A mother claims her daughter’s drawings went “absolutely crazy” after she started taking ADHD medication.
Harlie, a musician from Tennessee, said her nine-year-old daughter started drawing and painting two years ago to improve her “rough” handwriting and motor skills.
But this year, after four days of taking a low dose of the ADHD medication Vyvanse, her daughter’s drawing skills improved dramatically.
While drawing basic doodles and shapes just days before, Harlie’s daughter now draws portraits of her favorite anime characters with astonishing delicacy.
Harlie also noticed that her daughter’s handwriting has become “very clear” and her spelling has improved.
In a recent TikTok video with 1.1 million views, Harlie said, “My jaw dropped. This is like a switch has been flipped in your brain. You don’t just go from that to this. Is this normal?
Although Harlie was confused by the sudden change, experts note that the elementary school girl’s art may have improved due to increased concentration and attention from medication.
Harlie (pictured), a musician from Tennessee, said in a TikTok video that her nine-year-old daughter started drawing “absolutely crazy” drawings after starting taking ADHD medication.
On the left is a drawing Harlie’s daughter made right after starting Vyvanse for ADHD. On the right is another drawing made two days later.
Dr. Allycin Powell-Hicks, a clinical psychologist who goes by Dr. Ally on social media, sewing Harlie’s video and said, “It’s focus and attention.”
He said that for many ADHD patients, the parts of the brain responsible for concentration and motor function are inactive.
The medications then increase levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, which transmit messages between brain cells to improve concentration.
Dr Ally said: “The medication acts to create more activity in these areas, so now these areas can do what they need to do.”
Danielle Dumont, an art therapist in Florida, commented on Harlie’s video: “It seems like his drawings seem more organized because his brain is able to focus.”
A review in the magazine. Research in developmental disabilities found that half of children with ADHD who have impaired motor skills show improvement with medication.
AND another study showed that children with ADHD were quicker when drawing and writing.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects concentration, impulse control, and energy levels.
The image on the left shows the typical art Harlie’s daughter would draw before starting ADHD medication. The image on the right is one drawn a few days after starting the medications.
Harlie also said her daughter’s handwriting has improved. The image on the left shows his handwriting before he started taking ADHD medication and the image on the right is four days later.
The CDC estimates that one in 10 children in the U.S. has been diagnosed with ADHD, amounting to about 7 million, according to the latest data available.
Vyvanse, the cerebral name for lisdexamfetamine, is one of the most common stimulants prescribed for ADHD.
Harlie said her daughter takes 10 milligrams, the lowest dose available.
Other social media users with ADHD said they had similar improvements after starting the medication.
On Reddit, a user He said they went from a more hurried, scribbled style to neatly drawing lines.
AND other They said they were able to focus more on details like shading once they were medicated.