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Puberty is a vulnerable time for many adolescent girls with ADHD. Research suggests that they may experience earlier pubertal onset than their neurotypical peers, adding a complex layer to a time of emotional, social, and neurological changes.

This webinar will explore current research on early puberty in youth with ADHD — why it may occur, and what it means for girls’ mental health risk and resilience. Designed for caregivers and clinicians, this session will review the signs of early puberty timing and examine the developmental mismatch that can emerge when bodies mature faster than emotional regulation skills.

How can hormonal shifts impact ADHD symptoms and mood, and how might these changes further shape subsequent mental health trajectories? Special attention in this webinar will be given to girls’ increased vulnerability to depression, anxiety, substance use, and eating disorders — and the practical, actionable strategies that can buffer stress and promote confidence during this critical developmental transition.

 In this webinar, you will learn:

• How pubertal timing may differ for girls with ADHD
• About the mental-health consequences of early pubertal development in adolescent girls
• How pubertal development may lead to fluctuations in ADHD symptoms across the menstrual cycle in girls
• About the impact of puberty on both assessment and treatment of ADHD
• Strategies for building emotion regulation skills that can support adolescents with ADHD as they navigate the pubertal transition

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

ADHD and Puberty: Resources

• • • Free Download: Free Menstrual Cycle Workbook for Women with ADHD
    • eBook: Hormones and ADHD 
    • Read: ADHD and the Turbulence of Puberty
    • Read: Protecting the Emotional Health of Girls with ADHD
    • Read: ADHD in Women and Girls: Why Female Symptoms Slip Through Diagnostic Cracks

Meet the Expert Speaker

Molly Nikolas, Ph.D., is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa and the Principal Investigator of the Iowa ADHD and Development Lab. She is also the Director of Clinical Training of the Clinical Science doctoral program and a licensed psychologist in the State of Iowa. She has authored or co-authored more than 60 peer-reviewed papers on ADHD, with a focus on the interplay between biological and contextual contributors to the development and maintenance of the disorder.  Her research on ADHD has been funded by the National Institute of Health, Shire Pharmaceuticals, and the Society for Research on Adolescence.  She routinely conducts and supervises ADHD assessments for people of all ages through the Seashore Psychology Clinic at the University of Iowa. She has served as the President of the Iowa Psychological Association and as a Member of the Executive Committee for the Academy for Psychological Clinical Science. She has also served as a reviewer on several NIH study sections. Dr. Nikolas is currently an Associate Editor at the journals Assessment and the Journal of Attention Disorders.

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.

Reserve your spot in this free webinar, and get the event replay link plus a 15% discount to ADDitude magazine

Not available April 14? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.

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.

Today, we know that ADHD affects every life domain and that medication alone is usually not sufficient. Most people need multimodal care, and the sequence of treatments matters; however, few patients benefit from these insights because ADHD care is fragmented in the following ways:

• Its quality hinges on who diagnoses the ADHD, when, and which services are available and utilized.
• How and when care is delivered.
• Untreated or undertreated ADHD is far too common.

Providing a Structured Approach

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to ADHD. An effective ADHD treatment plan for children begins with a comprehensive assessment that considers the following:

Co-occurring Conditions and Mimics

ADHD coexists with at least one psychiatric, learning, or behavioral disorder about 80% of the time. Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and other conditions can imitate or amplify symptoms.

Unique Impairments

Treatment should be tailored to each child’s unique impairment and context (e.g., severity, presentation, family dynamics, parental health, care access, etc.) while simultaneously highlighting the child’s strengths. Identifying and building on a child’s talents promotes self-esteem and resilience.

💡Free Guide! Parent-Child Therapies for Better Behavior

Sleep Comes First

Sleep problems and ADHD often overlap and are mutually exacerbating; stimulants can disrupt sleep, and poor sleep can worsen ADHD symptoms. Baseline sleep history and screening for sleep disorders should precede medication trials. If sleep deteriorates, clinicians should adjust the dose or formulation, add melatonin, or reinforce sleep-hygiene routines.

Multifaceted Treatment Is Best

Research has focused extensively on monotherapy — typically medication alone — but this approach rarely suffices beyond the short term. For one, ADHD can change over time. The medication that helps a hyperactive kindergartener may not serve a high school student. Monotherapy is especially inadequate for patients with multiple symptoms, comorbidities, and residual impairments not addressed by medication, like behavioral challenges when a medication wears off.
Multimodal therapy — medication used in conjunction with new behavioral interventions — is not new. The landmark Multimodal Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (MTA) study observed children assigned to different 14-month approaches:

• individually titrated medication
• intensive behavioral intervention
• combined treatment
• community care

Medications improved core symptoms, but parents and teachers rated the combined approach highest for overall functioning.

💡Free Download! A Parent’s Guide to ADHD Medication

Sequence Matters

Multimodal treatment works, but sequencing is important. In one study, children were treated during a school year and assigned to different sequences. Starting with behavioral treatment and then adding medication, if needed, produced the best outcomes, including fewer classroom rule violations and disciplinary events. Conversely, starting with medication and adding behavioral treatment later was less effective. ¹

Dosing for Non-Stimulants

For patients who do not respond to stimulants, choose not to take them, or whose comorbid conditions (e.g., tics, sleep disorders) are worsened by stimulants, non-stimulants are an option, and there are several with different mechanisms of action. Finding an optimal dose requires working closely with your provider. Often, combining stimulants with non-stimulants can improve tolerability and mitigate dose-related side effects.

