Unfortunately liberal attitudes have infected the practice of medicine. We would like to think that science is above political ideology, but witness global warming and the FDA's food pyramid as examples.
Politics is not just governmental but professional as well. Many rank file physicians are conservative whereas the leadership of the AMA, AAP, etc tend to be liberal.
What explains the recent epidemic of ADD diagnoses, especially in the schools? Not that long ago these cases were rare. I was given Ritalin as a 12 year old child and I am now 52, but I was a rare case back then.
Do you know what the diet was of these kids you refer to? Could sugar and starch be a factor? Is ADD merely the hyperactive phase of continuing high blood sugar levels leading to hypoglycemia and diabeties, which are also epidemic?
I don't know it all, but I can guarentee you the medical community doesn't know it all and the school nurses and counselors don't know it all.
Personally, I think diet has a lot to do with a lot of ADHD problems. As I just wrote in a freepmail to someone else on here, my son would space out and become very distracted. I already knew if he were ADHD I was not medicating him, since it was minor. Yet, it was enough that it was noticeable. We changed his diet. Less carbs and sugars. More protein. His behavior changed overnight. I can tell when he has been sneaking into things he shouldn't (a little bit is okay, but a lot and he is "out there".)