The Adderall shortage during the pandemic may have caused children to switch to alternative medicines for ADHD. That’s according to a new study from the University of Michigan.
The study, to be published in Pediatrics, shows the shortage began because of surging demand for Adderall in adults.
Senior study author at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Dr. Kao-Ping Chua, says the rate of dispensing to male adolescents in 2023 was 19% less than before the pandemic.
“I suspect that the transition to virtual schooling played a role because school staff are often the individuals who notice ADHD symptoms among male teenagers,” Chua said.
However, the rate of stimulant dispensing was 9% higher in girls ages 5 to 11.