What constitutes effective ADHD treatment will continue to be a central topic of research. Scientific evidence supports care that is personalized, sequenced, and measurement-based. Children respond best to treatment plans that include psychoeducation, behavioral and pharmacological interventions, and a focus on building their strengths to improve functioning not just in school but in life.

Mark A. Stein, Ph.D., is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington.

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.

Source

^{1 Pelham, W.E., Jr., Fabiano, G.A., Waxmonsky, J.G., Greiner, A.R., Gnagy, E.M., et al. (2016). Treatment sequencing for childhood ADHD: a multiple-randomization study of adaptive medication and behavioral interventions. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/15374416.2015.1105138}

Puberty and ADHD: Article Contents

• The Biology of Puberty
• How Hormonal Changes Drive Behavior
• The Role of ADHD Medications
• Supporting Teens Through Puberty

Puberty is a hurricane of emotional, physical, behavioral, and social changes — and ADHD is the undercurrent that fuels its strength and intensity.

Already prone to impulsivity and intense emotional reactions, teens with ADHD experience higher highs and lower lows while their brains continue to develop in puberty. Hormonal changes in boys and girls, we now know, can significantly alter ADHD symptoms and responses to treatment, creating a perfect storm that demands specialized understanding and support.

The Biology of Puberty

Puberty is powered by a complex interplay of biological and environmental factors.

Major Hormonal Changes: Hormonal pathways activate the production of estrogen and progesterone in females, and testosterone in males. Aside from ensuring sexual maturation, these hormones act on the brain, organizing neural circuits to create long-lasting functional and structural changes that impact behavior.

Novelty and Thrill-Seeking: Adolescent brains also undergo synaptic pruning, the refinement of neural connections to increase brain efficiency. In other words, teen brains are primed to learn, which is part of the reason we see increased novelty and thrill-seeking, identity exploration, and boundary-pushing. Even sleep patterns change in puberty partly because the brain resists stagnation. But the quest for new experiences can also lead to poor decision-making and other challenges.

Dopamine Rush: The thrill-seeking drive of adolescents is partly tied to dopamine, the neurotransmitter that plays a key role in cognition, motivation, pleasure, and reward. Though their baseline levels of dopamine are relatively low, teens’ responses to stimuli or rewards exceed those of adults’. This combination is particularly concerning for teens with ADHD, who already struggle with impulsivity and are at greater risk for substance use disorder and other addictive, sensory-seeking behaviors.

Learning and Growing: While the adolescent brain is primed for learning, it’s only about 80 percent matured. The prefrontal cortex, which directs judgment, reasoning, impulse control, emotional regulation, and decision-making, develops more slowly in ADHD brains. This exacerbates regulation issues.

Reward Over Risk: During adolescence, the ventral striatum, involved in motor control, learning, reward processing, and some decision-making, tends to dominate. This part of the brain focuses on immediate rewards rather than future outcomes, leading teens to prioritize rewards over risks. So, while teens understand risks, they are no match for the prospect of rewards, which light up an eager brain.

Read: How ADHD Impacts Adolescents

Precocious Puberty

Children who mature earlier or later than their peers may encounter confusing social expectations as they are treated in a way that is older or younger than they are, and as they (and others) compare their bodies to peers’. In central precocious puberty, puberty strikes early and floods a still-developing, young brain with hormones before key emotional, cognitive, and other neural circuits have matured. This mismatch, whereby the body develops faster than the brain is ready for, increases the risk for depression, anxiety, and other conditions, especially in girls.¹

It’s important to watch for signs of early puberty, like acne, pubic hair, and increased body odor before age 10. Breast development before age 8 and menstruation before age 10 are also signs, as is testicular enlargement in boys before age 9. Hormone-suppressing medications can temporarily delay puberty and allow a child to reach a more appropriate age so that their bodies and minds align better for pubertal changes.

How Hormonal Changes Drive Behavior

The onset of menstruation brings monthly fluctuations in estrogen levels, which influences dopamine activity. High estrogen levels increase dopamine activity, which improves cognitive function and emotional regulation. Conversely, the perimenstrual decline in estrogen results in decreased dopamine activity, lowering cognitive function and attention.

These fluctuations are significant in the context of ADHD. High-estrogen states stimulate the prefrontal cortex, enhancing control over the limbic system, or the emotional nervous system, and improving symptom control all around. In low-estrogen states, the prefrontal cortex is understimulated, which often translates to poorer regulation, impulse control, and mood, and a worsening of ADHD symptoms.²

Understimulation may also drive the brain to seek stimulation in other ways, like through big reactions and impulsivity. Lower estrogen levels also impair executive function, attention, and memory.

Hormonal fluctuations can affect ADHD symptoms to such a degree that some girls may only meet diagnostic criteria at certain points during their menstrual cycle. ADHD symptoms may also overlap with depression or anxiety, which commonly emerge in adolescence, emphasizing the need for differential diagnoses and holistic treatments.

Progesterone, secreted alongside estrogen to regulate the menstrual cycle and ovulation, protects dopamine neurons but decreases dopamine activity in the prefrontal cortex. Even if estrogen levels rise slightly post-ovulation during the luteal phase, progesterone can negate its positive effects on attention and hyperactivity symptoms.

Testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, also influences dopamine activity by increasing dopamine turnover and release in response to rewarding stimuli. Though ADHD-specific research is limited, studies show that testosterone can heighten impulsivity and risk-taking behaviors, which many boys with ADHD already struggle with.

Read: Hormonal Changes & ADHD — A Lifelong Tug-of-War

The Role of ADHD Medications

As puberty invariably influences ADHD symptoms, some teens may require treatment with medication for the first time and others may benefit from adjustments. ADHD medication use is particularly important at this stage because it reduces the risk for addiction and risky behaviors such as unsafe driving and unprotected sex.

