Considering Medication for Your Neurodivergent Child:

When you’re raising a neurodivergent child, the topic of medication often arrives with a swirl of mixed feelings – hope, fear, curiosity, guilt, relief, and everything in between.

At Grow Therapy Services, we see medication as one possible tool in a much bigger support toolbox – never the whole story, never the only option, and never a reflection of your worth as a parent or your child’s worth as a human being.

This blog is an information guide only – not medical advice. Any decisions about medication must be made with a qualified medical professional (e.g. GP, paediatrician, psychiatrist) who knows your child.

What do we mean by “medication” in this context?

For neurodivergent children (for example, children with ADHD, Autism, anxiety, or other co-occurring conditions), medication might be prescribed to support things like:

• Attention, focus and impulsivity (often stimulant or non-stimulant ADHD medications)

• Intense irritability or aggression that is causing safety issues (sometimes antipsychotic medications in autistic children, usually in very specific and severe situations)

• Anxiety, mood, or sleep difficulties (e.g. certain antidepressants or sleep medications – again, only by a doctor with child mental health expertise)

Medication is usually not treating “neurodivergence itself”, but particular challenges that are significantly impacting your child’s daily life, safety, learning or wellbeing.

What does the research say?

ADHD medication: benefits and limits

Large reviews have found that ADHD medications can help many children:

• Improve attention and reduce hyperactivity/impulsivity in the short term

• Support better classroom participation and peer relationships

• Reduce the risk of some long-term difficulties such as accidents or school suspension when used appropriately

At the same time, side effects are common – such as appetite suppression, difficulty sleeping, stomach aches, headaches and, for some children, increased anxiety or emotional ups and downs. Research and clinical guidance emphasise the need for regular monitoring of height, weight, heart rate, blood pressure and mood while a child is on ADHD medication.

Medication in Autism

For autistic children, there is no medication that “treats autism” – but some medications can reduce specific challenges such as severe irritability or aggression. Certain antipsychotic medications have evidence for reducing intense behaviours in autistic children and young people, but they can also carry significant side effects (like weight gain and metabolic changes) and should only be started and monitored by specialists (paediatricians or psychiatrists).

Non-medication supports: strong evidence too

It’s also important to know that non-pharmacological supports have strong evidence, especially for ADHD and related difficulties. Behavioural parent training and other psychosocial interventions can improve behaviour, family relationships and long-term functioning.

In short: medication can be helpful for many children, but it works best when embedded in a broader, supportive, neuroaffirming environment.

The lived experience perspective

From a lived experience lens – as neurodivergent adults, practitioners, and parents – we hear a lot of very real feelings when families are considering medication:

“I’m scared it will change who my child is.”

“I don’t want them to feel like something is wrong with their brain.”

“I’m exhausted. We’ve tried everything and they’re still struggling.”

“My child is asking for help – they want to be able to focus or calm their body.”

Some families describe medication as a “bridge” – it lowers the intensity of challenges enough that the child can access school, therapy, friendships and everyday life more comfortably.

Others find the side effects outweigh the benefits, or that the timing isn’t right, or that non-medication strategies feel more aligned with their child’s needs and values.

Importantly, many neurodivergent adults say:

“I wish people had focused less on ‘fixing my behaviour’ and more on understanding my needs, adapting my environment and supporting my identity.”

Or, “medication, for me, was life changing - I finally felt like I could breathe, concentrate and do all of the things I wanted to do”

So, the question isn’t “medication: yes or no forever?” but rather:

“Given who my child is, what they’re experiencing right now, and the supports around them, does medication have a role – if any – in supporting their wellbeing and participation?”

Consent, assent and shared decision-making

In Australia, guidelines around psychotropic medications emphasise informed consent and shared decision-making.

That means:

1. The benefits, risks, and alternatives must be clearly explained.

2. Consent should be obtained from the child’s parent or guardian – and the child should be involved in the conversation as much as is appropriate for their age and understanding.

For neurodivergent children, this also means:

• Using clear, concrete language (visuals, stories, social scripts, AAC, etc.) to explain what medication is for and what might change.

• Respecting a child’s communication – spoken words, behaviour, body signals – as part of their “yes”, “no” or “I’m not sure yet”.

• Understanding that consent is ongoing, not one-off. Families can review and change decisions if the risks start to outweigh the benefits (or vice versa).

