Kids on medications for ADHD more likely to get bullied, study says

Drugs like Ritalin give children coping with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder a better chance of achieving the same academic success as their peers, but these drugs also make these kids targets for bullies.
According to a study set to be published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, kids prescribed medications for ADHD are twice as likely to be bullied by their peers as those who don’t have the developmental condition.
In a statement, the study team said they were particularly interested students who had been prescribed medication for ADHD, but whose medicine had “diverted” to individuals other than the intended recipient and kids with no diagnosis for ADHD.
“Many youth with ADHD are prescribed stimulant medications to treat their ADHD and we know that these medications are the most frequently shared or sold among adolescents,” said study author Quyen Epstein-Ngo, a licensed clinical psychologist at the University of Michigan.
Of those who were prescribed ADHD medications, 20 percent said they were approached regarding selling or sharing them, and about half of them said they did.
Epstein-Ngo said potential for bullying or increased peer pressure should be taken into account when youths are diagnosed with ADHD.
“Having a diagnosis of ADHD has lifelong consequences,” she said. “These youth aren’t living in isolation. As they transition into adulthood, the social effects of their ADHD diagnosis will impact a broad range of people with whom they come into contact.”
This shouldn’t discourage parents from the medications
The study author emphasized that her team’s findings shouldn’t discourage parents from giving their kids medication.
“For some children stimulant medications are immensely helpful in getting through school,” Epstein-Ngo said. “This study doesn’t say ‘don’t give your child medication.’ It suggests that it’s really important to talk to your children about who they tell.”
The Michigan researcher also said the study should hopefully increase compassion for those kids who are diagnosed with ADHD.
“I think the biggest misconception about ADHD is that these kids aren’t trying hard enough, and that’s just not the case,” she said. “If these kids could do better they would. With the proper support and treatment they can overcome this.”
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