Prepare to Adjust: For teens already taking medication, adjustments may be necessary to meet changing symptoms, physical growth, and other factors. The increased demands of school, extracurriculars, and social activities may mean longer days, requiring more medication coverage, for example.

If a teen is no longer responding adequately to methylphenidate, switching to an amphetamine may help. While both types of stimulants help recycle dopamine in the brain, amphetamines increase dopamine release, which could lead to more powerful effects.

The Role of Non-Stimulants: Not everyone responds optimally to stimulant medication. Non-stimulants like atomoxetine and alpha agonists may help. Atomoxetine reaches a steady level in the body that lasts throughout the day, providing more even symptom coverage. These medications are also often used for teens who have trouble sleeping or who have difficulty managing symptoms in the morning when their stimulant hasn’t yet activated.

Hormonal Status Matters: For some girls, a medication’s efficacy depends on their hormonal status. For example, girls respond better to stimulants right before ovulation, when estrogen and dopamine are high and progesterone is low. Estrogen may prime the brain to respond better to stimulants, particularly amphetamines. When estrogen is low, an increased dose of stimulants can improve symptoms without increased side effects.³

Compared to boys, girls report a stronger effect from short-acting methylphenidate earlier in the day, but it also wears off much sooner,⁴ , a phenomenon potentially explained by daily estrogen fluctuations. This suggests that girls may benefit more from long-acting stimulant formulations. Atomoxetine also appears to produce a greater effect on girls’ emotional regulation, hyperactivity, and impulsivity compared to boys.⁵

When adjusting the ADHD medication, dosage, or timing isn’t enough to counteract the impact of hormonal fluctuations, especially around periods, birth control medications and other interventions to help modulate the hormonal cycle may be warranted.

Supporting Teens Through Puberty

Understanding how puberty impacts mental health and behavior is key to supporting adolescents with ADHD through this time of transition. Consider doing the following:

• Keep communication open. Share this article and others at additu.de/adhd-teens to help your adolescent better understand the impact of hormones on ADHD.
• Establish expectations. Set limits and privileges to serve as much-needed guardrails to offset impulsivity and help regulate behaviors.
• Foster self-regulation. Practice delaying gratification to help teens exercise better control over stimulation-seeking behaviors.
• Validate feelings. Teens face enormous social pressures and expectations related to school, identity, body image, relationships, and more. Fluctuating hormones add to these challenges. Listening to your teen as they express their feelings and letting them know their experiences are understandable can promote calm and regulation.

Paul Mitrani, M.D., Ph.D., is the medical director and senior child and adolescent psychiatrist at Child Mind Institute.

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 Graber J. A. (2013). Pubertal timing and the development of psychopathology in adolescence and beyond. Hormones and Behavior, 64(2), 262–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.04.003}

^{2 Peters, J. R., Schmalenberger, K. M., Eng, A. G., Stumper, A., Martel, M. M., & Eisenlohr-Moul, T. A. (2025). Dimensional affective sensitivity to hormones across the menstrual cycle (DASH-MC): A transdiagnostic framework for ovarian steroid influences on psychopathology. Molecular Psychiatry, 30(1), 251–262. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-024-02693-4}

^{3 de Jong, M., Wynchank, D. S. M. R., van Andel, E., Beekman, A. T. F., & Kooij, J. J. S. (2023). Female-specific pharmacotherapy in ADHD: premenstrual adjustment of psychostimulant dosage. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1306194. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1306194}

^{4 Sonuga-Barke, E. J. S., Coghill, D., Markowitz, J. S., Swanson, J. M., Vandenberghe, M., & Hatch, S. J. (2007). Sex differences in the response of children with ADHD to once-daily formulations of methylphenidate. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 46(6), 701–710. https://doi.org/10.1097/chi.0b013e31804659f1}

^{5 Kok, F. M., Groen, Y., Fuermaier, A. B. M., & Tucha, O. (2020). The female side of pharmacotherapy for ADHD-A systematic literature review. PloS One, 15(9), e0239257. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239257}

Many children with ADHD endure misunderstanding, criticism, or unfair treatment from family members, teachers, siblings, and/or peers who don’t fully grasp the roots of their behaviors. These experiences can leave kids feeling discouraged, isolated, or “less than.”

As a parent, it’s tough to know how to talk with your child about ADHD — and how others may respond to it. “The Empathy Playbook for Parents” will provide practical scripts and advice for having honest, compassionate conversations about ADHD without being defeatist, while also helping your child handle tricky relationships they cannot avoid. You will also learn how to navigate negativity toward your child from adults in their lives. Together, we’ll explore how to model empathy, strengthen resilience, and strategize solutions for difficult conversations.

In this webinar, Dr. Sharon Saline will explain how to:

• Talk with your child about ADHD in realistic, supportive, and empowering ways
• Help your child navigate unfair treatment from family members, teachers, and peers.
• Teach your child how to establish boundaries, self-advocate, and protect their self-esteem in difficult relationships.
• Engage in productive conversations with other adults who do not understand ADHD and its effect on your child’s behavior and performance.

