The ADHD Parenting Podcast

Hosts Ryan and Mike tackle one of the most frequently asked questions from parents: Is ADHD medication safe? In this first installment of a two-part series, they break down what the long-term research actually shows about stimulant medications, address common fears around side effects — including appetite suppression, sleep difficulties, growth concerns, personality changes, tics, and cardiovascular risks — and explain how each is typically monitored and managed by prescribers. They also discuss the medication holiday debate, make the case that medication decisions should be adult-guided with input from the child rather than child-decided, and explain why pharmacogenetic testing doesn't deliver on its marketing promises. Throughout the episode, Ryan and Mike emphasize that the right question isn't just whether medication has risks, but what the risks of untreated ADHD look like — and that informed decisions should be made with a licensed clinician, not strangers in Facebook groups.Find Mike @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.grownowadhd.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IG⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find Ryan @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.adhddude.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠{{chapters}}[00:00:00] Start[00:02:21] Long-Term Safety of ADHD Medication[00:06:15] Common Side Effects and How to Manage Them[00:10:51] Height Velocity and Growth Concerns[00:12:15] Personality Flattening and the Zombie Myth[00:16:11] Should Kids Take Meds Only on School Days?[00:19:05] Who Should Make Medication Decisions?[00:22:18] Why Genetic Testing Doesn't Pick the Right Med[00:24:05] Conclusion and Part Two Preview

Hosts Ryan and Mike share the three things that will have the biggest impact on an ADHD child's school year — and none of them involve buying supplies. First, they explain why setting clear, specific expectations before school starts (morning routines, homework, electronics, bedtime, after-school activities) prevents the negotiation battles that derail families every fall. Second, they walk through building routines now rather than scrambling once school begins, with particular emphasis on keeping school-issued laptops out from behind closed doors and advocating with the school when technology becomes a distraction rather than a tool. Third, they lay out how to start strong with teachers through concise, collaborative communication — and why badmouthing a teacher in front of your child or demanding a classroom switch does more harm than good. Throughout the episode, Ryan and Mike stress that consistency lowers emotional intensity and that small changes now prevent big problems in September and October.Find Mike @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.grownowadhd.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IG⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find Ryan @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.adhddude.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠{{chapters}}[00:00:00] Start[00:05:19] Tip 1: Set Clear Expectations Before School[00:09:23] Tip 2: Build Routines Before You Need Them[00:13:45] Managing School-Issued Laptops and Screens[00:16:37] Tip 3: Start Strong With Teachers[00:21:18] Don't Badmouth Teachers in Front of Your Child[00:22:47] Summary: Small Changes Now Prevent Big Problems

Today's episode is a re-release of episode 23. I wanted to bring this episode back because it gets to the core of what Mike and I are always trying to teach: helping kids with ADHD move from dependence to independence. This conversation started with a powerful listener comment about how “doing everything out of love” can actually leave kids feeling helpless and incapable. That story stuck with me—it perfectly illustrates what happens when empathy turns into over-accommodation.In this episode, Mike and I talk about why confidence comes from experience, not protection, and how kids only build real executive functioning skills when they’re trusted to try, fail, and try again. We also dig into why too much therapy, too much prompting, and too much hovering can actually hold kids back.We decided to re-release it now because this message matters more than ever. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance empathy with accountability—or how to stop “lovingly disabling” your child—this is the episode to revisit.