Consent is not just a legal checkbox; it’s a human rights issue. Your child has the right to be listened to, supported, and not pressured into treatments that don’t align with their needs and values.

How medication can support – some real-life scenarios

These are general examples – not recommendations – to help you picture how medication sometimes fits into a bigger support picture.

School participation

A child with ADHD is bright and curious but spends most of the day out of their seat, missing key instructions and feeling constantly “in trouble.” After a carefully monitored trial of medication, they can sit long enough to engage with tasks, hear instructions, and feel less ashamed. They can start their tasks on time, organise their thoughts on to paper. Their teachers can finally see their strengths as well as their challenges.

Emotional intensity & safety

An autistic child experiences sudden, intense emotional storms that lead to self-injury or aggression. Behaviour support, sensory changes and trauma-informed strategies are already in place, but the distress remains very high. Short-term use of a carefully monitored medication, led by a specialist, reduces the intensity enough that the child can access therapy, co-regulation, and communication supports more safely.

Anxiety that blocks daily life

A young person is so anxious that they cannot attend school, therapy or social activities despite graded exposure and strong environmental accommodations. A medication for anxiety, introduced gently and reviewed regularly, can lower the background anxiety enough for existing strategies to start working.

In all of these examples, medication is supportive, not “curative”. It opens doors, but the environment, relationships, and supports still matter deeply.

Alternatives and “medication-plus” strategies

Whether or not medication is used, neurodivergent children benefit from a whole-of-life, whole-of-system support approach. Evidence-based non-medication options include:

1. Behavioural parent and family support

• Parent coaching or behavioural parent training (delivered in a neuroaffirming way)

• Learning to “read” behaviour as communication and unmet needs

• Building predictable routines, visual supports and co-regulation strategies at home

  
  

2. School and learning adjustments

• Flexible seating, movement breaks, shorter instructions, visual schedules

• Reducing sensory overload (noise, lighting, crowding)

• Clear plans for transitions, changes, and assessments

  
  

3. Sensory and regulatory supports

• Occupational therapy with a sensory-processing lens

• Movement and body-based strategies (trampolines, swings, heavy work, water play)

• Access to sensory tools – ear defenders, chewable jewellery, fidgets, weighted items

  
  

4. Communication and identity supports

• Speech pathology or AAC to support communication

• Autistic-led and neurodivergent-led resources that affirm identity

• Safe spaces where the child can connect with peers who “get it”

  
  

5. Mental health and relationship-based therapies

• Child-centred, trauma-informed psychology or developmental therapy

• Play-based and interest-led approaches that respect neurodivergent ways of being

• Support for parents’ mental health and burnout, which directly affects family wellbeing

Many families use a “medication-plus” approach – medication alongside changes to environment, expectations, supports and relationships. Others choose a non-medication pathway, especially when side effects are significant or when they feel the root issue is primarily environmental (e.g. school mismatch, sensory overload, lack of support).

Both paths are valid. The most important thing is that the plan is individualised, reviewed regularly, and feels respectful of your child.

Questions to ask your health team

If you’re considering (or already using) medication, it can help to bring a list of questions to your GP or paediatrician, such as:

1. What specific challenges are we hoping this medication will support?

2. What does the research say about benefits and risks for children like mine?

3. What are the most common side effects? What would be a reason to stop?

4. How will we monitor my child’s health (growth, sleep, appetite, mood, heart rate, blood pressure)? How often?

5. What non-medication strategies should we use alongside this?

6. How will we include my child’s voice in this decision and in ongoing reviews?

7. What is the plan if this medication doesn’t help, or stops helping?

   
   

You are allowed to take your time, ask for written information, seek a second opinion, or say “not right now.”

How Grow Therapy Services can support

At Grow Therapy Services, we don’t prescribe medication – that belongs with your medical team. What we do offer is:

• Neuroaffirming assessment and therapy to understand your child’s profile and needs

• Behaviour and environment support grounded in the GROW™ framework and human rights

• Support to prepare for paediatrician or psychiatrist appointments (e.g. reports, summaries, questions)

• Ongoing collaboration with your medical team so that any medication decisions sit within a broader, child-centred support plan

  
  

If you’re feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or just need a safe place to think this through, you are not alone.

You’re allowed to ask questions.

You’re allowed to change your mind.

You’re allowed to choose the path that best supports your child’s safety, joy, identity and wellbeing.

If you’d like support to explore what this could look like for your family, you’re welcome to reach out to our team at Grow Therapy Services.