i am a big believer in two sides to every story and also believe that as Humans we have the right to exercise our freedom of speech and thus i have stayed awake all night to get the other side of the story....The facts for the other side of this debate....

If you are blessed enough to have a child that doesnt need to be medicated i am happy for you but alas some of us don't have that luxury..... this is our story.....

Wilma Fellman, M.Ed., LPC states  "The existence of ADHD is not debatable. It is a neurobiological disorder supported by widely acknowledged research.  experts, such as Dr. Russell Barkley, Dr. Sam Goldstein, and others have consistently identified a group of individuals who have pervasive and chronic trouble with concentration, impulse control, and in some cases, hyperactivity. ADHD has been recognized by the courts, the United States Department of Education, the Office for Civil Rights, the United States Congress, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Drug Administration and all major professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, and educational associations

Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is a medically prescribed stimulant drug that is chemically different from Coc . . . ne in significant ways. The therapeutic use of methylphenidate does NOT lead to addiction. Individuals  who are properly treated with stimulant medication such as Ritalin have a lower risk of developing problems with alcohol and other drugs than the general population. More importantly, fifty years of research has repeatedly shown that children, adolescents, and adults safely benefit from treatment with methylphenidate.

Can ADHD be overdiagnosed and overmedicated? Yes, of course. But...one could say that about anxiety, depression and a host of other silent disabilities. But, it is also underdiagnosed and undermedicated as well. Do we want to throw out the many who are truly suffering for the few who are looking for excuses?

Are stimulant medications effective in treating ADHD? A. As many as 80% of individuals using stimulant medications are helped by them. 80% of all individuals report a decrease in symptoms of ADD when on stimulant medications. Stimulant medications help individuals to pay attention, stay on task, stay focused and better control impulses by slowing the thought process and allowing individuals to think before acting.

Improper use of ritalin ....yep there are kids out there selling ritalin to others....... Most cases of stimulant abuse are among adolescents and adults who are not being treated for AD/HD. These are people that will abuse almost any drug if given the chance. Adderall and Dexedrine, are abused by people who are trying to get a high similar to speed. Ritalin, , is  abused as a last resort because it doesn't give the user the euphoria they crave. Many substances including household sugar have the potential to be abused by certain individuals. Stimulant medication such as Adderall, Dexedrine, and Ritalin are abused by those who are drug seeking, or addicted. Most people who take stimulant medication to treat their AD/HD do not abuse it. As a matter of fact, the greater problem is that they forget to take it. Research indicates that those with untreated AD/HD are at greater risk to self-medicated with substances. Stimulant medication has a protective effect for some with AD/HD and decreases self-medicating

come on what about others meds that cause probs...... for example
The improper use of the cough medicine Robitussin is another trend of medicinal abuse referred to as "Robotripping."
With an overdose of the over the counter medicine a robotic feeling is produced.

 Panadol is also toxic to the body, and it harms the liver. According to doctors, Panadol will reside in the body for at least 5 years. An air stewardess consumed  panadol during her menstrual as she needed to stand all the time. She's now in her early 30's, and she needs to wash her kidney (DIALYSIS) every month.

Utah......even the use of cough and cold remedies, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says killed three infants and sent more than 1,500 youngsters 2 and younger to emergency rooms nationwide in 2005.

Scientific proof.......

The central psychological deficits in those with ADHD have now been linked through numerous studies using various scientific methods to several specific brain regions (the frontal lobe, its connections to the basal ganglia, and their relationship to the central aspects of the cerebellum). Most neurological studies find that as a group those with ADHD have less brain electrical activity and show less reactivity to stimulation in one or more of these regions. And neuro-imaging studies of groups of those with ADHD also demonstrate relatively smaller areas of brain matter and less metabolic activity of this brain

Other links.......

http://www.tourettesyndrome.net/adhd_consensus2002.html
International Consensus Statement on ADHD

http://www.addcoachacademy.com/add-adhd-research.html
add/adhd research

http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/39/1/26
brain scans revealing physiology of ADHD

http://www.add.org/articles/MedicationsAddressingParentalFearsandConcerns.html
medications..... parents fears and concerns addressed....

http://www.add.org/articles/myth.html
myths re Ritalin and ADHD

http://add.about.com/library/testimony/bltestimonywilma.htm
the Hearings on Ritalin