Are Stimulants Overprescribed for Children with Behavioral Problems?
Parents who are considering whether to place their child on Ritalin to treat ADHD symptoms struggle with whether they are doing the right thing. Most parents in this position question whether giving the medication is safe, whether it will be effective, or whether it is simply the “easy way out.” These are all legitimate concerns. The amount of Ritalin that is produced in this country has increased by 500% in the last five years. Most is being used to treat symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and the vast majority is given to 5-12 year-old boys. It is important to ask why young boys are being seen so frequently as behavior problems. One response is that the new diagnostic criteria for ADHD have been widely publicized and have greatly broadened the pool of children who might qualify for the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Another explanation for why so many more children have been identified and treated for ADHD is that more is asked of childr
Related Questions
- Does Children’s Effortful Control Moderate the Relation between Family Environment and Children’s Behavioral Problems?
- WHAT DO TEACHERS DO WHEN THEY HAVE PRESCHOOL AGE CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS?
- how well do parents concerns identify children with behavioral and emotional problems?
