>ADD is real. It has an impact on people's lives that prevents them from fulfilling their potential. Rather than declaring ritalin and other drugs bad across the board, let's focus on getting good diagnostic guidelines so that those who will benefit get the drug and those who simply need some discipline get that.
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>Let's also point out that one disruptive student in a classroom can mean that a class full of kids lose out.
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>Tamar

Tamar,

I haven't read the whole thread, but yours seems to be the only voice of reason participating.

ADD and ADHD are both real problems for those (both children and adults) who suffer from them.

I've spent a few years volunteering to help elementary school teachers in the classroom and I have and still do tutoring for that age group. I've seen children that suffer from ADHD, that can't sit still, continually doing distracting things. I've seen kids that have ADD, that can NOT concentrate. They get off in their own little world and don't hear a thing the teacher says, until she notices and gets his attention.

I feel sorry for the teacher, whose job it is to teach all the children in a 20-30 pupil class. It can't be done. These kids can be helped with one on one, rather than one of twenty. But, who's going to provide the individual help they need?

I'm not crazy about the Ritalin or Adderal, mainly because of the side effects. I also read, this morning on one of the News sites, that Ritalin is suspected of causing Cancer in children.

Just wish there were enough volunteers around to help all the kids that need help.