treating kids: recent publications

April 19, 2024Adults and caregivers harmed by the ongoing ADHD medication shortage have contributed thousands of impassioned, irate impact statements to a joint Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking public comment on drug prices and availability.

The following is a personal essay reflecting the opinions of the author.It began with an Adderall shortage in 2022. Today, prescriptions for many stimulant medications used as the first-line treatment of ADHD are consistently and frustratingly difficult to fill. So it’s unsurprising that ADHD features prominently in the majority of public comments submitted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by stakeholders impacted by long-term medication shortages involved in the treatment of many conditions, including cancer.

Not available May 13? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.When we fell in love with the YouTube viral video “Xmas Jammies” 10 years ago, we didn’t know that Penn Holderness had ADHD.

One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is a strong understanding of their ADHD brain. The more your child understands about their brain wiring and systems for internal and external information, the greater their self-awareness, confidence, and self-advocacy skills.Use the examples below to help you explain ADHD to your child in easy-to-understand language that diminishes shame and accentuates strengths.Register for free to attend a live webinar with Penn and Kim Holderness, authors of ADHD is Awesome on May 13 at 1 pm ETOur brains are like busy airports with control towers that guide the airplanes of executive function — planning, prioritizing, organizing, managing time, and other skills that help us get through everyday life — to take off and land smoothly.Except the ADHD brain’s control tower isn’t always well-staffed.

Not available May 7? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.The increasing decriminalization of cannabis and cannabis-derived products has resulted in greater access to the drug and has reduced perceptions of harm related to frequent cannabis use.

Making friends during adolescence is akin to navigating a labyrinth filled with twists, turns — and the potential for profound connections. For individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the journey toward friendship often presents its own set of unique challenges and opportunities. Individuals with ASD possess intelligence, compassion, and a propensity to be misunderstood, often leading to experiences of bullying and social isolation.

“I struggle to fit in. I try so hard to act normal, but I feel like such a fraud.”“I feel dumb. My brain fails me all the time.

It was the first time the card table was used for its stated purpose.In our excitement playing cards, we got too noisy and woke up the toddler. There was laughter and arguing. There was winning and losing.I’d like to say my son, Ocean, was a gracious winner.

Sometimes, an ADHD diagnosis can bring more confusion than clarity. As a parent, you may think, “Should I share the diagnosis with other adults in the family and in my child’s life? How do I know who to trust?”You may fear possible judgments and others’ assumptions about your child or yourself. You may feel anxious, ashamed, or uncertain of who to tell or where to go for support.

As a psychotherapist, an ADHD coach, and someone who lives with ADHD, I understand fully how the shame, stress, and anxiety of our symptoms and challenges – from procrastination and forgetfulness to time blindness and impulsivity – cause many of us to develop defense mechanisms. We seek to protect ourselves, especially when ADHD causes us to be consistently inconsistent and disappoint the people in our lives, by developing coping strategies that sometimes cause us more harm than good.The following four defense mechanisms commonly develop among individuals with ADHD:Blaming as a defense mechanism looks like making others responsible for the occurrence of an ADHD symptom and its consequences, as seen in the following examples:Your child forgets that an assignment is due.

March 27, 2024ADHD symptoms in children are associated with unusual interactions between the frontal cortex and deep centers of the brain where information is processed, according to a recent report in the American Journal of Psychiatry.1 These findings may help inform additional research into the ADHD brain that leads to more effective treatments and interventions.A research team from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Human Genome Research found children with ADHD demonstrated heightened connectivity between brain structures involved in learning, movement, and reward, and frontal areas of the brain that regulate emotion, attention, and behavior.“The present findings suggest that these brain alterations are specifically associated with ADHD and are not indicative of general features of childhood psychopathology or influenced by comorbid symptoms,” the study’s authors wrote.Researchers have long suspected that ADHD symptoms result from atypical interactions between the frontal cortex and these deep information-processing brain structures. However, the study’s authors noted that prior studies testing this model returned mixed results, possibly due to the small size of the studies they suggested.The present study examined more than 10,000 functional brain images of 1,696 youth with ADHD and 6,737 without ADHD aged 6 to 18.

Every parent of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) knows what it’s like to troubleshoot behavior problems — your child saying no to requests or blurting out disrespectful retorts.Children with ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) take defiant behavior to the extreme. They have a pattern of angry, violent, and disruptive behaviors toward parents, caretakers, and other authority figures. These children require smart, specific oppositional defiant disorder strategies — and more than their fair share of patience.“Choose your battles carefully, and find humor in every situation.” -Robin, ColoradoForty percent of children with ADHD also develop ODD.