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.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO

Explaining ADHD: Resources

• • • Free Download: Questions to Get Your Child Talking
    • Read: How to Explain ADHD in Positive, Empowering Terms
    • Read: Your Emotionally Reactive Child Needs Empathy — Not Punishment
    • Read: How to Invest In Your Child’s “Emotional Bank Account”
      
      

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on November 20, 2025, 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 »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Sharon Saline, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and author of the award-winning book, What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life and The ADHD Solution Deck (#CommissionsEarned)
specializes in working with children, teens, emerging adults and families living with ADHD, anxiety, learning disabilities, autism, twice exceptionality and mental health issues. Her unique perspective, as a sibling in an ADHD home, combined with decades of experience as a clinical psychologist and educator/clinician consultant, assists her in guiding families and adults toward effective communication and closer connections. She lectures and facilitates workshops internationally on topics such as understanding ADHD, executive functioning, anxiety, motivation, different kinds of learners, and the teen brain. Dr. Saline is a regular contributor to ADDitude and Psychology Today, a featured expert on MASS Appeal on WWLP-TV, and a part-time lecturer at the Smith School for Social Work. Her writing has been featured in numerous online and print publications including MSN, The Psychotherapy Networker, Smith College Studies in Social Work, Attention Magazine, ADDitude Magazine, Psych Central, and Inquirer.com. Learn more at www.drsharonsaline.com. 

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

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Citing the rising rates of mental, emotional, and behavioral health concerns for children in the United States – estimated to affect 13% to 20% of the population – the AAP says an additional 19% of children experience problems that cause impairment or distress but don’t meet diagnostic criteria for a specific disorder.

As a pediatrician well acquainted with the AAP’s Bright Futures screening for well visits, I know mental health screening is an important and much-needed tool to better identify mental health concerns early and effectively. There’s an extra layer of urgency around providing early, comprehensive screening for neurodiverse children.

Many parents and even pediatricians know that neurodiversity can be misunderstood, overwhelming, and/or confusing. Many primary care physicians and pediatricians simply didn’t receive enough mental-health training during medical school and in their residencies. Because of this, they often have a limited understanding of the brain and its effect on behavior and the emotional development of children with ADHD and its comorbid conditions.

Early Intervention Is Key

Half of the mental health challenges that progress into adulthood are identified by age 14. By age 24, that number jumps to 75%. The signs of neurodiversity can emerge as early as toddlerhood and can be easily overlooked or misunderstood.

[Read: Youth Mental Health Care Is Vital. And Hard to Access.]

The AAP guidance recommends an initial mental, emotional, and behavioral health screening at 6 months and continuing those screenings at 12-, 24- and 36-month well visits. After age 3, the screening, including questions to reveal autism spectrum disorder and developmental disorders, continues annually.

We also know that children with neurodevelopmental disorders including autism have a higher risk for co-occurring mental health issues. This approach of more comprehensive mental and developmental screening will help identify these disorders earlier and allow for more targeted, early interventions. These early actions can address and build up critical skills needed to support a child’s ability to thrive and grow into a healthy and capable adult.

And although there may be some hesitation around conducting behavioral health screenings in schools, teachers are often the first to notice when a student is struggling emotionally. Early intervention is essential to support not only the student but also their peers and school staff. Research also shows that addressing behavioral health within the school environment can help reduce stigma. When challenges are identified, parents and caregivers can be guided to seek evidence-based interventions to support their child’s emotional, mental, psychosocial, and academic well-being.

More Support Needed

These screenings are essential, and this guidance is welcome in this community. We know the benefits of upstream, preventative mental healthcare on children and families. But there needs to be supportive infrastructure for pediatricians to properly screen children at their well checks. Many pediatricians today have limited time to conduct the screenings needed to ensure patients are meeting age-appropriate milestones – a problem exacerbated by the clinician shortage. In most clinics, during pediatricians’ short interactions with their patients, there’s rarely time to ensure full screenings are completed or that parents’ concerns are discussed beyond the reason for the visit.

Insurance payer guidelines for these screenings are needed for this effort to be successful. There’s very little parity when it comes to children’s mental health in the payer space, particularly for those children on Medicaid, which covers a fraction of the Medicare rate, which is a fraction of the private insurance rate.

[Read: How Collaborative Care Models Deliver Quality ADHD Care]

The AAP’s screening recommendation is a great first step for neurodiverse children, but we need the infrastructure to ensure pediatricians and primary care providers are prepared to offer behavioral health screenings at every visit, not just during annual well-child checkups.

Mental Health Screenings: Next Steps

• Read: Closing the ADHD Care Gap
• Read: Mental Health Screenings in Schools Reduce Stigma. And Save Lives.
• Read: 8 Questions to Ask Before Your Child’s ADHD Evaluation

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.

Mind–body practices like dance, yoga, exercise, and music actually change the brain and provide powerful benefits for neurodivergent people. Research shows that a body in motion engages a diverse network of brain regions, and the results are undeniable: Movement, and dance in particular, improves mood, focus, emotional regulation, social connections, and decreases social anxiety and depression.

Neuroscientist Julia C. Basso, who heads up the Embodied Brain Laboratory at Virginia Tech, will discuss the research findings in her lab that underscore how meditation practices, along with physical movement, uniquely affect health and wellness in people with ADHD and autism — and may even create a flexible nervous system that helps people to respond more calmly to difficult situations.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• About the latest research on how movement benefits neurodivergent individuals and why movement is uniquely effective.
• How movement interventions can strengthen attention, emotional regulation, and social functioning
• About real-world examples of how dance and group practices foster lasting social connection.
• About simple routines you can do at home to boost focus, mood, and social skills at for both children and adults.

