Health

Pitt School of Medicine ADHD study finds childhood prescriptions not linked to substance abuse

July 12, 2023 / 4:21 AM EDT / CBS Pittsburgh

Pitt study looks into ADHD, medication, and children

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - For children with ADHD, medication is often the first line of treatment.

However, some families may be hesitant to use those prescription stimulants out of fear they could lay the groundwork for future substance use.

That said, a new study could alleviate those concerns.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine tracked nearly 600 patients over a 16-year period and found that childhood use of prescription stimulants was not linked to harmful substance use or substance use disorders as those patients became teenagers or young adults.

You can read the entire study in full at this link.

Patrick Damp

Patrick Damp is a web producer for CBS Pittsburgh. A Pittsburgh native who grew up watching KDKA-TV, Patrick studied journalism at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. After half a decade in sports communication, Patrick decided to pursue his dream of working in journalism in his hometown and joined the CBS Pittsburgh team in 2019.