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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a frequent condition characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and attentional problems (1). Stimulants, the first line of pharmacotherapy, are sporadically associated with seizure induction (2). A 17 year old male, with a remote history of an absence seizure disorder, had been treated with long-acting methylphenidate (Concerta), 90 mg daily. After five years of stability, a single petitmal convulsion was witnessed during an ophthalmologic examination.
From age six months until he was five years old, this patient had been treated for absence seizures; a younger brother was also medicated for absence seizures. Beginning at age five, the patient had been diagnosed with ADHD due to being inattentive, restless, and disruptive at school.
For the last five years, he had been receiving methylphenidate, adjusted to a daily dose of 90 mg. For the past 30 months, he was...