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.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO

Movement and the Neurodivergent Brain: Resources

• • • Free Download: Your Free Guide to Music for Focus
    • Read: The Activities That Activate Neurodivergent Brains
    • Read: Somatic Therapy: Understanding the ADHD Brain, Body, & Trauma
    • Read: Say Yes to Yoga for Kids with ADHD
      
      

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on November 12, 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 »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Julia C. Basso, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech, a Scientific Wellness Consultant, and Director of The Embodied Brain Laboratory. She also holds affiliate faculty positions in the Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience and is a Fellow at both the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology and the Center for Health Behaviors Research at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion.

With a Ph.D. in Behavioral and Neural Science, a B.A. in Dance, and certification as a yoga teacher, Dr. Basso’s work bridges the fields of art and science, focusing on the body–brain connection and the use of movement to enhance brain function and physiology. Her research includes pioneering studies on neurodivergent populations, exploring how dance and other movement-based practices can improve attention, emotion regulation, social connection, and overall well-being in individuals with ADHD and autism.

A Renée Fleming Neuroarts Investigator, Dr. Basso’s research has been featured in prominent outlets such as The New York Times, Dance Magazine, Psychology Today, Virginia Living, and National Public Radio. In addition to her scientific work, she creates dance performances and artistic installations that visualize and sonify brain activity, extending her commitment to understanding and sharing the embodied mind through both research and art.

Learn more at www.embodiedbrainlab.com.

Follow ADDitude’s full ADHD Experts Podcast in your podcasts app:
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The ADHD Club is exclusive – and awesome. Its members comprise a brilliant group of wildly creative, passionate, and resilient people who think differently. (Thank goodness!) Seasoned members of the ADHD Club won’t hesitate to confirm the following: having a brain difference brings constant curveballs and hurdles (more than most of us would like!). At the same time, the upsides of having a cool brain are pretty infinite. In their new children’s picture book, All You Can Be with ADHD, Penn and Kim Holderness – social media creators, best-selling authors, and award-winning podcasters – help young people with ADHD feel seen, understood, and empowered.

In this webinar, Penn and Kim, who have a child with ADHD, will help families learn how to:

• Introduce children to the ADHD Club.
• Help kids recognize the awesomeness in ADHD and identify their strengths.
• Instill resilience in young people and teach them how to approach ADHD-related challenges.
• Be a supportive ally to neurodivergent children.
• And much more.

Watch the Video Replay

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Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

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

Build Confidence in Kids : Resources

• • • Free Download: 19 Questions That Build ADHD Metacognition Skills
    • Read: How to Invest in Your Child’s “Emotional Bank Account”
    • Read: “I Feel Like a Loser!” How to Build Self-Confidence in Teens with ADHD 
    • Read: The ADHD Soul Shine Kit: Build Your Child’s Self Esteem
      
      

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If you attended the live webinar on October 28, 2025, 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 »

Meet the Expert Speakers

Penn and Kim Holderness have been married for 18 years and for the past decade, they have been online content creators. Known for their award-winning videos of sketch comedy and music, they have garnered over 2 billion views and over 8 million followers across their social media platforms. Penn and Kim are authors of ADHD Is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD (#CommissionsEarned). They are also award-winning podcast hosts, and were winners on Season 33 of The Amazing Race. Before making their own content in the digital space, they honed their storytelling skills with 25 combined years in the TV news business. When they aren’t making their audience laugh, they help international companies make videos of their own along with their team at Holderness Family Productions. Their new book, All You Can Be with ADHD, was released on October 14, 2025.

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

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ADHD has been misunderstood since the early 1900s, when children with the condition were described as having a “defect in moral control.” Through the decades, the name for ADHD evolved, but the condition continued to be dismissed or questioned, and the treatment remained maligned. Damaging narratives about ADHD were embedded in the public consciousness and resulted in deep fears among caregivers to effectively treat their children with the condition.

Those fears linger today, reinforced by the false and misleading claims about ADHD in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report released earlier this year. Battling these claims, and encouraging public understanding about the complexities of ADHD, are especially important this ADHD Awareness Month.

ADDitude is kicking off ADHD Awareness Month with William Dodson, M.D., who has spent more than 25 years educating caregivers, teachers, coaches, and other adults on the real-world consequences of untreated ADHD in childhood and over a lifetime.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• • About the history of ADHD, and its long relationship with ignorance and irrational fears
  • How ADHD is much more complex than the symptoms identified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • About the lasting and harmful consequences of undiagnosed and untreated ADHD in children and adults
  • How to talk to family members, teachers, and others to improve their understanding of ADHD, and the behavioral and social struggles associated with it
  • How to ensure that you are not on the receiving end of your adult child asking you, in 15 years, You knew I had ADHD and did nothing?

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Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Audacy; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO

ADHD Myths and Misperceptions: Resources

• • • • Free Download: Your Free Guide to Debunking Annoying ADHD Myths
      • Read: 9 ADHD Myths That Perpetuate Stigma
      • Read: The Definition of ADHD: Myths & Truths
      • Read: “Eradicate the Myth That It’s Those with ADHD Who Need to Change.”

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If you attended the live webinar on October 1, 2025, 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 »

William W. Dodson, M.D., LF-APA, is a clinician who has spent his career working on the day-to-day practice of adult ADHD medicine and how to get optimal outcomes from the treatment of ADHD. He has specialized in the application of practice-based evidence to evidence-based practice. Over the last several years, Dr. Dodson has changed the emphasis of his practice from direct patient care to writing and speaking about and consulting on adult ADHD medicine. He has written more than 120 articles and produced many webinars for ADDitude and ADDA.
Dr. Dodson is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who was one of the first practitioners to specialize in adults with ADHD 25 years ago. He is the recipient of the national Maxwell J. Schleifer Award for Distinguished Service to Persons with Disabilities in 2006. He was named a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association in 2012 in recognition of his contributions to the field of adult ADHD. Dr. Dodson continues to have a private consulting practice in Denver.

