What your friend Paul says is true; stimulation medication has been linked to sudden death syndrome in children with pre-existing heart conditions. However, it’s rare. Indeed, there is no increased risk of sudden heart syndrome in children without pre-existing heart conditions. As far as a doctor forcing you to take Ritalin, a doctor can no more force you to take stimulants than they can force you to take any other type of medication. Ideally, the decision of how to treat your ADHD should lie with your doctor, mom and you.