern of general improvement across most attentional measures. Measures which showed less consistent results were the attentional tasks comprised of more complex stimuli requiring greater memory capacity. Implications for school psychologists working with head-injured children are discussed.
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