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FREE WEBINAR ON AUGUST 13
Click here to register for “Combined Treatment Options for Pediatric ADHD: Sequencing Your Child’s Care” with Mark A. Stein, Ph.D., ABPP, on August 13 at 1 pm ET.

Chronic pain is more common in autistic children and teens with and without ADHD than it is in neurotypical youth. Conditions such as migraines, gastrointestinal pain, and musculoskeletal pain occur at significantly higher rates in neurodivergent populations, yet these symptoms are often overlooked or misunderstood by medical professionals and caregivers.

Emerging research suggests that autistic children and teens with and without ADHD may be more susceptible to developing chronic pain, perhaps because differences in sensory processing, emotional regulation, and communication shape how they experience and express pain. These unique factors can make it challenging for caregivers and health care professionals to recognize and address chronic pain in neurodivergent individuals.

If left unaddressed, chronic pain can profoundly impact a child’s daily life — affecting academic performance, physical function, social relationships, and emotional well-being.

In this webinar, experts in autism, ADHD, and chronic pain will provide insights into the science and lived experiences of children navigating these overlapping challenges. In this webinar, caregivers and professionals will learn:

• Why chronic pain is more common in autistic children with and without ADHD: How sensory differences, stress, and co-occurring conditions like anxiety may contribute to pain.
• How pain presents in unique ways: Why autistic children with and without ADHD may express or experience pain differently — and how this can make it harder to recognize.
• The impact on daily life: How chronic pain affects school, social interactions, and emotional health, and how pain-related distress may show up as irritability, withdrawal, or other behaviors.
• Strategies to reduce pain’s impact: Evidence-based approaches for caregivers, including medical interventions, coping tools, sensory supports, and environmental adjustments.
• How to communicate with doctors and teachers: Tips for navigating the healthcare and school systems and advocating for appropriate supports.

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.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Audacy; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO

Webinar Sponsor

Play Attention: Research conducted at Tufts University School of Medicine demonstrates that Play Attention improves attention, behavior, executive function, and overall performance. Harnessing cutting-edge NASA-inspired technology, Play Attention offers a customized program for both children and adults.  Your dedicated Focus Coach will tailor a plan for each family member to improve executive function and self-regulation. Home and professional programs are available. Take our online ADHD assessment or schedule a consultation | www.playattention.com

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

 Chronic Pain, Autism, and ADHD: Resources

• Free Download: The ADHD-Autism Link in Children
• Read: Autism in Girls: Why Signs of Neurodivergence are Overlooked
• Read: How ADHD Can Intensify Physical Health Conditions
• Read: Comorbid ADHD Complicates Most Diagnoses and Treatment Plans
  

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If you attended the live webinar on September 9, 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 »

Meet the Expert Speakers

Gloria T. Han, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Pain Medicine, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She also serves as a pediatric pain psychologist in the pediatric pain clinic at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, where she collaborates with physicians, physical therapists, and occupational therapists to support a high proportion of children and teens navigating autism, ADHD, and pain-related challenges. Dr. Han’s clinical and research efforts focus on the intersection of autism and chronic pain, particularly how features of autism — such as differences in sensory, emotional, and social information processing — may contribute to an increased vulnerability for chronic pain. By identifying these developmental pathways, she hopes to expand upon current evidence-based strategies for managing chronic pain and develop effective interventions tailored to the specific needs of neurodivergent youth facing these overlapping challenges.

Anna C. Wilson, Ph.D., is a Professor of Pediatrics at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). She is also a pediatric psychologist at the Pediatric Pain Management Clinic at OHSU/Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, which provides multidisciplinary care for children and teens with a variety of chronic pain conditions. Dr. Wilson’s research has focused on the prevention of chronic pain in children and adolescents, with a focus on studying how parents and parenting influence children’s pain experiences. She has also recently conducted work on how pain experiences in young people relate to ADHD symptoms. Her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Medical Research Foundation of Oregon, and the Friends of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Together with health journalist Rachel Rabkin Peachman, Dr. Wilson authored When Children Feel Pain: From Everyday Aches to Chronic Conditions (Harvard University Press, 2022). (#CommissionsEarned) This book tells the story of pain in childhood, why it has been poorly understood even by doctors and nurses, and how we can better support all children and reduce the negative impact of chronic pain.

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

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What do we know about combining and sequencing ADHD treatments for children? Are more interventions better and, if so, when? Treating ADHD in children can include stimulant medication, non-stimulants, and psychosocial interventions such as behavioral parent training, and school- and peer-based interventions, including summer treatment programs.

In this webinar, Mark A. Stein, Ph.D., will explain ADHD heterogeneity, the need to personalize treatment, and what we have learned in the last 30 years on combining and sequencing ADHD treatment for optimal care.

In this webinar, you will learn about:

• • • ADHD heterogeneity and a precision medicine approach to treatment
    • The data on combining treatments for ADHD, including psychosocial, pharmacological, and family based treatments.
    • The challenges and strategies for optimizing multimodal treatment
    • Sequencing treatments — when to start, and when to add more.
    • When treatment is excessive based on impairing side effects.

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.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Audacy; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO

Webinar Sponsor

Play Attention, inspired by NASA technology and backed by Tufts University research, helps strengthen executive function — a key piece of the puzzle for kids with ADHD. It works well with other treatments like therapy or medication and helps improve focus, self-regulation, and follow-through. Each family gets unlimited support from a personal Focus Coach, so you’re never on your own.

