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Executive functioning skills — the brain-based internal skills that drive focus, planning, self-regulation, working memory, and follow-through — develop differently and often slowly in children with ADHD. This can result in disorganization, inconsistent effort, missing assignments, emotional outbursts, and heavy dependence on adult prompts and reminders.

In this practical, strategy-packed webinar, ADHD & executive function specialist Michael McLeod will break down why executive function challenges show up in daily life and academics — and how educators and parents can build true independence by strengthening a child’s internal skills that drive performance. Attendees will learn how common problems (messy backpacks, “I forgot,” not starting work, rushing, shutting down, low frustration tolerance) connect to specific executive function skill gaps, such as self-awareness, self-regulation, working memory, planning, and self-evaluation.

Michael will also share actionable, real-world methods to reduce reliance on prompts and accommodations, while increasing student engagement and ownership, using concrete classroom examples, guided “prediction” strategies, and simple structures that support follow-through. Participants will leave with a clear roadmap and usable tools that help students move beyond “getting by” and toward long-term independence at school and at home.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• About the brain-based reasons behind executive function delays in ADHD and how this impacts academics and daily functioning
• To identify the internal executive function skills driving performance and what specific struggles reveal about skill gaps
• How to increase engagement and participation and focusing less on dependence on prompts and reminders
• How to use practical strategies to strengthen working memory, self-regulation, planning, and follow-through in real time
• How to shift from accommodations alone to skills-based independence—without power struggles or shame

Have a question for our expert? There will be an opportunity to post questions for the presenter during the live webinar.

Executive Functioning Skills : Resources

• • • Free Download: Could You Have Executive Function Disorder?
    • Read: How to Sharpen Executive Functions: Activities to Hone Brain Skills
    • Read: Your Brain’s GPS Is Glitchy: Why Working Memory Fails and How to Bolster It
    • Read: 10 Ways to Improve Your Teen’s Executive Skills
      

Meet the Expert Speaker

Michael McLeod is an ADHD & Executive Function Specialist, award-winning trainer and keynote speaker, and the founder of GrowNOW ADHD, a nationwide organization providing executive function coaching, parent training, and school professional development. He is the creator of GrowNOW’s Internal Skills Model, which helps educators and families build self-regulation, self-awareness, self-motivation, and self-evaluation to drive meaningful independence and success. Michael works with students, parents, and schools across the country and is known for translating cutting-edge neuroscience into practical, high-impact strategies that can be implemented immediately in classrooms and homes.

Certificate of Attendance: For information on how to purchase the certificate of attendance option (cost $10), register for the webinar, then look for instructions in the email you’ll receive one hour after it ends. The certificate of attendance link will also be available here, on the webinar replay page, several hours after the live webinar. ADDitude does not offer CEU credits.

Closed captions available.

The executive functioning difficulties that often accompany ADHD can make simple routines and tasks feel harder than they should for many parents and children with the condition. But what if the most effective way to support your child’s executive function development is to strengthen your own skills first?

In this webinar, parents will learn how to shift from a behavior-management mindset to a skills-development framework. We will examine how a parent’s emotional regulation, flexibility, and organization directly shape a child’s ability to develop these same skills. Parents will learn how strengthening their own executive function capacities creates the relational and neurological conditions necessary for their child’s growth.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• How ADHD affects executive functioning in adults and children
• About the common causes of a meltdown — from transitions, to developing routines, to tasks that challenge emotional regulation — and how to intervene effectively
• About a practical framework for modeling executive function skills, so children can internalize these through experience
• About the POWERS principle, Give the Gift to Get the Gift, and its application to daily parenting challenges
• Strategies to reduce reactivity and power struggles while increasing consistency, connection, and follow-through
• How to move beyond crisis management and build a more sustainable, skill-based approach to supporting children with ADHD — and reduce parental burnout

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Webinar Sponsor

Play Attention improves executive function, attention, behavior, and performance, supported by Tufts University research. With NASA inspired technology brought to your living room, we deliver a customized program for children and adults. Your dedicated Focus Coach tailors your plan. Home or professional options available. Schedule a consultation or learn more at www.playattention.com.

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ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on March 12, 2026, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Executive Function Training: Resources

• • • Free Download: Could You Have an Executive Function Disorder?
    • Read: What Is Executive Function? 7 Deficits Tied to ADHD
    • Read: You Can’t Train Away ADHD Executive Dysfunction
    • Read: Your Executive Functions Are Weak. Here’s Why.

Meet the Expert Speaker

Dr. Tamar Z. Kahane is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder and clinical director of The Kahane Center, an integrated mental health practice providing comprehensive psychological and neuropsychological services. She has more than 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families.

A nationally recognized expert and clinical pioneer in social cognition, ADHD, and executive functioning, Dr. Kahane is the developer of POWERS, a social-emotional learning and executive functioning curriculum that has been piloted in public and private schools. Her work emphasizes practical, skills-based strategies that actively integrate parents into their children’s treatment.

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Science shows that prescription stimulants do not cause brain damage. In fact, research suggests that stimulants have a protective effect on the ADHD brain.

What We Know About Stimulants and the Brain

Perhaps people who fear stimulants assume the medication’s potency exerts too strong a force on the brain after prolonged use. But dozens upon dozens of brain imaging studies show no anatomical, connectivity, or activation damage after stimulant treatment in the short and long term.

