Vyvanse for Treating ADHD in Children

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Vyvanse?Vyvanse for ADHDBefore TakingDosageSide EffectsWarnings and Interactions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Vyvanse?

Vyvanse for ADHD

Before Taking

Dosage

Side Effects

Warnings and Interactions

Close

Vyvanse is a once-a-day treatment for adults and children age 6 to 12 with ADHD. It’s also approved to treatbinge-eating disorderin adults. The main ingredient in Vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine dimesylate.

The drug acts on the brain to boost the levels of twoneurotransmitters: dopamine and norepinephrine. This, in turn, improves focus and attention and decreases impulsivity and hyperactive behavior.

Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine) Uses and Side Effects

Vyvanse is unique in that it’s a prodrug (or forerunner) of the drug dextroamphetamine, an amphetamine that’s one of the main ingredients inAdderall,Adderall XR, andDexedrine Spansule.

This means Vyvanse isn’t active in its ingested form; it must be metabolized and converted to dextroamphetamine. That delayed action—which can take one to two hours to take effect versus a half-hour for Adderall—can stretch out how long the drug works.

In studies, Vyvanse lasted up to 14 hours, compared with other long-acting ADHD medicines that tend to last 10 to 12 hours.

Because it’s released at the same level over time and produces a slow, steady therapeutic effect throughout the day, Vyvanse is often described as “smoother” than Adderall—there’s no “kick” or “jolt” to the system when the medication starts to work. This smoothness potentially avoids the sudden and dramatic increases in dopamine that are associated withsubstance abuse.

Vyvanse may be a good option if your child’s current medication isn’t lasting long enough throughout the day, or if you’re worried that they may become dependent on their medication.

Vyvanse vs. Adderall: Similarities and Differences

Before Your Child Takes Vyvanse

Before prescribing Vyvanse, your child’s doctor will look forsigns of ADHD. They will also make sure that your child doesn’t have any pre-existing health conditions that could prevent them from taking the medication safely, like:

Talk to your child’s doctor about all medications, supplements, and vitamins that they currently take. While some drugs pose minor interaction risks, others may outright contraindicate use or prompt careful consideration as to whether the pros of treatment outweigh the cons in your child’s case.

Vyvanse is available as oral capsules and chewable tablets, and it comes in several dosage strengths:

Although most children will start Vyvanse at the 30 mg dosage, a higher starting dose may be more appropriate if your child is switching to Vyvanse from another ADHD stimulant. Their doctor can increase their dosage in 10 mg increments each week if needed.

Vyvanse is taken orally once daily. The first dose is typically taken first thing in the morning, with or without food, and it should be taken at the same time each day for the best results. This medication can causeinsomniaif it’s taken later in the day, so try to avoid putting your child on an afternoon dosage schedule.

If your child missed their dose, have them take it as soon as you remember. If it’s almost time for their next dose, wait and administer that one.

If your child doesn’t like chewable drugs and has trouble swallowing the Vyvanse capsules whole, you can open them and either sprinkle the beads onto a small amount of food or stir them into a few ounces of water or orange juice.

Like other amphetamines, Vyvanse is acontrolled substance. That means it has a high potential for abuse and it could lead to dependence. It should always be stored safely and securely, out of the reach of others.

Common

Side effectsof Vyvanse are similar to other ADHD stimulants and can include:

Severe

Vyvanse can also cause more severe side effects, like:

Like other stimulants, Vyvanse can be abused, and it is possible tooverdose. If your child has had dependency issues with other stimulant medications, they shouldn’t take Vyvanse.

If you believe your child should no longer take Vyvanse, work closely with their doctor to slowly wean them off of the medication. Withdrawal symptoms are possible with stimulants, and stopping Vyvanse abruptly can cause depression and extreme fatigue.

This medication hasn’t been tested in children younger than 6.

A Word From Verywell

Medication is just one component of ADHD treatment. Your child may also benefit from learning new behavioral strategies andsocial skillsto help them cope with their symptoms, and you may benefit from a support group for parents or from training programs designed to help you better understand your child’s condition.

How Is ADHD Treated for Children and Adults?

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Food and Drug Administration.Drug approval package: Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) NDA #021977.Food and Drug Administration.VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) label.Najib J, Wimer D, Zeng J, et al.Review of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.J Cent Nerv Syst Dis.2017;9:1179573517728090. doi:10.1177/1179573517728090Mattos P.Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety in children and adolescents.Arch Clin. 2014;41(2). doi:10.1590/0101-60830000000007Coghill DR, Caballero B, Sorooshian S, Civil R.A systematic review of the safety of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate.CNS Drugs. 2014;28(6):497-511. doi:10.1007/s40263-014-0166-2

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Food and Drug Administration.Drug approval package: Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) NDA #021977.Food and Drug Administration.VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) label.Najib J, Wimer D, Zeng J, et al.Review of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.J Cent Nerv Syst Dis.2017;9:1179573517728090. doi:10.1177/1179573517728090Mattos P.Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety in children and adolescents.Arch Clin. 2014;41(2). doi:10.1590/0101-60830000000007Coghill DR, Caballero B, Sorooshian S, Civil R.A systematic review of the safety of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate.CNS Drugs. 2014;28(6):497-511. doi:10.1007/s40263-014-0166-2

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Food and Drug Administration.Drug approval package: Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) NDA #021977.Food and Drug Administration.VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) label.Najib J, Wimer D, Zeng J, et al.Review of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.J Cent Nerv Syst Dis.2017;9:1179573517728090. doi:10.1177/1179573517728090Mattos P.Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety in children and adolescents.Arch Clin. 2014;41(2). doi:10.1590/0101-60830000000007Coghill DR, Caballero B, Sorooshian S, Civil R.A systematic review of the safety of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate.CNS Drugs. 2014;28(6):497-511. doi:10.1007/s40263-014-0166-2

Food and Drug Administration.Drug approval package: Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) NDA #021977.

Food and Drug Administration.VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) label.

Najib J, Wimer D, Zeng J, et al.Review of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.J Cent Nerv Syst Dis.2017;9:1179573517728090. doi:10.1177/1179573517728090

Mattos P.Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety in children and adolescents.Arch Clin. 2014;41(2). doi:10.1590/0101-60830000000007

Coghill DR, Caballero B, Sorooshian S, Civil R.A systematic review of the safety of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate.CNS Drugs. 2014;28(6):497-511. doi:10.1007/s40263-014-0166-2

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