Child psychiatrist discusses concerns of over-prescribing ADHD medications
WASHINGTON (7News) — 7News is on your side looking out for your kids. Recently, the DEA warned that ADHD over-prescription could be as bad as the opioid crisis, with 41 million users.
So much so, the FDA announced a shortage of Adderall in October.
7News' Adrianna Hopkins asked a child psychiatrist, Dr. Gabrina Dixon, about the cause of this.
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She said there's a shortage of child psychiatrists trained in properly diagnosing ADHD, so other professionals who may not have the expertise are relying on medication to "fix" the problem.
If you can't find a trained expert in ADHD, Dr. Dixon says to rely on telemedicine.
"One thing that has been good with the pandemic is telehealth medicine. One thing that's happening is child psychiatrists are getting licensed in different states to practice in those states where there are deserts of child psychiatrists," she said.
She says if you're concerned about your child and ADHD, start with your pediatrician.