A robust review, for example, found that the brains of individuals with ADHD who were treated with stimulants looked more like the brains of people without ADHD than those of unmedicated people with ADHD.¹ The review, the authors wrote, “finds no evidence that stimulant treatment negatively impacts brain development or function. In contrast, these studies suggest that stimulant treatment attenuates the brain abnormalities that have been associated with ADHD.”

This data suggest that people who do not receive treatment may be consigned to more severe and debilitating ADHD as a result.

Stimulants and Brain Damage: What We Know

Is there any evidence that stimulants exert a detrimental effect on the brain? Yes – on rodents who were given stimulants at ultra-high doses beyond therapeutic ranges for humans.²

These rodents also received the drugs via injection and other routes of administration that are not comparable to oral delivery. These routes flood the capacity of the synaptic region to take in extra neurotransmitters, which causes all sorts of damage. But when rodents received doses under conditions that more closely mimicked human use, researchers did not find any signs of brain damage.³

Chronic use of illicit street stimulants like meth and cocaine do have detrimental effects on human brains — but these are substantially different than prescription ADHD medications. While these substances have chemical similarities to prescription stimulants, they differ structurally and in how they act on neurotransmitter receptors. Meth and cocaine use, especially binge use, lead to larger, faster surpluses of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the brain compared to therapeutic use of prescribed stimulants.

These studies underscore the importance of considering the chemicals involved, dosages, route, speed of administration, and pattern of use when determining the effects of stimulants on individuals.

The bottom line is that prescription stimulant medications – when used as instructed and even over years – don’t damage the brain. Rather, evidence suggests that they protect the ADHD brain. Not taking ADHD medication, especially early on, may increase the likelihood of ongoing and persistent problems from ADHD.

This article was derived from the ADDitude ADHD Experts Webinar, An Adult’s Guide to ADHD Treatment Considerations, with John Kruse, M.D., Ph.D., and from his article “Do Stimulants Cause Brain Damage?”

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Sources

¹ Spencer, T. J., Brown, A., Seidman, L. J., Valera, E. M., Makris, N., Lomedico, A., Faraone, S. V., & Biederman, J. (2013). Effect of psychostimulants on brain structure and function in ADHD: a qualitative literature review of magnetic resonance imaging-based neuroimaging studies. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 74(9), 902–917. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.12r08287

² Berman, S. M., Kuczenski, R., McCracken, J. T., & London, E. D. (2009). Potential adverse effects of amphetamine treatment on brain and behavior: a review. Molecular psychiatry, 14(2), 123–142. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2008.90

³ Senior, D., Ahmed, R., Arnavut, E., Carvalho, A., Lee, W. X., Blum, K., Komatsu, D. E., Hadjiargyrou, M., Badgaiyan, R. D., & Thanos, P. K. (2023). Behavioral, Neurochemical and Developmental Effects of Chronic Oral Methylphenidate: A Review. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 13(4), 574. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13040574

⁴ Beheshti I. (2023). Cocaine Destroys Gray Matter Brain Cells and Accelerates Brain Aging. Biology, 12(5), 752. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12050752

⁵ Kim, B., Yun, J., & Park, B. (2020). Methamphetamine-Induced Neuronal Damage: Neurotoxicity and Neuroinflammation. Biomolecules & Therapeutics, 28(5), 381–388. https://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2020.044

Stephen Faraone, Ph.D., author, researcher, and architect of The ADHD Evidence Project, whose mission is to evaluate and translate the latest scientific findings about ADHD, is setting the tone for how ADHD is understood and treated worldwide. Here, Faraone shares the insights, discoveries, and challenges most likely to impact ADHD care in the coming years.

Q: Where is research expanding our understanding of ADHD diagnosis and treatment, and what developments might we look forward to in the coming years?

The Causes of ADHD

For decades, we thought that genes played a central role in causing ADHD because ADHD runs in families. But new studies of DNA, the biological building blocks of genes, are revealing the polygenic origins of the disorder. Key facts emerging from this research include:

• Thousands of genes are involved in causing ADHD.
• Many of the genes associated with ADHD also increase risk for other disorders commonly diagnosed alongside ADHD.
• Even in the general population of people without an ADHD diagnosis, children with a high polygenic risk for ADHD (based on DNA assays) face elevated risk for experiencing traumatic events such as physical abuse.

At the turn of the century, longitudinal studies suggested that ADHD symptoms diminished with time. By early adulthood, it was thought, only two-thirds of ADHD youth would continue to experience consequential symptoms. New data from the Multimodal Treatment of ADHD study, however, show that remission is often followed by subsequent worsening of ADHD symptoms. ADHD is episodic, ebbing and flowing for some patients.

Advances in Treating ADHD

On the treatment front, extended-release viloxazine is a newly approved non-stimulant medication, and I expect the FDA will approve centanafadine as well. Unlike currently available medications, these new medications affect the serotonergic system, and centanafadine affects dopamine as well as norepinephrine. Prior research suggests that serotonin, which affects impulsivity, mood regulation, and aggression, is involved in many of ADHD’s comorbidities and may play a role in influencing ADHD symptoms.

Research is also aimed at discovering a “neuromechanistic” treatment for ADHD, or one that reduces symptoms by stimulating the brain. The FDA has already cleared external trigeminal nerve stimulation (eTNS) for ADHD in children and adults. But a new study suggests it is not effective. Other methods are being developed but need more work before they can be recommended.

Many apps are being developed for ADHD. One app, hiToco, helps parents apply behavioral psychology methods in real time with their children with ADHD. The app was shown to be effective in a clinical trial. It has been approved by insurance regulators in Germany.

