ADHD Meds: Are They Safe Long-Term? What the World's Largest Study Just Told Us

You’re sitting in the paediatrician’s office, staring at a tiny tablet in your hand, wondering if giving it to your child makes you a bad parent—or a better one. Sound familiar?

In this solo episode, Jane breaks down the world’s biggest ADHD medication study—just published in The Lancet Psychiatry—and unpacks what it really means for neurodivergent families. We’re talking hard data, real side effects, long-term unknowns, and the emotional load mums carry when we’re asked to medicate our kids. This episode is your crash course in science and lived experience. No moral panic, no TikTok nonsense. Just the facts—and how they actually apply to real-life parenting.

💡 What We Cover:

• What the new research says about long-term safety of ADHD meds for kids and teens
  
  
• The truth about stimulants vs non-stimulants  (both affect vitals)
  
  
• Why we need to track more than behaviour—and what to watch for
  
  
• The real-life variables the study didn’t cover (puberty, co-regulation, family chaos)
  
  
• How to use your lived experience to advocate during appointments
  
  
• Questions to ask your paediatrician now, based on the new data
  
  
• Why clinical reassurance alone isn’t enough—and never replaces your gut
  
  
• The difference between data-backed parenting and paranoia (and why you’re probably not overreacting)
  
  

Previous studies had already established the effectiveness and general safety of ADHD medications. The 2023 ADDUCE study built upon this foundation, offering more detailed insights into their long-term safety, particularly in younger populations.

🔗 Resources & Links:

• 🧪 The full Lancet Psychiatry study 
  
  
• 🎧 Related episodes:
  
  
• From Skeptic to Advocate – Medication, Neuroplasticity & Motherhood
  
  
• Stimulants vs Non-Stimulants – What’s the Difference?
  
  
• ADHD Meds & Pregnancy – with pharmacist Dr Rodney White
  
  
  
• 📚 Referenced researchers: The Lancet, ADHD Australia, Dr Ari Tuckman, Rodney White (UTS Pharmacy)
  
  

🎧 Listen Now

If you’ve ever spiralled at 2am wondering if your child’s meds are doing more harm than good—or if you're exhausted from explaining your choices to well-meaning relatives—this episode will ground you in real data and real life.

Hit play, send it to your co-parent or GP, and take this study to your next appointment.

#ADHDMumsPodcast #ADHDMedicationStudy #ParentingWithADHD #NeurodivergentKids #ADHDMumLife #ADHDAndMedication #ADHDSafety #StimulantMedication #ParentAdvocacy #MedicationTracking

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TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

ADHD medication study, ADHD meds and safety, stimulant vs non-stimulant ADHD, Ritalin Vyvanse Intuniv, ADHD in children, medicating neurodivergent kids, paediatric ADHD, ADHD parent guilt, ADHD and blood pressure, ADHD mum podcast, ADHD and tracking symptoms, how to talk to your paediatrician ADHD, lived experience and medication, medication decisions for kids, ADHD research explained, ADHD and monitoring, ADHD study Lancet Psychiatry, neurodivergent parenting, ADHD crash management, ADHD support for mums

 

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