My daughter is in college and is just now being diagnosed with ADD. She has started on Ritalin and is seeing real benefits to the problems she's been dealing with in college due to the ADD.
In the lower grades, she played a musical instrument, competed very seriously in a sport - and I think the exhaustion she "attained" from sports and music helped her not have issues that needed addressed until now.
On the other hand, my youngest is twice exceptional, and the psychologist who tested him ruled out ADD and ADHD. I have had to argue with more than one teacher who wanted to medicate him so that he wasn't a hassle in the class when he was bored.
There is a difference between needing medication to help a child overcome issues that are preventing learning and the ability to function in his environment and a teacher wanting medication because a highly gifted kid is a pain in classroom.
The medications are not without side-effects, so my daughter opted to try organic options, dietary options, etc. before deciding the medication's benefits were worth the medical risks.
Best wishes - it's a tough decision, often without any real black or white answers.
