ADHD Medication: What Parents Need to Know | Part 2

In part two of this two-part series, Mike and Ryan discuss why families often abandon medication too quickly after a single difficult trial, the importance of trial-and-error in finding the right medication regimen, and why genetic testing isn't the shortcut many parents hope it will be.

Find Mike @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.grownowadhd.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find Ryan @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.adhddude.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Timestamps

[00:00:00] Start

[00:00:46] Why Families Give Up on Medication Too Easily

[00:01:30] Two Main Stimulant Categories Explained

[00:03:42] Non-Stimulant Medication Options

[00:04:22] Why Medication Alone Is Not Enough

[00:07:15] Genetic Testing Is Not Recommended

[00:09:43] Key Takeaways on ADHD Medication

[00:12:13] Final Thoughts on Kids and Medical Decisions

Citations

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2020). Clinical use of pharmacogenetic tests in prescribing psychotropic medications for children and adolescents. ⁠https://www.aacap.org/aacap/Policy_Statements/2020/Clinical-Use-Pharmacogenetic-Tests-Prescribing-Psychotropic-Medications-for-Children-Adolescents.aspx⁠

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2022). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Parents’ medication guide. ⁠https://www.aacap.org/App_Themes/AACAP/docs/resource_centers/resources/med_guides/ADHD_Medication_Guide-web.pdf⁠

American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). What is ADHD? ⁠https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd⁠

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Clinical care of ADHD. ⁠https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/hcp/treatment-recommendations/index.html⁠

Dalsgaard, S., Leckman, J. F., Mortensen, P. B., Nielsen, H. S., & Simonsen, M. (2015). Effect of drugs on the risk of injuries in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A prospective cohort study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2(8), 702–709. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00271-0

Dalsgaard, S., Østergaard, S. D., Leckman, J. F., Mortensen, P. B., & Pedersen, M. G. (2015). Mortality in children, adolescents, and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A nationwide cohort study. The Lancet, 385(9983), 2190–2196. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61684-6

de Vries, W., Boer, M., Stevens, G. W. J. M., & van Dorsselaer, S. (2025). Exploring concept creep: Youth’s portrayal of ADHD on TikTok. SSM Mental Health, 7, 100374.

Harpin, V., Mazzone, L., Raynaud, J. P., Kahle, J., & Hodgkins, P. (2016). Long-term outcomes of ADHD: A systematic review of self-esteem and social function. Journal of Attention Disorders, 20(4), 295–305. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054713486516

Myer, N. M., Boland, J. R., & Faraone, S. V. (2018). Pharmacogenetics predictors of methylphenidate efficacy in childhood ADHD. Molecular Psychiatry, 23, 1929–1936.

Shaw, M., Hodgkins, P., Caci, H., Young, S., Kahle, J., Woods, A. G., & Arnold, L. E. (2012). A systematic review and analysis of long-term outcomes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Effects of treatment and non-treatment. BMC Medicine, 10, 99. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-10-99⁠

Wetterer, L. (2020). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: AAP updates guideline for diagnosis and management. American Family Physician, 102(1), 58–60.

Wolraich, M. L., Hagan, J. F., Allan, C., Chan, E., Davison, D., Earls, M., Evans, S. W., Flinn, S. K., Froehlich, T., Frost, J., Holbrook, J. R., Lehmann, C. U., Lessin, H. R., Okechukwu, K., Pierce, K. L., Winner, J. D., & Zurhellen, W. (2019). Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 144(4), e20192528. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-2528⁠

Yeung, A., Ng, E., & Abi-Jaoude, E. (2022). TikTok and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A cross-sectional study of social media content quality. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 67(12), 899–906. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1177/07067437221082854⁠