Reply #4: I second that!

[enlightenment]

My kid first started acting out when he started school (5 yo) and was diagnosed, after many visits, tests, and doctors, in the 3rd grade. I rejected any drug therapy for several years, preferring to work with him (and the school) on behavior modification. After I found him kneeling, banging his head on the floor and crying (what are you doing? Make it stop, mom! Stop what, honey? All the stuff coming into my head.) I finally capitulated on the drugs. I'm glad I did because it helped him.

But that went along with intensive study of both the drugs and the condition; intensive, careful, and complete interaction with the psychologists, doctors, counselors, teachers, and administrators throughout his years of school (he is 26 now) - and a commitment to helping him live with ADD (no 'H' for him). Over the years I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge (one article does not an instant expert make), but I would not pretend to know much about it today as research has undoubtedly changed the paradigm.

Still, with all respect to the professions; pediatricians and school counselors are not qualified to make the decision to prescribe (or suggest) these drugs -- or even to diagnose the condition.

Sometimes I think we (as a society) just want to drug our kids into compliance -- quiet, complacent drones.

Pharmaceuticals are neither the only cause nor the only cure for childhood behavioral disorders -- like most things in life, they have great potential to help and an equally great potential to harm. Rejecting them completely is foolish, as is using them without knowledge, care, and caution.