Are stimulants overprescribed for children?
Results from a seminal study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in April 1998 showed that while there may be some individual cases of stimulants being prescribed for children who haven’t been thoroughly evaluated, generally no evidence exists that the medication is overprescribed. It is more likely that increased rates of stimulant prescription are a result of children being identified and brought in for treatment. Parents need to be wary of the poor practice of some pediatricians who may use stimulants as a method of diagnosis. That is, if hyperactive behaviors do not diminish when on Ritalin, for example, that per sea the child does not have ADHD. This may be incorrect, and it is poor, albeit somewhat common practice.