Q: The Make America Healthy Again Commission released a set of strategies for improving children’s health in September. Among other things, it said the U.S. government will collect and analyze data on ADHD in school-age children to establish “prescribing safeguards to address the overuse of medications.” What are your thoughts about this?

It’s good that data will be collected to inform decisions and I hope it will be available to the academic community. I worry that the focus on overprescription of medications will lead to new regulations that decrease access to treatment, especially within disadvantaged communities, given the focus on Medicaid in the report.

The commission claims that ADHD medications don’t work in the long-term, but substantial data indicate that this is not correct. The commission would prefer that non-medication treatments be used. I agree that that is a good goal, but we simply don’t have non-medication treatments that are as effective as medications for ADHD.

Q: The ADHD Evidence Project website says your future work will “fight the war on ADHD.” What do you mean by this?

For decades, ADHD has been stigmatized and attacked by various groups, most notably, the antipsychiatry movement. Such groups flood the Internet with misinformation that makes it difficult for many parents and adults with ADHD to access treatment. I call it a “war on ADHD” because it has casualties: those with ADHD who continue to suffer because they’ve been scared off from seeking appropriate treatment.

Stephen Faraone, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. He is the author of Navigating ADHD Care: A Practical Guide of Adults.

Carole Fleck is Editor-in-Chief of ADDitude.

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

However, Likes and Shares are not an indicator of accuracy, according to a recent study in PLOS ONE. For example, less than half of the information shared in immensely popular ADHD TikTok videos (which have garnered nearly half a billion views) aligns with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).² Most ADHD TikToks perpetuate lies or half-truths.

ADHD inaccuracies don’t just permeate social channels; they also appear in podcasts, newspapers, TV shows, and beyond. Misleading information threatens to oversimplify symptoms, to worsen stigma, and to promote unsafe interventions.

So, where can people turn to find trusted and useful ADHD resources? We asked ADDitude readers to share their recommendations, and here is what they told us.

ADHD Experts

“I turn to professional publications and professionals trained to treat ADHD, like Russell Barkley, Ph.D., and Tracey Marks, M.D.  NOT TikTok! Anyone with a login can make claims, and it’s problematic.” — Vanessa

“My go-to resources are the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA), Russell Barkley, Ph.D., Ari Tuckman, Psy.D., Jessica McCabe, and Daph Chan of SuperSkills ADHD. Chan’s work focuses on nervous system regulation, which is something I’ve found is overlooked in other places.” — Rachel, California

“I observe and listen to students, parents, teachers, researchers, and thinkers such as Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., of the Huberman Lab.” — Kent, Georgia

“I trust ADDitude webinars, Russell Barkley, Ph.D.’s books and YouTube channel, information from Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D., and William Dodson, M.D., LF-APA.” — an ADDitude reader

“Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., and John Ratey, M.D., are trusted sources of information. I don’t like sources that are overly positive and say that ADHD is a ‘gift’ or a ‘superpower.’ I don’t mind reframing it like that, but I need advice that sees my situation in a real-word context.” — Carol, Virginia

“The late Chris Zeigler Dendy’s publications and past webinars have been invaluable and validating.” — an ADDitude reader

“I subscribe to the Attention Research Update newsletter from David Rabiner, Ph.D. The ADHD reWired podcast is great as well. Other than that, I do a lot of my own research using information by medical professionals.” — Natalie, Pennsylvania

“I follow Sasha Hamdani, M.D.” — Caroline, United Kingdom

ADHD Podcasts

“I like the Neurodivergent Insights podcast.” — Tiffany, Kansas

“I like podcast hosts and authors Tracy Otsuka, JD, LLM, AACC, ACC, and Lindsey Mack (Lindsey Mackereth, MA, LPCC, LADC).” — Michelle, Mississippi

“I listen to Emily Kircher Morris, host of The Neurodiversity Podcast, and Seth Perler, a self-proclaimed ‘executive function nerd.’” — Marty, Maryland

“I enjoy Alex Partridge’s ADHD Chatter podcast.” — an ADDitude reader

“The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing podcast with Kate Moryoussef has taught me a lot.” — Vicki, England

YouTube

“I love Russell Barkley, Ph.D.’s work and his YouTube channel. The way he lands his points really sits well with me — and sticks.” — Vicki, England

“I like the How to ADHD YouTube channel.” — an ADDitude reader

Books

“I read pretty much every book that I can find that comes out on ADHD, and I judge whether they are trustworthy based on their sources. I always trust the resources my psych nurse recommends.” — Emily, Washington

“I refer to authors with first-hand experience of living with ADHD. I also love that so many therapists now practice from a place of personal solutions and suggestions.” — Christina, South Carolina

“I listen to audiobooks. Women with ADHD (#CommissionsEarned) by Annie M. Henderson was particularly good.” — an ADDitude reader

“I read books by reputable authors such as James Kustow, BMedSci, BMBS, MRCPsych.” — an ADDitude reader

Journals and Studies

“I tend to search PubMed for abstracts, new and old.” — an ADDitude reader

“Peer-reviewed journals, credible health sites, health practitioners, and service providers are my sources.” — an ADDitude reader

“I trust medical journals, other people with ADHD, and my psychiatrist and therapist.” — an ADDitude reader

Personal Sources

“My sources are mainly physicians who treat ADHD and can explain it well, but also adults and teens who have it, and parents of kids with ADHD.” — Sue, Michigan

“My most trusted and useful sources of information on ADHD are learning from my kids’ experiences.” — Sarah, Canada

