Dosage and Administration All Ritalin Users Need to Know About

The following is what the FDA says about Ritalin's Dosage and Administration:

Dosage should be individualized according to the needs and responses of the patient.

Adults
Tablets: Administer in divided doses 2 or 3 times daily, preferably 30 to 45 minutes before meals. Average dosage is 20 to 30 mg daily. Some patients may require 40 to 60 mg daily. In others, 10 to 15 mg daily will be adequate. Patients who are unable to sleep if medication is taken late in the day should take the last dose before 6 p.m.

SR Tablets: Ritalin-SR tablets have a duration of action of approximately 8 hours. Therefore, Ritalin-SR tablets may be used in place of Ritalin tablets when the 8-hour dosage of Ritalin-SR corresponds to the titrated 8-hour dosage of Ritalin. Ritalin-SR tablets must be swallowed whole and never crushed or chewed.

Children (6 years and over)
Ritalin should be initiated in small doses, with gradual weekly increments. Daily dosage above 60 mg is not recommended.

If improvement is not observed after appropriate dosage adjustment over a one-month period, the drug should be discontinued.

Tablets: Start with 5 mg twice daily (before breakfast and lunch) with gradual increments of 5 to 10 mg weekly.

SR Tablets: Ritalin-SR tablets have a duration of action of approximately 8 hours. Therefore, Ritalin-SR tablets may be used in place of Ritalin tablets when the 8-hour dosage of Ritalin-SR corresponds to the titrated 8-hour dosage of Ritalin. Ritalin-SR tablets must be swallowed whole and never crushed or chewed.

If paradoxical aggravation of symptoms or other adverse effects occur, reduce dosage, or, if necessary, discontinue the drug.

Ritalin should be periodically discontinued to assess the child’s condition. Improvement may be sustained when the drug is either temporarily or permanently discontinued.

Drug treatment should not and need not be indefinite and usually may be discontinued after puberty.

If your child has been harmed by Ritalin, the drug used to treat ADHD, fill out this form to get your FREE legal consultation today from the Ritalin experts at Weitz and Luxenberg.

Weitz & Luxenberg is no longer accepting Ritalin cases.

see also:

Dosage and Administration Dosage and Administration regarding Ritalin that you must know about
Do you use Ritalin? Make sure to know about Dosage and Administration

Pharmacology Learn about Ritalin's Pharmacology here
Affected by Ritalin? Find out about the ADHD drug's Pharmacology

Information The information any Ritalin user should know about the ADHD drug
Basic Ritalin information and background for users of the harmful med