The following stimulant medications appear to be the best to treat ADHD.

Hints for taking medications

Metadate CD: This comes in a 10, 20, and 30 mg capsule with special time released beads. It typically lasts for about the whole school day (8 hours), but does not seem to last into the late afternoon or evening. It is the only medication that is FDA approved to be sprinkled in applesauce or pudding, if you have problems swallowing. This may be the best for the morning and for the school day. Very few side effects compared to other stimulants.

Ritalin LA: This is a new version of Ritalin, that may be fairly good. It appears to have an even 8 hour delivery, perhaps longer.

Concerta: This uses a special osmotic pump that provides a sort of IV drip for about 12 hours. It is great technology and truly gives about 11.5 to 12 hours of coverage. It comes in 18, 27, 36, and 54 mg sizes. This lasts longer than Metadate, and provides good afternoon coverage as well. Cannot be divided. Drink with at least 8 oz of water.

Focalin: This is the newest version of methylphenidate. The molecule for Ritalin has been divided to keep the active half of the Ritalin. Thus one needs to take only half as much for the same effect. It may have fewer side effects. And you can feel better giving your child only half as much!

Ritalin: Lasts 3.5 to 4 hours. Typically three dosages needed per day. Uneven effect during the day, and also rebound effect (behavior may worsen) when it wears off.

Generic methylphenidate: It lasts 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Its optimal peak value is somewhere between 30 minutes after it has been taken up to about 2.5 hours after it is taken. Generic is usually not much different than name brand Ritalin. The FDA requires that a generic be equivalent to the original. However, this can be anywhere from 80% to 120% of the strength. If your pharmacy changes suppliers, (the pill doesn't look the same) and your child responds differently, this may be a tip off to a different strength generic. One authority stated that in order to get good results one needs to give a dose every two hours. That is probably not possible to manage well with children, and most adults have trouble with that frequent of a dosing schedule. And most physicians would not prescribe enough to take it that often.

Best to Avoid: Ritalin SR or Methylphenidate SR that comes in 20 mg form.   Most authorities report that it does not work reliably from day to day or person to person. If it works, fine, but it often doesn't.  Some report that it really doesn't last longer than regular methylphenidate. The main reason to use it is cost, not effectiveness. This drug was very popular in the past because it was supposed to last longer.  But it was often a poor functioning drug, and with the much better choices now, it would be a definite "last choice." It can not be divided.
 

Another type of stimulant drug used for ADHD is dextroamphetamine and dextroamphetamine compounds. It comes in three forms. These are also a Schedule II drug.

Adderall: The original formula of a special version of dextroamphetamine compounds, and lasts from 4 to 8 hours, depending on the strength of the dosage. The higher the dosage, the longer it lasts. The advantage of Adderall is that it comes in many size pills and each can be divided in quarters, making the medication very easy to fine tune. Adderall sometimes increases tearfulness and moodiness.

Adderall was originally marketed as a diet pill under a different name. Thus it suppresses appetite considerably. The appetite suppression is often quite severe at first, and often stabilizes after a week or two. Adderall should not be chewed or made into a powder and sprinkled in applesauce or pudding.