Step Up Anderson Township released a podcast episode exploring why children with ADHD face a higher risk of substance use and what parents can do about it.

Episode 34 of "Step Up to Save Our Children," published Monday, Sept. 7, features host Denise Mayer, founder of Step Up Anderson Township and a 53-year Anderson Township resident, in conversation with Pat Aussem, vice president of consumer clinical content development at Partnership to End Addiction.

Aussem described ADHD as a brain-based difference affecting attention, impulsivity and decision-making rather than a parenting failure. The episode explains that the brain's "pause button" for impulse control can be harder for children with ADHD to access, which may raise their risk for substance use.

The episode's key points include that early treatment can be protective, that medication is one tool among several and that building a team of providers around a child matters. The conversation also covers medication side effects, provider oversight and how to talk with children about a diagnosis without leaning on labels. The episode references the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) approach as a resource for families.

Episodes are available on YouTube and Spotify.