More than 15% of children in Finland used medicines affecting the nervous system in 2025, marking a significant increase from 2017, according to a study by Kela and the University of Tampere.
The proportion of children using these medicines rose from 10.7% in 2017 to 15.5% in 2025. The category includes medicines used to treat ADHD and depression, as well as painkillers and other medicines that affect the nervous system.
The findings come as Finland has also recorded a sharp increase in the use of ADHD medication among children. Kela reported earlier this week that more than 5% of boys aged six to eight in Finland were taking ADHD medication in 2025.
The new study found particularly strong growth in the use of medicines prescribed for ADHD. The number of children using methylphenidate, one of the most commonly prescribed ADHD medicines, more than tripled during the nine-year period. Use of lisdexamfetamine increased more than eightfold.
The change is notable because Finland previously had relatively low levels of ADHD medication use among children compared with other Nordic countries. The country is now among those with the highest rates of childhood ADHD medication use in the Nordic comparison.
Researchers say the rise cannot be explained by medication use alone. They point to several changes in the way ADHD is recognised and treated, including greater awareness of the condition, changes in the threshold for starting treatment and differences in children’s access to healthcare and other services.
The increase in medicines affecting the nervous system has taken place alongside a decline in antibiotic use among Finnish children. The proportion of children using antibiotics fell from 29.8% in 2017 to 23.7% in 2025.
ADHD Medication Use Rises Sharply Among Young Boys in Finland
Heini Kari, research manager at Kela, said the overall situation regarding antibiotic use in Finland is good and continuing to move in the right direction. However, she noted that there is still a need to reduce the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Reducing unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is important because frequent or inappropriate use can contribute to antibiotic resistance, making bacterial infections more difficult to treat.
The study examined prescription medicine use among every child under the age of 18 living in Finland between 2017 and 2025. Researchers analysed nationwide prescription data covering all medicines dispensed during the period.
According to the researchers, the study is the first in Finland to examine prescription medicine use among the entire paediatric population over such a long period. Its findings provide a broad picture of how the use of medicines among Finnish children has changed, including the growing role of ADHD medicines and the continuing decline in antibiotic use.