ADDitude

“I have seen my psychiatrist for more than 24 years, and I have learned more from ADDitude than I have from my doctor. ADDitude has introduced me to new ways of thinking and understanding my mental health. When there are ADDitude webinars, I do my best to attend each one, even if it doesn’t pertain to me, because I learn something that I can relate to every time.” — Christine, Texas

“I am not one to seek out too much information, and being diagnosed so late, I don’t know what I don’t know. ADDitude brings issues to life for me and, if I need more, I can research specific things. Thank you.” — Sue, Idaho

“ADDitude has been an absolute game-changer for me. I love that I get a variety of topics very regularly and that exploring one leads to another (and another!). I follow a breadcrumb trail that has led to so much of my growing understanding of ADHD. I also love the webinars for more in-depth information.” — Caroline, Manchester

“ADDitude has also been instrumental in providing information that has helped our family plan and strategize. These sources also help me keep my physicians from demonizing me and my children.” — an ADDitude reader

All of the Above

“Your Kids Table (Alisha Grogan, MOT, OTR/L), The OT Butterfly, (Laura Petix, MS OTR/L), Seth Perlman and TEFOS (The Executive Function Online Summit), Edward (Ned) Hallowell, M.D., Jessica McCabe, Penn and Kim Holderness, Roxanne and Richard Pink, and Tracy Otsuka.” — Marivic, Washington

“My most trusted and useful sources of information on ADHD are a mix of professional resources and lived experience. I find ADDitude magazine itself incredibly helpful — the articles, webinars, and personal stories give both practical strategies and validation. I’ve also gained so much from Roxanne and Richard Pink through their books, podcast, and videos. Their content is relatable and filled with practical, real-life strategies. I regularly listen to The ADHD Adults podcast on YouTube and the ADHDAFpodcast on Spotify, both of which have helped me understand the science, humor, and day-to-day realities of living with ADHD. Combining expert information with shared lived experiences has given the most balanced and realistic understanding of ADHD.” — Debbie, United Kingdom

ADHD Resources: Next Steps

• Free Download: Fight Misinformation with These 11 Facts About ADHD
• Read: Myths and Truths About ADHD
• Read: 30 ADHD Books You Need to Read

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Sources

¹Leveille, A. D. (2024). “Tell Me You Have ADHD Without Telling Me You Have ADHD”: Neurodivergent Identity Performance on TikTok. Social Media + Society, https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241269260 (Original work published 2024)

²Karasavva, V., Miller, C., Groves, N., Montiel, A., Canu, W., Mikami, A. (2025) A double-edged hashtag: Evaluation of #ADHD-related TikTok content and its associations with perceptions of ADHD. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319335

Because it brings fewer behavior-management problems, Inattentive ADHD is not always recognized and diagnosed in childhood, and this under-recognition can persist into adulthood. This is particularly true for girls with ADHD, who are more likely than boys to have the inattentive subtype. Research and clinical experience show clearly, however, that difficulties with attention — even when not accompanied by impulsivity or hyperactivity — can lead to significant functional impairment and distress in higher education, the workplace, and in social interactions.

In this hour-long webinar, you will learn about:

• The prevalence of predominantly inattentive ADHD in children and adults
• The most common symptoms and distinctive features of inattentive ADHD
• How predominantly inattentive ADHD is recognized and diagnosed
• The daily-life difficulties of people with inattentive ADHD
• Effective treatments for predominantly inattentive ADHD

Misconceptions about ADHD’s treatments – medication, in particular – persist, despite decades of research proving their safety and efficacy. The benefits of medication, to be clear, extend beyond the classroom and workplace; ADHD medication reduces the risk of “dire consequences” and saves lives.

But there is so much more to treating ADHD. As ADDitude readers note, it takes time to find the right balance, and medication is one tool out of many to manage – not cure – ADHD.

Here, read more responses from the ADDitude community to our question: What do you wish the world knew about ADHD treatment?

“I wish people knew the full nervous system experience of ADHD; it is so much more than struggling to complete tasks. Even well-intentioned providers encourage the use of medication ‘just on days that we must get things done.’ But I need my medication to help me navigate my thoughts, feelings, relationships, routines, and even rest.” – Lindsay, North Carolina

“ADHD medication supports executive functioning, but it’s not a cure for ADHD and my kid isn’t going to ‘grow out’ of it. But he is going to learn tools and get into a career that best suits the brain he has.” – Kristy, Texas

“The biggest thing I wish the world knew is that ADHD medication is impacted by estrogen. As a biological woman, its effectiveness changes through the month, and having the ability to regulate how much I need would improve my life. However, getting doctors to understand this is hard. I’m tired of being treated like a druggie because I want to be able to ensure my meds are effective every day of the month. I know this is a major issue for all women with ADHD.” – Gabe, Pennsylvania

“It takes multiple angles to support someone with ADHD. It’s not take-a-pill-and-you’re-done.” – An ADDitude Reader

“I wish people understood that medication just helps you feel and function more like other people. It doesn’t make you high and it doesn’t make you a drug seeker. But it also doesn’t fix everything or give you superpowers. For people who are afraid to try it, I wish they knew how much better it could make your life. For people who think it is overused, I wish they knew how hard it is to function without it. And for anyone who thinks it fixes everything, I wish they knew people with ADHD still think and function differently even with treatment (of any kind), so we still need understanding and possibly accommodations.” – Sue, Michigan

“I wish the world understood that it takes so much effort to figure out how to help ourselves. I’ve found lots of useful ways to manage my ADHD but figuring that out took time and energy that I can rarely spare.” – Pen, Illinois

