ADHD Medication: What Parents Need to Know | Part 2

<p>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&#39;t the shortcut many parents hope it will be.</p><p><br></p><p>Find Mike @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://www.grownowadhd.com/">www.grownowadhd.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>⁠⁠⁠⁠<br>Find Ryan @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://www.adhddude.com/">www.adhddude.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>⁠</p><p>Timestamps</p><p>[00:00:00] Start</p><p>[00:00:46] Why Families Give Up on Medication Too Easily</p><p>[00:01:30] Two Main Stimulant Categories Explained</p><p>[00:03:42] Non-Stimulant Medication Options</p><p>[00:04:22] Why Medication Alone Is Not Enough</p><p>[00:07:15] Genetic Testing Is Not Recommended</p><p>[00:09:43] Key Takeaways on ADHD Medication</p><p>[00:12:13] Final Thoughts on Kids and Medical Decisions</p><p><br></p><p>Citations</p><p>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</p><p>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</p><p>American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). What is ADHD? ⁠https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd⁠</p><p>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Clinical care of ADHD. ⁠https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/hcp/treatment-recommendations/index.html⁠</p><p>Dalsgaard, S., Leckman, J. F., Mortensen, P. B., Nielsen, H. S., &amp; 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</p><p>Dalsgaard, S., Østergaard, S. D., Leckman, J. F., Mortensen, P. B., &amp; 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</p><p>de Vries, W., Boer, M., Stevens, G. W. J. M., &amp; van Dorsselaer, S. (2025). Exploring concept creep: Youth’s portrayal of ADHD on TikTok. SSM Mental Health, 7, 100374.</p><p>Harpin, V., Mazzone, L., Raynaud, J. P., Kahle, J., &amp; 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</p><p>Myer, N. M., Boland, J. R., &amp; Faraone, S. V. (2018). Pharmacogenetics predictors of methylphenidate efficacy in childhood ADHD. Molecular Psychiatry, 23, 1929–1936.</p><p>Shaw, M., Hodgkins, P., Caci, H., Young, S., Kahle, J., Woods, A. G., &amp; 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</p><p>Wetterer, L. (2020). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: AAP updates guideline for diagnosis and management. American Family Physician, 102(1), 58–60.</p><p>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., &amp; 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</p><p>Yeun