March 11, 2024Immersive virtual reality-based interventions (VR) can improve cognitive deficits associated with ADHD in children, according to a study published in 2023 in the journal Virtual Reality. Compared to active and passive control groups, children with ADHD experienced positive outcomes with large effect sizes global cognitive functioning, attention, and memory when using immersive VR therapies.1In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 149 participants were assigned to the immersive VR group and 172 participants to the control group.

We’ve all seen it. The student who inadvertently cuts off their friend mid-sentence because they have something they really, really want to say. The student who is excited and enthusiastic about today’s lesson and can’t help but blurt out responses.With patience and a few tried-and-true strategies, you can help your student harness their enthusiasm and energy in the classroom while minimizing blurting.

Dogs are the furry, feel-good antidote to stress, anxiety, and a downbeat mood — an almost universal conclusion now confirmed by science.Spending time with our four-legged family members improves our mental health and well-being more than some other activities, Hannah Raila, Ph.D., co-author of a new study on human-animal relationships, told ADDitude. The study, “The Influence of Interactions with Pet Dogs on Psychological Distress,” was published in the journal Emotion and involved 73 adults between the ages of 25 and 77 and their dogs.

February 22, 2024I apprehensively open my prescription bottle and peer in. I pour its contents into my hand, double and triple checking my count of its contents. Dread washes over me; it’s time to get a medication refill.The ADHD medication shortage that started in late 2022 – and still with no end in sight – has deeply and profoundly worn me down.

Not available March 21? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Toxic relationships disproportionately impact individuals with ADHD. Adolescents with ADHD are at particularly high risk due to slow executive function development, low self-esteem, increased life stressors, and difficulties sustaining connections with others.Led by Stephanie Sarkis Ph.D., this webinar aims to provide valuable insights for parents, educators, and mental health professionals on the following:Have a question for our expert? There will be an opportunity to post questions for the presenter during the live webinar.Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, Ph.D., NCC, DCMHS, LMHC, is a psychotherapist specializing in narcissistic abuse and ADHD.

February 21, 2024 To what degree are ongoing nationwide ADHD drug shortages worsened by the role of pharmaceutical middlemen? This is the subject of a public inquiry recently launched by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which issued a joint Request for Information (RFI) on February 14.The public has until April 15 to publicly submit comments at Regulations.gov.The RFI asks patients to submit comments, documents, and data regarding how the practices of two types of pharmaceutical drug intermediaries — group purchasing organizations (GPOs) and drug wholesalers — may contribute to generic drug shortages, including how both entities may influence the pricing and availability of pharmaceutical drugs.“When you’re prescribed an important medication by your doctor, and you learn the drug is out of stock, your heart sinks,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a press release.

Q1: “We’re moving my son, who has ADHD, to another school. He has been bullied from elementary to high school by the same group of students. I want him to join a group at his new school, but he’s been rejected so many times over the years that he doesn’t want to risk it. What should I do?”I just want to validate how hard this is and the importance of advocating for your student by moving him to a different school and trying to set him up for success.Sometimes, smaller-group social interaction, even with one or two other peers who have similar interests, is better than trying to jump into a larger group or sports team.

February 13, 2024Energy drink consumption is associated with an elevated risk for physical and mental health conditions such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among children and adolescents, according to a new study published in the journal Public Health.1The study’s U.K. research team linked energy drink consumption with a higher-than-average risk of poor academic performance, sleep problems, unhealthy dietary habits, and risky behaviors.

Not available March 7? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Black children and adults with ADHD are less likely to receive an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment due to structural racism, low socioeconomic status, and stigma, all of which can worsen the symptoms of ADHD.

February 13, 2024Energy drink consumption is associated with an elevated risk for physical and mental health conditions such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among children and adolescents, according to a new study published in the journal Public Health.1The study’s U.K. research team linked energy drink consumption with a higher-than-average risk of poor academic performance, sleep problems, unhealthy dietary habits, and risky behaviors.

Not available February 28? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that often go undetected and untreated. An estimated 28 million Americans will struggle with an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime, but only some of these individuals will receive the care they need. Given the high rate of comorbidity between eating disorders and ADHD, it’s important for families, caregivers, and individuals with ADHD to be well-informed about the symptoms and treatments for different types of eating disorders. This is particularly true for diagnoses that are relatively new or understudied like atypical anorexia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).In this webinar you will learn:Have a question for our expert? There will be an opportunity to post questions for the presenter during the live webinar.Dr. Christine Peat is the Director of the National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders (NCEED) and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As the Director of NCEED, Dr. Peat is focused on broadly disseminating education and training on eating disorders to healthcare providers across a variety of disciplines. Her scientific research has focused on evidence-based treatments for eating disorders and the physiological comorbidities associated with these conditions.Dr. Peat is also a licensed psychologist in North Carolina and continues to be an active clinician at UNC serving patients with eating disorders, supporting healthcare providers in the UNC Wellbeing Program, and providing behavioral medicine interventions to patients in various medical settings.

