If your child is on medication for ADHD, you may have heard of a medication vacation or a drug holiday. In short, it means taking a break from their usual medication — for a few days, weeks, or even months. It sounds simple enough, but deciding whether it’s right for your child is a different story.

On this episode of Parenting Behavior, host Dr. Andy Kahn talks with Dr. Liz Harstad, a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital, to get the scoop.  

Related resources

• All about ADHD medication
• The difference between stimulant and non-stimulant medication for ADHD
• A history of ADHD medication

Timestamps

(1:30 ) Why would someone take a “drug holiday”?  

(2:29 ) How has thinking evolved over time?

(3:42 ) What are the impacts of a break?

For a transcript and more resources, visit the Parenting Behavior page on Understood.org.

We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at ParentingBehavior@understood.org.

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

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