ADHD in the News 2026-04-23
Lawmaker presses RFK Jr. on comments on ‘re-parenting’ Black kids
During a contentious exchange with Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) during a House hearing on Thursday, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denied making previous comments suggesting Black children on certain ADHD and other medications should be "re-parented." CNN's Jacqueline Howard reports.
Inspirational success stories are great but is ADHD really a superpower for elite athletes?
Researchers say mainstream framing of the condition as a characteristic for success can be invalidating for those who are struggling
Influencers Are Spinning Nicotine as a ‘Natural’ Health Hack
The influencers, many of them aligned with the Make America Healthy Again Movement, say the medical establishment has unfairly demonized the compound.
ADHD and chronic pain, an overlooked connection
ADHD-related traits may intensify chronic pain through anxiety and negative thinking
He maps brains of children and teens with ADHD
Although Nicholas Fogleman has no personal connection to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, he reflects on how deeply ADHD impacted many of the students he taught in a sixth grade science class as part of Teach for America. “It’s the most common childhood condition,” he explains. “I felt I could help the most people by studying it.” Today, as a faculty member in the UNC School of Medicine, Fogleman serves as a co-investigator on the BrainMap study, which examines how adolescent brains develop and focuses on the differences between youth with and without ADHD. He also directs the UNC ADHD Program, offering evaluations, therapy, medication management and parent training to families.
Let’s Ask Brains What ADHD Looks Like
Key points: The current diagnostic standards for ADHD symptoms is comprised of a single list of 18 symptoms. Some studies of adults with ADHD have examined research-based symptoms specific to adults. An innovative brain mapping study used brain scan analyses of children with ADHD to identify ADHD biotypes.
ADHD in women: Breaking the stereotypes
Why does it take longer for women to receive an ADHD diagnosis? How does ADHD present in girls and women, and has the research been keeping up with the complex realities of this developmental condition? Prof. Davida Hartman, Chartered Educational and Child Psychologist with the Psychological Society of Ireland, joins us In Conversation to answer these questions
Researchers identify ADHD and social traits in preschoolers with heart defects
Congenital heart disease (CHD) which is a problem with how the heart forms before birth -- occurs in approximately 1 % of newborns. It has previously been shown that school-age children, adolescents, and young adults with CHD are more likely to display traits of autism. Now, a team of researchers in the UK has shown that preschool children with CHD are also at risk of developing behavioral problems. They published their results in Frontiers in Pediatrics.
Parents of Kids With Neurodevelopmental Disorders May Face Greater Heart Risk
Key Takeaways: Parents of kids with neurodevelopmental disorders were more likely to be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. The hazard ratio was 1.27 for mothers and 1.20 for fathers. Risk rose with the number of affected children, and tended to be higher if offspring had comorbid health conditions.
6 Ways ADHD Can Hide Autism
Key points: ADHD's traits can leave autistic traits misattributed or missed, a process of diagnostic overshadowing. Social struggles, sensory needs, and emotional responses to change can be misread through an ADHD-only lens. Seeing both conditions clearly isn't about collecting labels, it's about having the right lens.
Children with ADHD report applying less effort on cognitive tasks compared to their peers
A recent study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders suggests that children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder perceive their own effort on cognitive tasks differently than their neurotypical peers. Specifically, children with the condition report trying less hard across a variety of brain-teasing activities, even though they do not rate the activities as any more difficult. This provides evidence that self-reported effort could offer useful insights into the daily challenges faced by children with the disorder.
Mental health during the pandemic in children and young people with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions
Researchers from the CAMHS Digital Lab, part of the King’s Maudsley Partnership at King’s College London and South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust have been studying the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children and young people with pre-existing mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. In particular looking at those who struggled with difficulties before the pandemic – over time. In this blog PhD Candidate Brian Ching describes the findings of a recently published study exploring this.
Open-Label Extension Trial Supports Long-Term Use of Viloxazine ER in Children and Adolescents
Viloxazine ER (viloxazine extended-release capsules) is a selective norepinephrine transporter inhibitor and non-stimulant that is FDA-approved for the treatment of pediatric (≥6 years of age) and adult ADHD.1 A phase 3 open-label extension (OLE) trial evaluated the long-term safety (primary endpoint) and efficacy (secondary endpoint) of viloxazine ER for children (aged 6-11 years) and adolescents (aged 12-18 years) with ADHD.2
Vaping may raise cognitive impairment risk in young adults, study finds
A Thailand-based study found that young adults who used e-cigarettes were far more likely to screen as at risk for cognitive impairment, adding fresh concern to the debate over whether vaping is really a safer alternative.
ADHD treatment despite a history of psychosis: Research finds no increased risk of relapse
People with a history of psychosis often also have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, treating this condition presents doctors with a clinical dilemma: Psychostimulants are considered effective for ADHD, but are suspected of increasing the risk of psychotic episodes. A new international study provides new insights on this topic.