I firmly believe that (providing we're invested and emotionally connected parents) we all make the best decisions for our own kids, based on our knowledge of said kids combined with our own self awareness and past experiences.
The best thing parents can do for our children in cases like these is listen to the child and follow our own inner voice. There will always be critics and naysayers no matter what you decide.
Though I agree with most of what you've written on this thread, I have to disagree here. I haven't always made the best decisions regarding my kids. I make mistakes. Everyone does. And I think that being a parent who loves her kids and is invested in them doesn't mean that all my decisions are above reproach.
I agree that there will always be critics and naysayers, which is why I try to find evidence to support my decisions rather than relying only on an inner voice (which is often emotional rather than rational). If someone criticizes one of my actions and has reasonable evidence (rather than emotion), I try to listen. I have to overcome my initial negative feelings, but if the person is making reasonable points, I overcome them and listen.
Drugs that affect brain chemistry can be dangerous, especially to a developing mind
. Here's a review about amphetamines. It's got plenty to say about neurotoxicity and also notes that questions about it haven't been adequately addressed. While sitting here on hold for a while, I've found that amphetamines damage brains. What I haven't found is a solid body of evidence defining how much, for how long, and in whom. Is it genes? Is it age? Both? Something else? No one knows. IMO, this is a bright light flashing BE CAREFUL in very big letters.
I'm not commenting on individual cases here because I don't know anything about the kids who've been discussed in this thread.
What I am saying is that US society's expectations of children have changed in the last 30 years, and that many changes expect too much of kids. This includes the lunacy of reduced recess and over-emphasis on standardized tests. IMO (and I'm far from alone here), it's far more likely that we're pathologizing normal childhood development rather than facing a sudden epidemic of ADHD.
