They won't eat on the medication and it scares me

What to do right now

They are barely eating during the day. The stimulant suppresses appetite directly. This is not a food preference issue. It is a medication side effect. Track their weight. Talk to the prescriber. High-calorie breakfast before the dose kicks in. Protein-dense snacks after it wears off. Do not pressure them to eat while medicated. They genuinely are not hungry.

What your brain just did

Your body

They are barely eating during school hours. The stimulant directly suppresses appetite signals. They are not choosing to skip meals. The hunger signal is being chemically overridden.

Your brain

Stimulants increase dopamine and norepinephrine, which suppress the appetite centre in the hypothalamus. The child genuinely does not feel hungry while the medication is active. Forcing food during this window creates a negative association with eating.

What this did

Maximise calories outside the medication window. Large breakfast before the dose kicks in. Protein-dense snack when it wears off. Monitor weight with the prescriber. Appetite suppression is the most common stimulant side effect and the most adjustable.

What your child is experiencing

Their body

They are not hungry during the day. The medication is chemically overriding their hunger signal. Being told to eat when they genuinely feel no hunger is confusing and pressuring.

Their brain

The stimulant is suppressing the appetite centre in the hypothalamus. They are not being difficult about food. They genuinely do not feel hungry. Forcing food during this window creates a negative association with eating.

What they need

Do not pressure them to eat while medicated. Large breakfast before the medication kicks in. Protein-dense snack when it wears off. Their body will catch up when the appetite signal returns.