Quite an Article in the New York Times re: ADD

http://nyti.ms/QaNRSx

This article pretty much comes to all the same conclusions that Ron Schneebaum and I tried to convey when we used to  give talks and counseling against the overuse of drugs to treat ADD and actually the falsehood that it was an actual diagnosis. We also saw clearly that the more affluent parents at the time were actively pushing for the drugs to give their kids and edge grade-wise. Now that the poorer kids parents have caught on to the game, it sounds like the overuse is even more widespread.

What makes me especially sad is that the solution to the 'problem' isn't better school, more creativity in education, more support for parents, more exercise and creativity for the children. It is "Well, we might as well give them the drugs." It seems like a cop out by the adults in the world. I know there are a lot of problems and a lot of kids are messed up. But, I still think that as a nation that wishes to be the best, we should give our children the best of everything that we possibly can. That does not mean to me either "Well, the schools suck, we'll lay off more teachers and cut the arts and the physical education, recess, music and give the kids drugs to help them perform better."

My daughter has homeless kid(s) in the class in Portland, Oregon that she teaches. Pretty hard for that child to get good grades. Maybe some Ritalin would help her. I am being sarcastic, but I think we need to do the right thing for our children. great schools, good homes, good healthy food. We might spend our money far better than giving them Class 11 drugs starting at age 2!

This makes me sad. It makes me sad when the parents of very well to do kids in very good schools petition for 'speed' to get their kids an edge on the college game. We read today about anxiety disorders , and other stress related problems among the high performing kids. Take a little Ritalin and see what it does to your sleep, your appetite, your stress. It is pretty predictable.

Among all the other sad outcomes of this situation is the dependence on drugs to fix everything. Just not right in my playbook.