“I wish everyone knew it’s safer and better to treat ADHD than to be afraid of substance use disorder [from medication].” – Katie, California

“I’m so sick of stupid memes about trading Adderall for running shoes or hearing that we just need more sunshine, vitamins, or some other nonsense. These are real meds treating real medical conditions and bettering people’s lives by helping us to function. Keep your uninformed opinions to yourself, please.” – Megan, Michigan

“I wish leaders would rely on scientific studies, rather than personal biases, regarding treatment.” – Alice, North Carolina

“I wish people weren’t so scared of medicines, especially stimulants. They have been proven safe and effective for decades now and, for many of us, they are the only effective treatment.” – Christina, South Carolina

“I wish the world knew that medications are not miracle workers, and it is not easy to find your meds/combination of meds on the first try. It took me almost a year and so many attempts to find a good combination of meds to help me with my ADHD. I’m still not sure this is the best, but it’s better than it ever has been.” – Dawna, Canada

“I wish people knew that, for most people with ADHD, stimulants aren’t an addictive substance because we frequently forget to take them. A drug addict wouldn’t forget to get their fix.”  – Yvette, Canada

“There’s no one-size-fits-all fix. Medication can be life-changing for some people, but it’s not a magic solution and it’s not the only answer. Therapy, coaching, lifestyle adjustments, community support, and self-compassion all play huge roles, too. ADHD treatment isn’t about ‘curing’ us — it’s about giving us the tools and support we need to thrive in a world that isn’t designed with our brains in mind.” – Debbie, United Kingdom

Treating ADHD: Next Steps

• Free Download: Fight Misinformation with These 11 Facts About ADHD
• Read: Myths and Truths About ADHD
• Report: ADHD Treatments Scorecard from ADDitude Readers

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Despite decades of evidence-backed research on ADHD and its treatments, misinformation and stigma are making a comeback.

ADHD is not a new or made-up condition. The hallmarks of ADHD — excessive hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity — have been described in medical literature since the 18th century. Before the term “ADHD” was coined, the condition was conceptualized through other descriptions, including “hyperkinetic disorder.”

As our understanding of ADHD has evolved, diagnostic rates have risen, reflecting increased awareness and a greater recognition of symptoms beyond hyperactivity in historically overlooked groups.

In this download, you will learn 11 irrefutable facts to challenge untruths and disinformation about ADHD. You can use the research findings to challenge untruths and disinformation about ADHD today.

For more essential facts about ADHD, see the World Federation of ADHD’s international consensus statement detailing more than 200 findings about the disorder.

Sources

¹Taylor E. (2011). Antecedents of ADHD: a historical account of diagnostic concepts. Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 3(2), 69–75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12402-010-0051-x

²Faraone, S.V., & Larsson, H. (2019). Genetics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Molecular Psychiatry,24(4), 562–575. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-018-0070-0

³Dey, M., Paz Castro, R., Haug, S., & Schaub, M. P. (2019). Quality of life of parents of mentally-ill children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 28(5), 563–577. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796018000409

⁴Danielson, M.L., Claussen, A.H., Bitsko, R.H., Katz, S.M., Newsome, K., Blumberg, S.J., Kogan, M.D., & Ghandour, R. (2024). ADHD prevalence among U.S. children and adolescents in 2022: diagnosis, severity, co-occurring disorders, and treatment. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology: The Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, 53(3), 343–360. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2024.2335625

⁵Ginsberg, Y., Quintero, J., Anand, E., Casillas, M., & Upadhyaya, H.P. (2014). Underdiagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adult patients: a review of the literature. The primary care companion for CNS disorders, 16(3), PCC.13r01600. https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.13r01600

⁶Harpin, 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

⁷Li, L., Zhu, N., Zhang, L., Kuja-Halkola, R., D’Onofrio, B. M., Brikell, I., Lichtenstein, P., Cortese, S., Larsson, H., & Chang, Z. (2024). ADHD pharmacotherapy and mortality in individuals with ADHD. JAMA, 331(10), 850–860. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.0851

⁸Chang, Z., Lichtenstein, P., D’Onofrio, B. M., Sjölander, A., & Larsson, H. (2014). Serious transport accidents in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the effect of medication: a population-based study. JAMA psychiatry, 71(3), 319–325. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4174

⁹Shaw, 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

¹⁰Stein, M.A., Zulauf-McCurdy, C., & DelRosso, L.M. (2022). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications and sleep. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 31(3), 499–514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2022.03.006

¹¹ Faraone S.V. (2009). Using meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in youths. P&T: A Peer-Reviewed Journal for Formulary Management, 34(12), 678–694.

