[Trampled by Lambs]

Scary indeed.

In about 3rd grade, my son's teacher decided my son was ADD and suggested we see a Dr. Sure enough, Doc prescribed Ritalin.

Not liking the way it seemed to turn my normally bright son into something zombie-like, I tried one of the pills myself.

I got a speed buzz similar to what I used to get when we took cross-top speed back in the 70's.

I immediately took him off it. I refused to give my 8 year old speed. I told the Doc and teacher that very thing.. though I was not threatened with child abuse charges, they were none too pleased with my decision.

Happily, my son, now 18, is attending his HS graduation this Friday, all without the help of Dr. prescribed speed.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

I think it's now illegal in many states, if not all, for a teacher to suggest to a parent that their child needs ritalin. Public schools receive MORE FUNDING when they have "special needs" students enrolled, and taking ritalin automatically makes a child "special needs". They have a vested interest in having your child take ritalin.

We have a daughter who was in counseling for issues she had resulting from neglect and being placed in an orphanage when she was a very young child. After her adoption by my husband and myself in 1997 we found a counselor for her, and the counselor wanted to send her to a dr to prescribe something to "take the edge off." That's the operative phrase these days, "take the edge off."

She's doing great now, without anything to take the edge off.

[ClearCase_guy]

I remember the old ads: "SPEED KILLS" and they'd show some teen impaled on some enormous hypodermic.

The update: "SPEED KILLS -- unless you are a child. Then you can take it. It's good for you!"

[steve86]

Not liking the way it seemed to turn my normally bright son into something zombie-like, I tried one of the pills myself.

Ritalin has a paradoxical effect in kids (It is a stimulant to adults, but usually has the opposite effect in kids). You proved the theory.

Glad things worked out.

[SauronOfMordor]

Three years ago, the school wanted my middle daughter Ritalinized for some cranky behavior she exhibited during the school day. I decided to take her out and homeschool instead.

After taking her out, I discovered she was hypoglycemic, and my wife was giving her lots of carbs for breakfast. Her blood sugar was spiking, then crashing, which triggered disruptive behavior (getting upset and crying hysterically whenever any little thing set her off). Put her on high-protein breakfast (cheese, meat, eggs, etc) and the problems went away

I wonder how much of the problems in the schools are from kids getting sent off loaded with sugar?