Co-parenting requires cooperation, communication, and organization across households, especially when caring for children with ADHD, who thrive on structure. But it’s rarely a smooth operation. When we polled ADDitude readers about co-parenting challenges during a live webinar on the topic, about 25% of respondents said that working with an uncooperative co-parent was their biggest challenge.

Not available February 22? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Executive function (EF) skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus our attention, remember instructions, stay organized, and successfully manage our time.

Finding a healthcare provider who is both well-versed in ADHD and a good fit can is the Number One barrier to quality ADHD care, according a recent ADDitude reader survey. The right professional can make a world of difference — a personal touch goes a long way — but with rising mental health concerns and a limited number of clinicians trained to address them, not everyone has been so lucky. Add waitlists, stimulant shortages, skewed research, and outdated guidelines, and it’s easy to understand why many patients with ADHD — adults and caregivers — are eager for more guidance.The comments below are a true testament to the difference a trained provider can make in your ADHD journey.

I’ve always been long-winded. As a chatty kid, I saw myself (I’m embarrassed to say) in Donkey, the talkative motor-mouth and sometimes annoying character from Shrek who could not and would not shut up. I suppose the rest of my family and friends, to my chagrin, also saw the uncanny similarities between myself and that hyperactive little sidekick.Though I excelled in classes that relied heavily on participation and creative thinking, my enthusiasm – in the form of constant hand-raising and oversharing – wasn’t always appreciated.

FREE WEBINAR ON FEB. 28, 2024:Register for “Eating Disorders Comorbid with ADHD: What to Know About ARFID, Anorexia, and Others” Can’t stand mushy bananas? Hate the taste of cilantro? Avoid foods that smell or look a certain way?If you answered yes to any of the above, then you share a lot in common with our ADDitude readers, many of whom experience strong sensory reactions to food based on taste, texture, smell, and/or temperature. Sensory sensitivities, after all, commonly occur with ADHD, autism, and other forms of neurodivergence.Aversions to certain foods can create minor inconveniences around eating, but in extreme cases — as is the case for some of our readers — food aversions and selective eating are due to avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), a condition wherein food avoidance or restriction is based on sensory characteristics and qualities of food, concern about aversive consequences of eating, and/or a lack of interest in food.

The gold standard for a great divorce when you have kids with ADHD is one in which both parents are working together, amicably. In an ideal world, all parents adopt the same healthy approach to managing ADHD, along with the same schedule and routine.But this smooth, coordinated ideal is difficult to achieve when co-parenting children with ADHD after divorce.We know that children with ADHD have executive functioning challenges. Divorce may heighten those struggles largely because the prefrontal cortex, the command center for executive functioning, is now also trying to manage frequent transitions amid a changing family dynamic.Transitioning between home, school, and another home brings changes in routine and possible parental conflict.

February 2, 2024As if the ADHD medication shortage wasn’t frustrating enough, patients are now forced to contend with higher prices that could further derail treatment. Certain ADHD medications have doubled or tripled in cost since the shortage began in October 2022, according to a report published in USA TODAY.The newspaper analyzed the prices that retail community pharmacies pay for common ADHD prescriptions.

January 24, 2024ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents are routinely overlooked by general practitioners (GPs), who see these patients more often than they do their neurotypical peers in the two years preceding a diagnosis, according to the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood. With better training in ADHD, GPs could recognize these frequent visits — for everything from asthma and eczema to behavioral disorders — as possible indicators of ADHD and opportunities for early evaluation, say the researchers behind the study.

A combination of “procrastinate” and “activity,” the term “procrastivity” aptly describes a tussle common among adults with ADHD who are always busy but never seem to make headway on life’s important goals. At its root is an implementation problem: the individual knows what they need to do, but they won’t or can’t do it, so they keep occupied with more palatable but less critical tasks.Filing taxes, for example, is a high-priority, strict-deadline task that an adult with ADHD might put off for re-seeding the lawn.

ADHD medication remains a magnet for debate, confusion, and promise.Amphetamine and methylphenidate have been used to treat ADHD for at least 80 years, and their safety and efficacy have been studied relentlessly. But according to a recent ADDitude survey, less than half (42%) of parents opt to medicate their children in the months after a diagnosis, largely due to the risk of side effects like appetite suppression or sleep disruption — both possible impediments to growth.In the end, 85% of all people with ADHD end up taking medication and they rate its efficacy higher than any other treatment included in the survey, ADDitude’s largest to date.