¹²Wolraich, M.L., Hagan, J.F., Jr, 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., & SUBCOMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVE DISORDER (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

¹³Chang, Z., Lichtenstein, P., Halldner, L., D’Onofrio, B., Serlachius, E., Fazel, S., Långström, N., & Larsson, H. (2014). Stimulant ADHD medication and risk for substance abuse. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 55(8), 878–885. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12164

¹⁴Levin, F.R., Mariani, J.J., Specker, S., Mooney, M., Mahony, A., Brooks, D.J., Babb, D., Bai, Y., Eberly, L.E., Nunes, E.V., & Grabowski, J. (2015). Extended-release mixed amphetamine salts vs placebo for comorbid adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and cocaine use disorder: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 72(6), 593–602. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.41

¹⁵Wilens, T E., Adler, L.A., Weiss, M.D., Michelson, D., Ramsey, J.L., Moore, R.J., Renard, D., Brady, K.T., Trzepacz, P.T., Schuh, L.M., Ahrbecker, L.M., Levine, L.R., & Atomoxetine ADHD/SUD Study Group (2008). Atomoxetine treatment of adults with ADHD and comorbid alcohol use disorders. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 96(1-2), 145–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2008.02.009

¹⁶Kast, K.A., Rao, V., & Wilens, T.E. (2021). Pharmacotherapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and retention in outpatient substance use disorder treatment: a retrospective cohort study. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 82(2), 20m13598. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.20m13598

¹⁷Sibley, M.H., Arnold, L.E., Swanson, J.M., Hechtman, L.T., Kennedy, T.M., Owens, E., Molina, B.S.G., Jensen, P.S., Hinshaw, S.P., Roy, A., Chronis-Tuscano, A., Newcorn, J.H., Rohde, L.A., & MTA Cooperative Group (2022). Variable patterns of remission from ADHD in the multimodal treatment study of ADHD. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 179(2), 142–151. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21010032

¹⁸Sibley, M.H., Kennedy, T.M., Swanson, J.M., Arnold, L.E., Jensen, P.S., Hechtman, L.T., Molina, B.S.G., Howard, A., Greenhill, L., Chronis-Tuscano, A., Mitchell, J.T., Newcorn, J.H., Rohde, L.A., & Hinshaw, S.P. (2024). Characteristics and predictors of fluctuating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the multimodal treatment of ADHD (MTA) study. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 85(4), 24m15395. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.24m15395

ADHD is not purely a disorder; it is a mix of assets and liabilities. Learn more.

The ADHD DSM-5 criteria is flawed for various reasons: It overemphasizes attention deficits and doesn’t focus enough executive function and self-regulation impairments. Current symptoms are also male-biased. Learn more.

“Findings from neuroscience, brain imaging, and clinical research have dramatically changed the old understanding of ADHD as essentially a behavior disorder.” This is essential reading.

In the circle of your life, ADHD sits at the center. Its symptoms affect all areas of functioning — perhaps more than you realize. Learn more.

Here, learn what we do know about estrogen, hormonal fluctuations, and menopause in neurotypical women — and how that may help inform clinical approaches for women with ADHD. Keep reading.

Older adults have unique needs and characteristics – including age-related cognitive changes, co-existing psychiatric and medical conditions, and more – that influence evaluation and treatment for ADHD. Learn more.

ADHD symptoms seem to disappear, return, worsen, and improve over the lifetime for many people. Here, an expert explains the influences thought to contribute to these fluctuations. Learn more.

Research and clinical practices are built around male presentations of ADHD, and science has historically paid little attention to female manifestations and impairments. Learn more.

ADHD in adults looks and acts different than ADHD in children, but clinicians’ diagnostic criteria — from age cutoffs to symptom phrasing — is undifferentiated, which sacrifices the accuracy of assessments. Learn more.

Why has diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD lingered so far behind the work already done in the field for 55 years? Learn more.

Awareness of often-unseen factors — from implicit bias to communication differences — can help clinicians remove barriers for Black patients, who are disproportionately impacted by structural inequities in healthcare. Learn more.

“What we eat, our physical activity levels, our sleep habits, and lifestyle factors ranging from stress management to screen time have a tremendous effect on health – a fact that’s amplified for ADHD brains and bodies.” Keep reading.

ADHD is a genetic disorder, but DNA is not working alone. Stress, foods, and environmental toxins change the brain as well. Here, learn how to reverse their negative effects. Keep reading.

ADHD medication use lowers risk of death by 19%, risk of overdose by 50%, and it reduces hospitalizations, according to new, large-scale studies. Learn more.

Research confirms that ADHD is a significant risk factor for motor vehicle accidents and traffic infractions, especially among adolescent and young adult drivers. Here, understand the ADHD link to dangerous driving and the strategies that can help you and your loved ones safe. Keep reading.

The benefits of ADHD medication, based on decades of research and medical practice, used in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy, are profound for many people. The risks stemming from untreated ADHD are equally profound. Keep reading.

Though brain scans cannot yet reliably diagnose ADHD, some scientists are using them to identify environmental and prenatal factors that affect symptoms, and to better understand how stimulant medications trigger symptom control vs. side effects. Learn more.

ADHD rarely occurs in isolation. Most children and adults with ADHD have one or more co-occurring conditions, which almost always impact treatment and outcomes. Learn more.

Biological, genetic, and environmental factors — including prenatal and early life exposures — may play a role (and to varying degrees) in the condition’s development in children. Learn more.

Here, learn about the distinctive characteristics that should guide clinicians’ diagnostic and treatment practices for inattentive ADHD. Learn more.

Could experiencing traumatic stress cause ADHD in me or my child? What is the ADHD-PTSD link? What does effective treatment look like? Answers to these and more in this expert Q&A.

Biological, genetic, and environmental factors — including prenatal and early life exposures — may play a role (and to varying degrees) in the condition’s development in children. Learn more.

The more we “see” the ADHD brain with neuroimaging, the more we understand how it works. Read this in-depth breakdown to learn about the latest discoveries and the most current research on the ADHD brain.

Medical research points to genetic and neurological explanations for ADHD symptoms exacerbated by some external factors. Learn more.

A recent New York Times Magazine article endangers patients’ health by baselessly questioning established science, willfully contorting experts’ words, and ignoring the grave consequences of untreated ADHD. Learn more.

