I did not get on medicine until I was in my 30's. I often think that I would not have had such a miserable public school exsistance if I had had medication. I would have learned more, I might have been able to get through college a lot more easily. It's all water under the bridge for me, but not for millions of children out there just like I was.
Recently, this question has been in the news. I was sent an article from the 'Massachusetts News'. The article states that ritalin is being used to sedate active boys. Apparently this person has not been a special ed. teacher in a classroom full of ADD kids. In my experience, which would include observing not only students on medication in my classroom, but my own children and myself ritalin normally does not sedate, if a child is TRUELY attention deficit with or without hyperactivity. It calms, focuses and gives a child a way to control their own impulsiveness. It also lets children find out that they are not stupid. I have not seen a "sedate" student. Ritalin is a stimulant. It is not meant to sedate.
My youngest daughter (ADD) takes a very low does of Dexedrine. She complained that she felt stupid having to take medicine to make her normal. After a 5 minute lecture on what I did not have when I was her age (in one ear and out the other) I looked her in the eye and told her I was grateful that I had found medicine that would MAKE me normal, even if just for a little while. She caved, took the medicine. When she got home that first night, she told me that she had actually found herself wanting to learn and pay attention in class. It is the lowest dose there is, but it's all she needs.
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