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The problem is that for some folks (such as will soon be crowding this thread), ADD is primarily an ideological issue. As such, its reality must be denied or minimized.

Sad.

Kinda as if they were ideologically opposed to recognizing the existance of breast cancer, or clinical depression, or whatever else.

I can tell you this, I am hugely and positively effected by ritalin, although I may be going over to another compound shortly. People who have been around me immediately notice a great improvement in my concentration and ability to comprehend verbal instructions when I have been properly medicated. An ADD diagnosis has improved my life beyond measure.

If the naysayers cannot ideologically handle it, joke 'em if they cannot take a f___.

Laz,
I used to be like others here and then I saw what meds, once the right combo was found, did for my children's cousin. She is a completely different child for the better and believe me if any child had the kind of support and nurture to do better on behavioral restraints alone, it was this child.
I've also seen similar behavior to what those with ADHD go through with my mildly autistic son. He is not medicated currenlty, but like I noted a post or two up, I have considered it to deal with rages that are completely uncontrollable. The naysayers would do well also to recognize that some of us have other children who we can compare these children next too. Why would they think we had issues with discipline when our other 2 kids are just wonderful in behavioral areas? Until I dealt with my own child who can be impulsive to a dangerous level, hyper, non communicative, and out of control when angry, I never knew what it was like to deal with a child who is absolutely non-responsive to discipline. My son doesn't talk and this just adds to his raging and impulsiveness.
These conditions do exist. I do believe things like ADD are overdiagnosed, but certainly there are children who can not even be responsive to behavioral cues until their hormones or whatever are brought into right order.