Listen to “How to Optimize ADHD Stimulant Treatment for Children and Adults” with Thomas Brown, Ph.D.
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View the slide presentation that accompanied the original broadcast of this live webinar.
Many children and adults with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) find stimulant medications effective in managing their symptoms. Some find the stimulants less helpful or suffer from adverse side effects. Still others have trouble getting medication coverage when it is needed most — at school or after work.
Fine-tuning a medication to a person’s symptoms and body chemistry is a team effort. Medically speaking, a doctor’s repertoire of treatment strategies is typically limited to prescribing medication. Prescribers rely on parents and their adult patients to report any improvements, gaps in coverage, or negative side effects. Doctors use this information to determine the next medication adjustment, whether it’s changing the dose or switching to another medication. Working together will lead to the most effective treatment plan.
In this episode, learn:
- The keys to helping your prescriber fine-tune stimulants to a child’s needs and body chemistry
- How to determine the most effective dose of stimulant medication, based on a person’s sensitivity to the medication being taken
- The advantages of starting with a minimal dose and gradually increasing the dose to determine the “sweet spot” between too little and too much
- How to safely extend medication coverage from the early morning until early evening
- How to monitor side effects and team up with your doctor to eliminate them
- How to work with your clinician to make a medication change
- How to best manage the “rebound effect” when the medication wears off
- How to combine short-acting, rapid-release forms of stimulant with long-acting forms to provide medication coverage in the morning
- The limits of medication in alleviating ADHD-related problems with executive functioning
Recommended resources:
- Free Download: What You Need to Know to About ADHD Medications
- The Most Popular ADHD Medications: Comparison Chart
- 5 Rules for Using ADHD Medications Effectively
- ADHD Medications for Adults: ADD Treatment Q&A on Types, Side Effects
- eBook: ADHD Medication and Treatment
Listener testimonials:
- “This was my first webinar on ADDitude. I am a parent just learning how to support my child with ADHD and this was very helpful. Thanks!”
- “Excellent speaker. I appreciate the content you produce and the help it represents. Dr. Brown clearly is a wealth of knowledge!”
- “Presentations are so valuable and incredible resources to share with others (I’ve introduced so many people to ADDitude!).”
Listen in and tell us what you think in the comments. If you’re interested in advertising in ADDitude’s ADHD Experts podcast, write to us at anne@newhopemedia.com.
Thomas Brown, Ph.D., is a member of the ADDitude ADHD Medical Review Panel.
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Note on audio quality: This podcast is a recording of a webinar series, and the audio has been captured from telephone conversations, not recorded in a studio. Register to participate in the live webinars at: www.additude.com/webinars/
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