A colleague of mine once devised a brilliant classroom exercise that gifted her students an enduring lesson in self-advocacy and accepting themselves — and others — for who they are.For the “project,” she gave each student an index card with a set of unique medical symptoms. The task, due in a week: Research your symptoms and identify the diagnosis. The following week, the teacher had her students quickly read out their symptoms and their diagnostic guesses.

I recall attending a school 504 meeting, as a single parent of a child with inattentive ADHD, where a panel of teachers, counselors, and administrators all sat across from me. I had a sinking sense that I was being judged for my child’s behavior and struggles. I felt like I was on trial.

Not available February 13? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.“How to ADHD” is a powerhouse.

Q: “Why is my daughter with ADHD so indecisive? She gets overwhelmed with decision fatigue and shuts down. Can you shed some light? What can I do to help?” — TiredinTennesseeHi TiredinTennessee:Your daughter’s ADHD may be significantly impacting her decision-making skills in several ways.First, ADHD often makes it challenging to filter and organize information effectively.

A colleague recently sent me a meme that compared living with ADHD to constantly choosing to play a video game’s side quests – optional missions that are not required to complete the game – over its main quest. I laughed at the meme and reflected on the side quests and non-linear paths I’ve pursued in my own life, in and out of my career as a teacher.Over the past 10 years, I’ve learned to sew and knit mittens, bake bread, bake sourdough bread (a completely different process), decorate cakes, cook and preserve a variety of foods, make candles, craft homemade lip balm and lotion, and edit with Photoshop.

Not available January 23? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Tantrums, meltdowns, self-harm. These are some of the manifestations of emotional dysregulation in girls with ADHD.

By Russell Barkley, Ph.D.DSM-5 ADHD criteria are flawed for several reasons. “The DSM-5 does not capture ADHD accurately because its criteria do not conceptualize ADHD as a disorder of executive functioning and self-regulation,” says Russell Barkley, Ph.D.

Q: “Recently, my son, who is twice exceptional (2e), experienced major burnout from the demands of his advanced placement classes. The school’s solution for this was a two-day extension on his assignments, which did not help at all. He has an IEP — how can we incorporate burnout accommodations into it to prevent this from happening again?”First of all, I’m very sorry that this happened to your son.

Intellectually gifted students are highly vulnerable to stress and burnout when their high IQ is paired with a learning difference, condition, or disability. These twice exceptional (2e) students experience extreme peaks and valleys as their strengths and challenges create an internal tug-of-war. They know they are capable of greatness, but achieving it means overcoming great (though invisible) obstacles.

The holiday season can feel more hectic than happy for parents. They’re juggling busy schedules, school vacations, holiday get-togethers — and trying to make it fun for the whole family. Parents of children with ADHD and learning differences, such as dyslexia, have added layers of stress.Hosting out-of-town relatives, attending holiday parties, or baking cookies with friends may feel festive to some family members but may cause stress and overwhelm for those who struggle with patience and attention.

Not available January 10? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Hope is the belief that our future can be better than our past—and that we have a role to play in making that future a reality. Hope is grounded in three simple elements: goal setting, pathways thinking, and willpower.

Q: “My son will turn 16 soon, and I want to make sure he’s properly prepared to be a responsible young man. We can’t afford an ADHD coach or outside resources to teach him some simple life skills. What should I be thinking about so I can help him learn what he needs?” — Concerned ParentHi Concerned Parent:Teaching life skills is crucial to helping teens with ADHD — actually, all teens — become responsible and self-sufficient individuals.

Q: “My son, who has ADHD, is in high school and about to start his junior year. He is eager to enlist in the military after high school, and he wants to stop taking his ADHD medication as soon as possible to meet military entrance requirements. But medication, I think, is very important to help him finish high school.

December 8, 2023The nationwide shortage of Adderall (amphetamine mixed salts) has triggered a domino effect. Patients are now struggling to fill prescriptions for other stimulant medications used to treat ADHD, including the generic equivalents of Vyvanse and Ritalin.Some drug manufacturers blame the shortage on production quotas for stimulant medications, which are classified as Schedule II controlled substances, set by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

By Elizabeth Broadbent"Woebot assumes neurotypicality. It expects that all brains can be retrained to cope with negative emotions using the same therapeutic model. But ADHD brains process information and emotions differently."Continue reading "I Fired My Therapist.