Ann Marie Rivera On (22 Jan 97) was overheard to say to Gwenna Bowers
 AM> Well first off, I just want to say hello,
 Hello back to you..
 AM> etc etc.  Well, my son went through psychiatric evaluation through a
 AM> school psyciatrist, and was also subjected to a multitude of other
 AM> tests by the school counselors...there conclusion...He is ADHD with no
 AM> doubt in mind, he has a very high I.Q., and no learning disability.
 AM> There recommendation, is Ritilin. Well, my son's doctor explained to
 AM> me that he does not believe in quick fixes...
 If you disagree with the evaluation of the school affiliated
 psychiatrist (I'd make sure it is a psychiatrist and not a Master's
 Degree psychologist) but still have a nagging belief that there is
 something not quite right I'd urge you to seek another opinion from
 someone that would not have any interest other than providing a
 medical service to your son.  Your son's doc, a pediatrician, may or
 may not have any training or experience in identifying ADD/ADHD or
 current treatment modalities.  He is correct in saying there are no
 quick fixes...there are, in fact no "fixes" for ADD/ADHD, they are
 life long.
 AM> but would like to pursue behavior mod.
 Behavior modification has a real place in an over all treatment plan
 for ADD/ADHD but it will not, does not, can not address the underlying
 problem any more than B-Mod will "fix" diabetes or a seizure disorder.
 B-Mod also has a place in the overall treatment of both of those.
 AM> I agree totally...I don't want to see my son who is a basically
 AM> very happy child and a definate comedian on a mind altering drug
 MPH (Methylphenidate) - brand name ritalin is not a "mind altering"
 drug.
 AM> Even then I am a skeptic...I have heard so much and read so much
 AM> negative comments about these "wonder pills" for children.
 It is good to be skeptical of anything you don't really know a lot
 about, especially when it comes to your child.  The hearsay and
 negative comments you refer to are generally made by those with an
 agenda of their own that has no relationship to the welfare of
 children.  Ritalin has been available and in use for 30 years or
 longer.  It has been tested and retested innumerable times.  There
 are reams of anecdotal (not scientific) data from parents, older
 children and adults who have taken this med and received tremendous
 benefit from it.  On the other side of that are those that the med
 was not effective in.  That's not surprising or unusual, not all meds
 work the same way for everyone nor is any given med (ritalin in this
 instance) effective for everyone.
 AM> It seems the only thing they want to hear is, Ok I will
 AM> put him/her on medication to please you...what about the kids, the
 AM> parents? Don't we have a say?
 Teachers see A LOT of children.  They are able to recognize when a
 child is having attentional problems or unusual difficulty in school.
 The good ones report this to parents in terms that do not suggest the
 child "needs" to be medicated.  Teachers, again the good ones, know
 better than to tell a parent "your child is ADD or ADHD and needs
 medication X".  As a parent it is up to you to take the information
 they provide, compare it with your own observations of the child at
 home, in other settings, interactions your child has with other
 children, and decide to seek a professional evaluation.  If you go
 in only looking for an ADD/ADHD diagnosis or a diagnosis that the
 child is NOT ADD/ADHD you are doing your child a disservice.  It may
 very well NOT be either of those, but you know there is something not
 quite right.  A complete, and I mean COMPLETE physical exam, not the
 5 minute listen to heart, lungs, look in ears kind of thing, should
 reveal any physical problems that could easily be showing up as
 ADD/ADHD types of behaviors.  The kid could have a vision or hearing
 problem, could be allergic to something.  There are a LOT of things
 that need to be looked at before arriving at "he is" or "he is not"
 ADHD/ADD.
 AM> One other thought that I have had a lot is, what happened back
 AM> in the days of our parents, and grandparents, I'm sure there was ADD
 AM> and ADHD etc...how did they deal with the children back then?  There
 AM> was no "miracle pills" then...How did they get them to pay attention. 
 Those were the "lazy, unmotivated, disrespectful, disobedient,
 doesn't work to potential, disruptive, drops-out" kind of kids.  You
 probably knew a couple when you were in school, and they didn't "pay
 attention".
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