In the realm of ADHD, the last quarter century has been pivotal, yielding myriad advances in our understanding of the condition. Learn more.

“It is significantly concerning when those without medical knowledge or an understanding of how to look at and critically assess research are making decisions about how to treat health concerns.” Read more.

The science is clear: ADHD is a genetic condition whose expression is muted or amplified by environmental factors. Medication is the most effective treatment for ADHD symptoms, and it works best when augmented with behavioral therapy, exercise, clean nutrition, and adequate sleep. Read our full letter to Secretary Kennedy.

The MAHA Report does not mention the proven, life-saving benefits of ADHD treatment or the risks associated with undiagnosed, untreated ADHD. This is worrisome. Learn more.

“It’s not that more people have suddenly become neurodivergent, but that more of those who were always neurodivergent are now being identified.” Continue reading.

In August, the ADHD community lost a fierce advocate and brilliant mind with the passing of Thomas E. Brown, Ph.D. His legacy persists this ADHD Awareness Month, and his messages are perhaps more important than ever. Learn more.

The ADHD community has lost a caring, generous, and influential leader.

Thomas E. Brown, Ph.D., died on August 18 at the age of 83. He was instrumental in advancing the understanding of ADHD through a lens of executive functioning differences.

“We will miss Tom Brown, but his contributions will endure,” says Stephen Faraone, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Norton College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University. “He was a pioneering psychologist whose vision reshaped how we understand ADHD as a disorder of executive function. His compassion, clinical acumen, and scholarship improved the lives of countless adolescents and adults living with the condition.”

Brown created the Brown Executive Function/Attention Scales, which clinicians widely use to assess, diagnose, and care for patients with ADHD. His research reframed ADHD as a complex problem in the development and functioning of the brain’s self-management system, its executive functions, instead of simply a behavioral disorder.

“Many individuals living with ADHD never had significant behavior problems; they have difficulty focusing their attention on necessary tasks and using working memory effectively,” he wrote in the ADDitude article “ADHD Is Not a Behavioral Disorder.”  “Many of these people weren’t recognized as having ADD problems until they were adults. They suffered a lot and often had difficulties in school before they received adequate treatment… Early diagnosis and treatment can mean so much in the arc of a person’s life.”

Brown served on the clinical faculty of Yale Medical School for 25 years, including as Associate Director of the Yale Clinic for Attention. In 2017, he relocated to Manhattan Beach, California, to open the Brown Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders. He was also a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

He was generous with his time and expertise, leading eight webinars for ADDitude, including “Hidden Fears, Quiet Shame: Social Anxiety in Middle School to College Students” on April 2. During the webinar, Brown discussed how teachers can help students develop resilience by expressing empathy, offering encouragement, and setting clear expectations. “But first, they must realize that a child’s social anxiety may manifest in unexpected ways,” he said.

“Dr. Brown was one of the greats in the ADHD universe,” says Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Instructor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. “The ADHD community has benefitted tremendously from his important research and much-needed books. He possessed a heartfelt commitment to proper assessment of various ADHD groups, as well as shedding an important spotlight on comorbid disorders that present with ADHD, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), sleep problems, and social anxiety. Most of all, he was a gentle, warm force who provided the field with a sense of grounding. He will be missed, but his work will continue to benefit generations to come.”

Brown advocated for better training of physicians, psychologists, and educators to identify and support high-functioning, high-IQ children with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), particularly as they age. His 2018 ADDitude webinar, “A Careful Diagnosis: Expert Guidelines for Getting an Accurate ADHD Evaluation,” provided helpful context for understanding twice-exceptional (2e) young adults.

In his 2021 ADDitude webinar, “The Missed Diagnosis: ADHD and Autism in Smart Kids and Adults,”  Brown explained that the tools that most clinicians use to assess ASD may miss individuals who are not severely impaired. “These individuals are commonly left to try and get by in mainstream schools, universities, and workplaces,” he said. “Their irregular behavior may be mistaken for laziness by teachers and parents who hover and take charge of organizing their lives. It isn’t until the child leaves home and has to manage for himself that problems arise.”

“Tom Brown caught my attention very early in my career as an ADHD specialist,” says Kathleen G. Nadeau, Ph.D., author and founder of the Chesapeake Center. “He was clearly a deep thinker and didn’t follow the herd… In the years when many insisted that one couldn’t have ADHD and also be high-achieving, Tom led the charge to understand the 2e experience.

“While fellow psychologists were testifying in court that high-achieving students should not be eligible for accommodations on high-stakes exams, Tom was busy at Yale developing a ground-breaking ADHD clinic for Yale students — all, by definition, high-achieving students. At every step of the way, he was a thought leader with independent ideas. He’ll be very much missed.”

Brown published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and authored seven influential books, including Smart but Stuck: Emotions in Teens and Adults with ADHD, Outside the Box: Rethinking ADD/ADHD in Children and Adults: A Practical Guide, and Social Anxiety: Hidden Fears and Shame in Teens and Adults, which continue to guide patients, families, and professionals worldwide.

“Tom Brown was an ever-present force in the ADHD community,” says Ari Tuckman, Psy.D., an author and psychologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. “He translated the science of ADHD into books, presentations, and other resources that made people’s lives better. He paved the way and led by example for the next generations of writers and presenters who came behind him. A consummate professional, he cared deeply about his work and the people that it benefited.”