Schedule your consultation to discuss your specific needs or visit www.playattention.com to take our ADHD test. Home and Professional Programs available.

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

ADHD Treatments for Children: Resources

• • • Free Download: Take Charge of Your Child’s Medication
    • Read: ADHD Treatment Options for Children
    • Read: What Is Complex ADHD? Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
    • Read: How a Physician Treats ADHD with Combination Therapy

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on August 13, 2025, 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 »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Mark A. Stein Ph.D., ABPP, is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and adjunct professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington. He also is the founder  of the Program to Enhance Attention, Regulation, and Learning  (PEARL Clinic) at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Previously, Dr. Stein was professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also was chair of psychology and developmental pediatrics at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Stein is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the past president of the American Professional Society for ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD). In 2017, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD). Dr. Stein has written more than 150 peer-reviewed articles and conducted numerous studies of ADHD treatment in children, adolescents, and adults. His interests are in the relationship between ADHD and sleep, and in personalizing ADHD treatment.

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ADHD prevalence in adults and children remains stable, suggesting that the steady increase in new ADHD diagnoses does not indicate an “epidemic” but improved research and diagnostic tools, according to a new study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders. ¹

The systematic review, led by a team of researchers from King’s College London, found no significant increase in ADHD prevalence rates among children and adults from 2020 to 2024 compared to earlier time periods. ADHD evaluations did increase during and following the COVID-19 pandemic, however resulting diagnoses did not change the overall prevalence of ADHD in the population, the study found.

“Prevalence refers to the overall occurrence of ADHD in the population at a particular point in time,” Russell Barkley, Ph.D., a leading authority on ADHD, explained on his YouTube channel. “Incidence refers to the occurrences of newly identified ADHD cases within a specific period. There can be a dramatic difference between prevalence and incidence, where there is no change in prevalence but a rise in incidence because new cases of ADHD are already present. They just weren’t identified.”

After examining 40 studies across 17 countries (with one study spanning 42 countries), the researchers estimated that the pooled global prevalence of ADHD in adults increased from 3% in 2020 or earlier to 4.6% after 2020.

The worldwide prevalence of ADHD in children before 2020 was between 5 and 7%. The researchers were unable to determine a single (pooled) ADHD prevalence rate for children post-2020 due to unreliability and variation between studies. However, they did determine that the percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD since 2020 ranges from 3.2% in Sweden to 10.5% in the U.S.

Why Are ADHD Incidences Rising?

What’s fueling the identification of previously undetected cases of ADHD? The study says diagnoses are following greater awareness and less stigma, along with improved education, training, and symptom recognition, particularly in historically overlooked girls, women, and racial and ethnic minorities.

Revised diagnostic criteria also account for the uptick in ADHD incidences. In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) changed the maximum age of onset from 7 to 12 and added the first-ever qualifier symptoms for ADHD in adulthood.

Why Do Steady ADHD Prevalence Rates Matter?

The findings challenge assumptions made in the media and by some U.S. government agencies about a ‘surge’ in ADHD diagnoses following the COVID-19 pandemic. Between January and May 2024, media outlets published 25,080 articles on ADHD, compared to 5,775 articles in 2014. ²

On May 22, the MAHA Commission, spearheaded by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., released The MAHA Report, which claimed that ADHD contributes to a “crisis of overdiagnosis and treatment” in American children. (The assertion of ADHD overdiagnoses in the U.S. lacks evidence.) The report proceeds to suggest that “the harms associated with an ADHD diagnosis may often outweigh the benefits,” but fails to mention the many health risks associated with undiagnosed ADHD.

Research shows that ADHD shortens an individual’s life expectancy by 7.5 years, on average.³ Undiagnosed and untreated individuals face a higher risk of fatal car accidents, unwanted pregnancies, serious injury and hospitalizations, job loss, academic interruptions, self-harm, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and more. ^{4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13} In patients with the condition, ADHD medication use reduces the risk of death by 19%, the risk of overdose by 50%, ¹⁴  The risk of substance abuse by 50%, ^{15 /a>} and the risk of motor vehicle accidents by at least 38% 16

The researchers noted several limitations of the study, including a lack of healthcare data and school-level data. In addition, estimates from previous reviews may be inaccurate due to significant delays between data collection and publication. Of the 614 full texts screened, 42% were excluded from the study because data collection took place before 2020, including several recently published studies that included data from the early 2010s or the early 2000s.

“This may impact policy decisions when old data is included in seemingly current estimates,” the researchers wrote. “It is imperative that data are made available to researchers and published quickly, particularly when prevalence rates are the focus of the research.”

This August, the MAHA Commission plans to release policy recommendations to “begin reversing the childhood chronic disease crisis” including ADHD, autism, diabetes, obesity, and other conditions impacting American youth.

“We strongly advise that further research, using recent and robust clinically meaningful data, is published before policy decisions can be made,” the researchers wrote.

