Why ADHD Kids Struggle with Reading and Writing

More from The ADHD Parenting Podcast

1. 

   E59 · 10 Jun 2026 · 18 min

   ADHD Medication: What Parents Need to Know | Part 1

   Ryan & Mike take on ADHD kids' medication based on research and doctors, not social media. They cover untreated ADHD risks, debunk the psychiatrist myth, and put decisions with parents and prescribers. Find Mike @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.grownowadhd.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find Ryan @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.adhddude.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ {{chapters}} [00:00:00] Start [00:01:05] Why Parents Get Confused About Medication [00:03:40] The Risks of Untreated ADHD [00:06:46] Where Medication Misinformation Comes From [00:10:15] Do You Really Need a Child Psychiatrist? [00:13:34] Who Makes the Medication Decision Citations…

2. 

   E58 · 27 May 2026 · 19 min

   Debunking Four ADHD Parenting Myths

   Ryan and Mike take on four of the loudest myths in Facebook ADHD parenting groups: pharmacogenetic ("cheek swab") testing for medication selection, the idea that every ADHD child needs one-to-one talk therapy, the "everything is sensory" framing, and rejection sensitive dysphoria as a discrete diagnosis. For each one, they walk through what the actual research and clinical practice guidelines support — and what they don't. Find Mike @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.grownowadhd.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ IG⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find Ryan @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.adhddude.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube⁠⁠⁠…

3. 

   E57 · 13 May 2026 · 28 min

   Stop Lowering The Bar. Why High Expectations Are The Most Loving Thing For ADHD Kids

   In this episode of the ADHD Parenting Podcast, hosts Mike and Ryan tackle a provocative but critical topic: why high expectations are the most loving thing you can do for a child with ADHD. They respond to a listener’s experience in which an effective classroom point system—backed by decades of research—was canceled after other parents of children with ADHD complained. Mike and Ryan break down the difference between evidence-based structure and popular social media narratives, explaining why removing consequences and lowering the bar can lead to learned helplessness, prompt dependence, and…

4. 

   E55 · 15 Apr 2026 · 28 min

   ADHD Kids and Consequences – What the Research Says

   In this episode, Ryan and Mike take on one of the most hotly debated topics in the ADHD parenting space: do kids with ADHD actually need consequences? Social media influencers say no — just connection, co-regulation, and emotional validation. Ryan and Mike push back hard with decades of research showing the opposite: ADHD is a disorder of performance, not knowledge, meaning behavior is governed by immediate consequences far more than by understanding or insight, and kids with ADHD need more consequences, not fewer — clearer, more consistent, and delivered in the moment. They also dismantle…

5. 

   E54 · 25 Mar 2026 · 39 min

   Stepping Into Your Parental Authority

   Today's episode is a re-release of Episode 43, because the message is just that important. In this episode of The ADHD Parenting Podcast , hosts Ryan Wexelblatt and Mike McLeod explore what it means to “step into your parental authority.” Drawing from research and clinical experience, they discuss how authoritative parenting—balancing warmth with structure—helps children with ADHD develop self-regulation, emotional safety, and independence. The hosts challenge social media’s rebranding of permissive parenting as “gentle” or “compassionate” and explain why consistency, clear expectations, and…

6. 

   E53 · 11 Mar 2026 · 37 min

   Answering Parents' Questions

   In this episode of the ADHD Parenting Podcast, Mike and Ryan answer several listener questions about common challenges parents face when raising children with ADHD. They discuss why some children struggle to initiate friendships despite wanting them, the role of social anxiety and executive functioning in social behavior, and why screen time can reinforce avoidance of real-world interaction. The hosts also address sibling conflict when children are at different developmental stages, explain why brain scans and “types of ADHD” promoted by certain authors lack scientific support, and offer…

7. 

   E66 · 23 Sep 2026 · 16 min

   Understanding ADHD medications: What Parents Need to Know - Part Two

   ADHD Parenting Podcast – Episode 66: Understanding ADHD Medications: What Parents Need to Know – Part Two Hosts Ryan and Mike continue their two-part deep dive into ADHD medications by walking through the actual medication categories and how they differ. They cover the two stimulant families — methylphenidate-derived (Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, Jornay PM) and amphetamine-derived (Adderall, Vyvanse, Dexedrine) — and explain why a poor response to one class doesn't mean all stimulants will fail. From there they break down alpha agonists like clonidine and guanfacine, non-stimulants including…

8. 

   E65 · 9 Sep 2026 · 27 min

   Understanding ADHD medications: What Parents Need to Know - Part One

   Hosts Ryan and Mike tackle one of the most frequently asked questions from parents: Is ADHD medication safe? In this first installment of a two-part series, they break down what the long-term research actually shows about stimulant medications, address common fears around side effects — including appetite suppression, sleep difficulties, growth concerns, personality changes, tics, and cardiovascular risks — and explain how each is typically monitored and managed by prescribers. They also discuss the medication holiday debate, make the case that medication decisions should be adult-guided…

9. 

   E64 · 26 Aug 2026 · 20 min

   Top Three Tips For A Successful School Year (High School)

   Hosts Ryan and Mike deliver the high school companion to their elementary and middle school back-to-school episode, focusing on the shift parents need to make from managing their teen to consulting. Find Mike @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.grownowadhd.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ IG⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find Ryan @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.adhddude.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ & on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube⁠⁠⁠ {{chapters}} [00:00:00] Start [00:04:26] Tip 1: Stop Rescuing Executive Functions [00:06:43] Tip 2: Set Technology Expectations Now [00:10:00] The Phone You Bought Is Your Problem [00:14:01] Tip 3: Build Independence, Not…

10. 

    E63 · 12 Aug 2026 · 26 min

    Top Three Tips For A Successful School Year (Elementary & Middle School)

    Hosts Ryan and Mike share the three things that will have the biggest impact on an ADHD child's school year — and none of them involve buying supplies. First, they explain why setting clear, specific expectations before school starts (morning routines, homework, electronics, bedtime, after-school activities) prevents the negotiation battles that derail families every fall. Second, they walk through building routines now rather than scrambling once school begins, with particular emphasis on keeping school-issued laptops out from behind closed doors and advocating with the school when…

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