[Conservativegreatgrandma]

I have a friend whose child has been put through ____. To show they don't know what they're doing, one time it's ADD, the next time it's ADHD. This poor kid has had more alphabet soup diagnoses than I can count. His growth is stunted and he seems to be doing better now. They may have taken him off some of the drugs. That's not easily done. These drugs can have severe withdrawal problems.

My mom is hopelessly addicted to them. I am very close to being anti-drug. There has to be a better way. Try fish oil. Try anything.

[drhogan]

kids shouldn't be put on any drugs unless it's necessary. if behavior problems can be handled without drugs, it's usually better to do it that way. a lot of drugs have unwanted side effects, at least in some people. however, some kids will need medications.

the diagnosis of ADD has been replaced by ADHD--it's a terminological change, not a change in an actual diagnosis in an individual. (it had other names prior to ADD.)
however, it is not always easy to distinguish ADHD from bipolar disorder (or other disorders), so changes in diagnosis are often made. diagnosis in psychiatry is not easy. psychiatrists do their best, but a lot of disorders have overlapping symptoms, and the "same" disorder may also show up with very different symptoms.
(i'm not a psychiatrist, i'm not an MD, and i can't prescribe drugs, by the way.)