I've known several kids who I believed at the time needed these drugs. The improvement in their self-control resulted in happier and mentally healthier children because it allowed them to develop healthy relationships with other children; something that had been missing from their lives.

It might be relevant that all of the children were boys, and all of them were missing fathers in their lives or the parents were going through a break-up.

I have a feeling there are a small number of children who benefit from these or other similar drugs. Kids whose parents have tried everything else and who still suffer. I think the problem is the safety of the drugs, how often the drugs are prescribed, and clearly who's involved in that decision.

This is another example of why we need to establish basic family rights on all levels of government.]]>

What no one seems to realize is that the boys are just acting out the "playing the victim" role, which they see works for girls and women, though they haven't yet really learned it doesn't work for males, that drawing attention to themselves brings disapprobation not sympathy.

I am surprised that out of all the super-high IQ types who've made it through med school and gotten an MD, that only a few have stepped back and questioned the 'discovery' in vast numbers of these 'behavioral diseases' which were unknown two generations ago.]]>

Thanks for reminding us of the horor of what we are doing to our children. For years n ow close to one million American school children are on Ritalin, about 80% of whom are boys. The biggest sin of the boys is that they are not behaving like girls. We are neutering them at an early age.

Also, after sixth grade its time to separate the sexes. The thinking of males and females is decidedly different, also the sexual tension demands release.]]>

As far as education, there is no need for separation of the genders, and actually some reasons to avoid separation. What must be discarded is the notion of result-based equality, which sadly has become the norm. Both male and female can work together fine and reach their optimum, so long as expectations are not prescribed. Incentives aimed at gender-balanced outcome are the real problem, not physical proximity. When there is some natural progression and differentiation, where some males definitely get a stronger handle on the hard sciences, that they must be allowed to do so -- the same as some female can. But as we well know, in today's academic environment the male must do himself what some females might do with special assistance. This modern feminist approach is not just an insult to science, but to both genders, including the female scientists.]]>

Parent: Okay. I will tell you what I will do. I will tell him that if he pays attention, he will get better grades. If he gets better grades I will not ground him. If he does not get better grades, he will be grounded for an entire semester so he can concentrate on his schoolwork and get better grades. And when he grows up, the need for a paycheck will certainly improve his attention to any task an employer might hire him for.

Teacher/Social Worker/Other Buttinsky Drawing Paycheck From Taxpayers: You are so misguided. How can you be so judgmental! It is a psychological disorder that is best treated by psychoactive drugs that can have an even more powerful affect on the brain chemistry than crack cocaine, but for good purposes! It will improve his concentration in class, we have seen it in many cases!

Parent: What you've seen are kids sitting still in class because they are drugged. Those who are that way without the Ritalin and the other prescription poisons are probably smoking marijuana. It is not the same as being properly motivated. The lack of motivation and interest in the subject matter is the real source of the problem you call "attention deficit disorder".

That folks, is it in a nutshell. I am baffled that millions of parents put up with this shit. It would help if the court system did not destroy so many fathers and reward so many irrational mothers. This crap does not seem to happen to or be tolerated by intact families with undestroyed fathers.]]>