A recent New York Times story suggests that parents and doctors of poor children are pushing for the kids to be prescribed drugs for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when the kids have not been diagnosed with the disorder. The reason is that these drugs, which are stimulants, can improve school performance. This, they say, is particularly helpful for kids attending schools that may not have the resources to provide extra supports a kid may need. A doctor who supports this approach asserts that many families cannot afford behavior-based therapies like tutoring and family counseling, and that taking these drugs, which state Medicaid programs typically cover, provide the same benefit.
This idea has its detractors. Some doctors are fearful of the drugs’ side effects, including the possibility of psychotic episodes. They also have longer-term concerns: dependency and the drugs’ effect on a child’s developing brain.
