treating teens: Latest News

When we opened Cape Fear Games in 2009, my husband and I had no idea that our boys would be diagnosed with ADHD. We didn’t know that board games would help us forge such powerful and meaningful family connections, or that game night would teach some skills even better than school.Twelve years and two children with ADHD later, we have a treasured collection of favorite board games that help to build skills like working memory, recall, focus, and strategic planning.

People with ADHD are three times more likely to use marijuana than their neurotypical peers1. And the likelihood of developing cannabis use disorder is also two times higher for those with ADHD1.Teens may succumb to the temptation of cannabis because it promises to alleviate anxiety and stress, and to quiet racing brains quickly.

March 10, 2025Teens with highly symptomatic ADHD face an elevated risk for using e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and tobacco products, and that risk is likely diminished through the use of prescribed ADHD medication, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.1Prior research has established that teens with ADHD are more likely than their neurotypical peers to use nicotine.2,3,4 However, this study is one of the first to longitudinally examine whether effective ADHD symptom management, like pharmacotherapy, may mitigate this risk. It suggests that teens with ADHD symptoms that are managed well are less likely to use tobacco products than their peers with untreated or otherwise severe ADHD symptoms.This finding is consistent with previous research suggesting that untreated ADHD may double the risk5 of developing a substance use disorder (SUD), and that early and continual treatment for ADHD can reduce this risk.6“The present findings support the assertion from prior clinical studies that alleviating core ADHD symptoms may lead to a reduction in risky behaviors among U.S.

The college experience — with its shifting routines, higher academic demands, and greater independence — is a major adjustment for nearly every freshman. For students with ADHD, adequate and consistent symptom management is key to effectively navigating this exciting new environment.Should your student continue to receive ADHD care from a longtime clinician or join a new practice closer to campus? Here are some factors to help you decide.One benefit of your teen continuing care with their existing clinician: Because of their personal knowledge of and history with your teen, that clinician can quickly recognize and respond to worsening symptoms.

In adolescence, ADHD is associated with a set of distinct and measurable challenges — executive dysfunction, increased risk for substance misuse and automobile accidents, stimulant medication diversion, emotional dysregulation, high-risk behaviors, and more. Robust, long-term studies confirm that, if unaddressed, these teenage challenges can impact quality of life and general functioning well into adulthood.For best outcomes, clinicians must help patients and families understand how ADHD impacts the adolescent and young adult brain specifically, and how early care and interventions can have positive effects.

From frozen coffee drinks and teas to sodas and energy drinks, caffeine is ubiquitous in teen culture — and its effects are poorly understood.Conflicting and paltry research on caffeine and ADHD leaves many parents with mixed messages and unclear recommendations. For example, a 2013 study1 suggesting that caffeine may normalize dopamine and attention levels in people with ADHD, was essentially rendered obsolete by a 2024 study2 published in the journal Public Health that associated energy drink consumption with an elevated risk for physical and mental health conditions such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among children and adolescents.This study also tied energy drink consumption to increased ADHD inattention, conduct disorder, and depressive and panic symptoms.

College students with ADHD represent a distinct and auspicious yet overlooked population. The assumption that this group, by virtue of its acceptance into higher education alone, needs no special support for managing ADHD symptoms has prevailed for far too long.

July 22, 2024Teens who take prescription stimulants to manage their diagnosed ADHD face no elevated risk for later prescription drug misuse (PDM), according to a study published in Psychiatry Services.1Further, young adults with ADHD who took stimulants as teens are less likely to misuse stimulants compared with same-age peers who did not receive stimulant therapy. The strongest predictor of prescription stimulant misuse in young adulthood? Prescription drug misuse in adolescence.The multi-cohort, U.S.

If your college-bound teen has an IEP or a 504 Plan, you likely hope to smooth the transition to their new learning environment. Maybe you have already called the college’s director of accessibility services for information.