Annie Artiga Garner feels a pit in her stomach every time a teacher approaches at school to pick up her twin 9-year-old boys, both in fourth grade and both diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

These twins, like 62% of other children with ADHD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are on medication to treat ADHD symptoms. These medications are intended to treat certain symptoms of ADHD. Hyperactivity, lack of focus, impulsiveness, and executive dysfunction are all symptoms of ADHD.

These boys, despite being drugged, still faced some difficulties in school. This was especially true as they and the rest of their class adjusted to a normal life following the pandemics that ravaged the world over the last few years.

Garner, a professor and psychologist at St. Louis University, described his family as "really stressed."

Garner's children went without stimulants for three days in March because of a nationwide shortage. Adderall was the first brand to be affected by this shortage, which began in the fall of last year. Now it includes other brands. Garner was concerned about sending her sons to school without their medication. She had emailed teachers, the school counselor, and the school therapist ahead of time.

Garner said, "I was worried that I would receive negative feedback regarding minor ADHD behaviors while they were taking medication." It was impossible for me to predict what would happen if the person stopped taking their medication.

ADHD medication shortages can be problematic for both children and adults who rely on prescriptions. Parents shared stories about making frantic calls to pharmacies in an attempt to locate the medication they needed. Parents also discussed limiting their dosages on weekends so they could save them for the school day.

Aditya Pawar, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Kennedy Krieger Institute of Baltimore, is Aditya Singh. He said, "I see children and teenagers struggling." "Unfortunately, parents who already do their best to support their children with ADHD and advocate for them must endure such uncertainty in treatment."

ADHD can be treated with stimulants that act slowly or quickly. These are controlled substances that can be abused. They are controlled substances, so they're regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The federal government regulates drug ingredients, quantities, and the amount that pharmacies can keep in stock. The $26 billion opioid settlement, which will be finalized in 2022, also affected the availability of ADHD drugs as they were caught up in broader restrictions on controlled substances.

Pawar said that the manufacturers have claimed they don't have a supply chain problem, and the FDA and DEA both agree. DEA decided that despite the increase in demand, there was no need to raise the quota. He said: "Yet, I remember the parent who scrambled for the last few tablets of stimulant tablets that the pharmacy left for their child, and many other scrambling to search out alternatives, if there were any."

According to the Bethesda-based American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), there are currently more than 40 types of methylphenidate medication in short supply. Ritalin and Concerta are all methylphenidate.

Adderall, a combination of amphetamine salts prescribed to treat ADHD, is also in short supply. The FDA reported that Adderall was in short supply in October. The FDA attributed the shortages to delays in manufacturing.

Pawar said that stimulants are highly effective medicines with convincing evidence to support their use.

The right medication and therapy can help reduce stress for parents and caregivers. It also helps children learn new skills and improve their behavior and interpersonal relationships.

Peter J. Smith, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Chicago Medical Center, He believes that parents should consider more than one strategy to treat ADHD.

Smith said that parents should increase the amount of "very thoughtful and planned exercise" their children do. If they are stressed, they should exercise for 20–30 minutes prior to school and 60–90 minutes after.

He suggested a visual schedule to help children improve their executive function. The child will be able to see what time it is and what he or she has to do.

He suggested that parents also discuss with their children what will happen if their child is unable to take their medication. He suggested asking them what their main concerns are and how their lives are going. We can make them feel worried about things they aren't experiencing and ignore their own. This is something we must be conscious of. It's also important to communicate with your team at school.

Garner has been talking to her kids about ADHD and their medication for many years.

Garner suggests that parents speak to their children when they feel high-energy or have difficulty thinking before acting.

She said that children of elementary age could be taught how to advocate for themselves when they need movement or meditation breaks. Teachers can use this method if they know the gaps in the child's medication coverage. The teacher can provide breaks at the request of the child or encourage them to take one.

She stated that her children did well on days when they did not take their medication. She is glad that she talked to the school team.

She stated, "I wanted to make sure that their teachers understood the context and what was expected so they didn't make assumptions regarding kids' motivations." If I am completely honest, I sent the email in order to avoid receiving more negative feedback.