Logan Rich (On 07 Mar 98) said this..? to Mark Probert
 MP> How about a little real proof that this is so? Jane could never
 MP> provide  it, just some ramblings she re-posts all the time.
 LR>  A reasonable request, although I have to admit that I'm not certain
 LR> just  what you might consider "proof". A close friend of mine has been
 LR> teaching  "special ed" students for many years in California, and he
 LR> has told me of  numerous kids who are "diagnosed" by a school nurse
 LR> and referred to a local  physician who routinely prescribes Ritalin
 LR> and other such drugs for a wide  variety of symptoms.
 I have no reason to doubt that "a friend" told you this tale.
 However, even in California school nurses do not diagnose "diagnose"
 ADD/ADHD or anything else.  Having had the wonderful experience of
 living in two different areas of California I can't say that I ever
 heard of any MD blindly prescribing any medications based on the
 'diagnosis' of a nurse. I am afraid I'd have to tell your
 "friend" that s/he is, at best, some one with an anti-medication
 agenda or, at worst, simply an ignorant liar.  I note that you also
 put special ed in " ".  Any particular reason why?
 LR> As "evidence", I can tell you that my
 LR> friend pointed out  that over the years it has become increasingly
 LR> common for medication to be  recommended over counseling or more
 LR> traditional types of therapy.
 Something your 'friend' may or may not have pointed out is not
 evidence.  It is merely hearsay.  Now if you had said your friend
 told you that XYZ peer reviewed journal contains an article that
 indicates...etc; that would be 'evidence'.
 LR> Speaking  with a counselor used to be the first thing *anyone*
 LR> suggested, but now it  seems that Ritalin etc is the first thing
 LR> that gets mentioned or discussed.
 Ritalin etc..?? Who, from your knowledge, are those who are now
 mentioning/discussing Ritalin etc as the "first thing"?
 LR> I'm not saying this is true everywhere or all the time,
 It seems to me that you are unable to say with any authority that it
 is true any where at any time.
 LR> but it does seem to  be a trend in public schools at least,
 Your evidence to support this is... what?
 LR> and I suspect in some private ones as well.
 What verifiable information prompts you to draw this conclusion?
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