http://www.tourettesyndrome.net/Files/26445%20McN.pdf Stimulant Medications and ADHD Fact Sheet
http://add.about.com/cs/medications/a/strattera.htm Non Stimulant Medication for ADHD
http://www.baltimorepsych.com/adhd_and_medication.htm Attention Deficit Disorder and Medication: The Basics
The last one has articles on both. I haven't used meds for my son yet but this should help you to understand the different ways they work.
I'm sure someone here will be able to answer your question as to the differences between them in the way they affect their kids.
Welcom to the forum! Barb
You might want to go to a local pharmacy and ask them for any information that they have on the different types of meds, and then try at a health food store also.Shannon, The links Barb gave you should be a really good starting point. The suggestion to talk with a Pharmacist is also great. I would add that you should talk to your physicain about the differences. As to the affect they have on kids well that is all subjective. My son takes both Adderall XR (stimulant) and Strattera (non-stimulant) The dose of Adderall he could tolerate was not enough to get the job done with the added Strattera he does pretty well in school. He does have some mood swings but his crashes at the end of the day have improved dramatically since we added the Strattera. His personality is toned down but definetely not gone. I sure can tell when he hasn't had his meds. We skipped the Adderall while on vacation since we all slept in if it is taken to late he can't sleep. He was bouncing off the walls. In our experience it appears the Strattera seems to help the most with attention and the Adderall with the hyperactivity.
This is only our experience and I can tell you from being on this forum for several months that each child is unique in how they react to medications. What work for one might be a real problem for another. It is all trial and error to find the right drug(s) and dosage. -Gettingagrip-