Sources

¹Martin, A.F., Rubin, G.J., Rogers, M.B., Wessely, S., Greenberg, N., Hall, C.E., Pitt, A., Logan, P.E., Lucas, R., & Brooks, S.K. (2025). The changing prevalence of ADHD? A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.119427

² LexisNexis, 2024. https://www.lexisnexis.com/

³ O’Nions, E. El., Baou, C., John, A., et al. (2025). Life expectancy and years of life lost for adults with diagnosed ADHD in the UK: matched cohort study. The British Journal of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2024.199

⁴ Gnanavel, S., Sharma, P., Kaushal, P., Hussain, S. (2019). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and comorbidity: A review of literature. World J Clin Cases 2019; 7(17): 2420-2426. https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v7.i17.2420

⁵ Kessler, R., Adler, L., Barkley, R., Biederman, J., Conners, C., Demler, O., Faraone, S. et al. (2006). The prevalence and correlates of adult ADHD in the United States: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. The American Journal of Psychiatry.https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2006.163.4.716

⁶ Babinski, D.E., Neely, K.A., Ba, D.M., Liu, G. (2020). Depression and suicidal behavior in young adult men and women with ADHDJ Clin Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.19m13130

⁷ Katelijne van Emmerik-van Oortmerssen, Geurt van de Glind, Wim van den Brink, Filip Smit, Cleo L. Crunelle, Marije Swets, Robert A. Schoevers, Prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in substance use disorder patients: A meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Volume 122, Issues 1–2, 2012, Pages 11-19, ISSN 0376-8716, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.12.007

⁸ Nazar, B.P., Bernardes, C., Peachey, G., Sergeant, J., Mattos, P., Treasure, J. (2016). The risk of eating disorders comorbid with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Eat Disord. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22643

⁹ Curtin, C. & P., S., Mick, E. (2013). The association between ADHD and eating disorders/pathology in adolescents: A systematic review. Open Journal of Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojepi.2013.34028

¹⁰ Curry, A.E., Yerys, B.E., Metzger, K.B., Carey, M.E., Power, T.J. (2019). Traffic crashes, violations, and suspensions among young drivers with ADHD. Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-2305

¹¹ Ward, J.H., Curran, S. (2021). Self-harm as the first presentation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adolescents. Child Adolesc Ment Health.  https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12471

¹² Hinshaw, S.P., Owens, E.B., Zalecki, C., Huggins, S.P., Montenegro-Nevado, A.J., Schrodek, E., Swanson, E.N. (2012). Prospective follow-up of girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder into early adulthood: continuing impairment includes elevated risk for suicide attempts and self-injury. J Consult Clin Psychol. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029451

¹³ Ping-I Lin, Weng Tong Wu, Enoch Kordjo Azasu, Tsz Ying Wong. (2024). Pathway from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to suicide/self-harm, Psychiatry Research, Volume 337, 2024, 115936, ISSN 0165-1781, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115936

¹⁴ Li, L., Zhu, N., Zhang, L., Kuja-Halkola, R. et al. (2024). ADHD Pharmacotherapy and Mortality in Individuals With ADHD. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.0851

¹⁵ Faraone, S.V., Wilens, T. (2003). Does stimulant treatment lead to substance use disorders? J Clin Psychiatry. 2003;64 Suppl 11:9-13. PMID: 14529324.

¹⁶ Chang, Z., Quinn, P.D., Hur, K., et al. (2017) Association Between Medication Use for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Risk of Motor Vehicle Crashes. JAMA Psychiatry. https://doi.org.10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0659

Children with ADHD endure frequent criticism or negative feedback from parents, teachers, other adults, and peers, and this steady stream of judgment often degrades their self-esteem. When emotional outbursts, poor social skills, and disorganization are misunderstood in school and at home, that may lead kids to internalize negative beliefs about themselves.

This webinar will offer age-appropriate practical tools to help adults build resilience and self-confidence in children with ADHD, from elementary school through high school. Participants will learn how to use supportive language, foster self-advocacy in their children, and apply strategies that make a lasting impact.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• • Why children with ADHD are prone to low self-esteem and how negative thinking patterns impact kids all the way through adulthood
  • About successful parenting strategies to build self-confidence across different age groups, including what to say and what is well-meaning but should be avoided
  • Practical scripts to teach kids how to advocate for themselves, manage criticism, and push back against stigma
  • Effective ways for parents to collaborate with schools and other professionals in supporting your child’s resilience and self-esteem
  • Subtle approaches to communicate with and educate others (e.g., coaches, other caregivers, extended family members) to incorporate more inclusive and compassionate language

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.

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Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Audacy; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO

Webinar Sponsor

Play Attention is more than a tool – it’s a confidence-building program for children with ADHD. Shaped by over 3 decades of practice, proven outcomes, and research by Tufts University School of Medicine, Play Attention uses NASA-inspired neurotechnology to strengthen executive function. Your child can build self-control, improve focus, and develop the resilience to grow with confidence.

Take our online ADHD assessment or schedule a consultation to see how Play Attention can support lasting self-esteem and success. Home and professional programs available. www.playattention.com

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

Self-confidence and Resilience with ADHD: Resources

• • • Free Download: Evaluate Your Teen’s Emotional Control
    • Read: How to Invest In Your Child’s “Emotional Bank Account”
    • Read: Why We Feel So Much — and Ways to Overcome It
    • Read: 6 Behavioral Parent Training Programs for ADHD Families

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on July 10, 2025 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 »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Larisa Litvinov, Ph.D., is a senior psychologist in the ADHD and Behavior Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute. Dr. Litvinov has more than 20 years of experience in the evaluation and treatment of behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders in children, adolescents, and adults.

Dr. Litvinov has worked extensively with children who’ve been diagnosed with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She has expertise in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and child-parent psychotherapy (CPP).

Dr. Litvinov has certifications in the Reflective Parenting Program and Adoption Specific Therapy (ADAPT), as well as PCIT. She also specializes in early childhood mental health and adoption-specific treatment. She has found that working with children who has experienced chronic trauma requires looking beyond the diagnoses and using the adoption, trauma, biological, and developmental lenses to understand and help children and their families.

Follow ADDitude’s full ADHD Experts Podcast in your podcasts app:
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