Brown also played an integral part in researching the intersection of fluctuating hormones during menopause and ADHD symptoms. With his Yale colleague C. Neill Epperson, M.D., he conducted three studies from 2011 to 2017 that provide early evidence that a stimulant medication can be well-tolerated and improve executive functions in healthy menopausal women without ADHD.

“Dr. Brown was a supportive, ever-present contributor to the ADHD community who was known for the meaningful connections he made with individuals living with ADHD,” says Maggie Sibley, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, and a clinical psychologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital. “His professional contributions, including measurement tools that help us understand the experiences of people with ADHD beyond their core symptoms, will live on for years. And he wrote many important books that have made the science of ADHD accessible to clinicians and individuals with ADHD alike.”

Brown was born in Minneapolis on June 25, 1942. He graduated from Knox College, then earned a master’s degree from Yale Divinity School in 1968 and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Yale University in 1976.

He was predeceased by his wife, Bobbie Brown, and survived by his daughter, Elizabeth “Liza” Somilleda (Abel), his son, David Brown (Jen), his sister, Nancy Gebhard, and his grandchildren, Noah and Simone Somilleda, and Ford Brown, who was born June 25, 2025, on Brown’s 83rd birthday.

Donations may be made to the Dr. Thomas E. Brown Memorial Fund.

Yesterday, President Donald Trump carelessly advised that pregnant people should avoid Tylenol (acetaminophen), suggesting it causes autism. As an autistic, ADHD parent and social scientist, I can say plainly: this isn’t science; it’s fear-mongering. It revives mother-blaming myths, weaponizes uncertainty, and treats autistic existence as something to prevent rather than accept.

What the Evidence Actually Shows

The scientific record does not support a causal link between prenatal acetaminophen use and autism. Some observational studies report small associations — slightly higher rates of autism or ADHD in children whose mothers used acetaminophen during pregnancy — while others find no link. Associations aren’t causation, and these studies are limited by confounding and measurement problems that Trump and others in his administration didn’t mention in their press conference, which has been widely criticized.

A stronger test comes from sibling-comparison research. In a large 2024 Swedish study¹, researchers compared brothers and sisters born to the same mother when she used acetaminophen in one pregnancy and not another. If acetaminophen truly caused autism, the exposed children should show higher autism rates than their unexposed siblings. They didn’t. Once you hold family factors constant — shared genetics, home environment, maternal health — the supposed link disappears. That tells us that the small associations in simpler studies are likely explained by family-level factors (like genetics, infections, or maternal conditions) rather than acetaminophen itself. Claims that Tylenol “causes” autism ignore this stronger evidence.

[Research: Tylenol Use Is Safe During Pregnancy]

The Old Pattern of Blaming Mothers

Blaming pregnant people for autism continues a well-documented pattern of pinning differences on maternal failings. Mid-20th-century theories accused “refrigerator mothers” of causing autism and “schizophrenogenic mothers” of causing mental disorders in children. Those ideas did real harm — and they were wrong. The Tylenol scare repeats the pattern with new props.

This narrative loads families with guilt and second-guessing, fuels anxiety and depression, and can worsen perinatal mood disorders. It also discourages care: Some parents may avoid needed pain relief for their children, and some pregnant people may forgo safe, indicated treatment because they fear being blamed for lifelong outcomes. Maternal blame doesn’t support health; it undermines it.

Autism Is Human Diversity, Not a Defect

Efforts to hunt for single preventable causes — and to attempt to police pregnant people’s behavior — assume autism is a problem to eliminate. It isn’t. Autism is a heritable, lifelong form of human variation. Treating it as pathology invites stigma, casts autistic people as mistakes to be avoided, and revives eugenic thinking. It also distorts policy priorities: funds and attention shift from access, supports, and accommodations toward “prevention” or pressuring autistic people to mask or pass.

The practical alternative is clear: respect autistic ways of being; invest in communication and sensory supports; expand inclusive schooling and healthcare; and measure success by quality of life, not by reducing the number of autistic people.

[Read: “Rising ADHD and Autism Rates Reflect Education — Not a Crisis”]

What Responsible Communication Looks Like

This administration owes the public both accuracy and humility. Responsible communication distinguishes association from causation; explains uncertainty; avoids single-factor stories about complex traits; and centers the people most affected — in this case, autistic people and pregnant people. It resists the urge to make sweeping behavioral edicts based on contested findings. And it keeps the focus on what helps: access to prenatal care, evidence-based guidance from clinicians, and robust supports for autistic children and adults across the lifespan.

The Cost of Moving the Goalposts

But by asserting that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism, the President shifts public focus toward prevention and surveillance of pregnant people rather than acceptance and support for autistic people. That move has a price. It diverts attention and resources to unhelpful causes and spreads avoidable fear — fear that lands hardest on those with the least margin for error, the least access to care, and the most to lose from stigma.

Autism is human diversity, not a defect. Policymakers should focus on what matters: not finding the “answer” to a complex neurotype like autism, not blaming mothers, but making autistic lives easier, safer, and freer.

Autism and Neurodiversity: Next Steps

• Read: “RFK, Jr., Is Spreading a Dangerous, Ignorant Myth About Autism”
• Read: ADHD, Autism, and Neurodivergence Are Coming Into Focus
• Read: MAHA Commission Draws Swift Criticism, Condemnation

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Sources

¹Ahlqvist, V. H., Sjöqvist, H., Dalman, C., Karlsson, H., Stephansson, O., Johansson, S., Magnusson, C., Gardner, R. M., & Lee, B. K. (2024). Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability. JAMA, 331(14), 1205–1214. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.3172