How Did COVID-19 Impact ADHD Medication Use Among Children and Young Adults?

What you need to know

• After an initial drop early in the pandemic, stimulant medication use increased significantly, especially among females and young adults aged 20-24
• Children from higher-income neighborhoods showed greater increases in stimulant use compared to those from lower-income areas
• Young children (ages 5-9) showed sustained decreases in stimulant use throughout the pandemic period

The Pandemic’s Impact on ADHD Treatment

When COVID-19 hit, it disrupted nearly every aspect of daily life - but for children and young people with ADHD, these disruptions were especially challenging. The sudden shift to remote learning, loss of regular routines, and isolation from peers created new struggles for many who were already working hard to manage their attention and behavior.

A Tale of Two Trends

The research revealed an interesting pattern: Initially, there was about a 9% drop in stimulant prescriptions right after pandemic restrictions began. However, this decline didn’t last long. Over the following months, prescription rates not only rebounded but actually increased beyond what would have been expected without the pandemic.

This wasn’t a uniform change across all groups though. Some of the most dramatic increases were seen among females, whose stimulant use rose 37% higher than predicted, and young adults aged 20-24, who showed rates up to 51% higher than expected.

The Socioeconomic Divide

One of the most striking findings was how socioeconomic status influenced these changes. Children and young people from higher-income neighborhoods showed both smaller initial decreases and larger subsequent increases in stimulant use compared to those from lower-income areas. This suggests that access to healthcare and ability to adapt to virtual care may have played important roles in who received treatment during the pandemic.

Age Matters

The research found significant differences across age groups. While older teens and young adults saw substantial increases in stimulant use, children aged 5-9 actually showed persistent decreases throughout the pandemic period. This might reflect different approaches to managing ADHD symptoms during remote learning, with parents of younger children potentially choosing to pause medication while schools were closed.

What This Means for You

These findings have several important implications for families and individuals affected by ADHD:

• If you noticed changes in your or your child’s ADHD symptoms during the pandemic, you weren’t alone - many families experienced similar challenges
• Access to ADHD care may have been influenced by factors like income level and age, so it’s worth discussing any barriers to care with healthcare providers
• The significant increase in prescriptions among young adults suggests a need for careful monitoring of stimulant use in this age group
• Families of young children might want to discuss with their healthcare providers whether their current treatment approach needs adjustment as routines continue to evolve

Conclusions

• The pandemic led to lasting changes in how ADHD medications are prescribed and used, with some groups seeing significant increases while others experienced decreases
• Healthcare disparities appear to have influenced access to ADHD treatment during the pandemic
• More research is needed to understand whether these changes in medication use patterns were appropriate and beneficial for patients