Some kids are basically diagnosed by their teachers and their school. They are deemed as unruly and hyperactive in class. The kids are quickly diagnosed by answering a few questions, and are immediately prescribed amphetamines. After diagnosis, some schools will not allow these kids to attend school unless they are medicated
Having been an elementary teacher for 10 years, with a master's and certified in three states, I have to say this is absolutely not true in any school or area I know of (and I have taught on both US coasts, can't imagine state laws differ all that much). So I feel safe in saying this is crap. Teachers can NOT diagnose a student with any learning disability, period. That's completely ridiculous to think. They can refer them for school testing, which then needs to be backed up by outside psychiatric evaluation and testing to be actually legally diagnosed and classified, especially when it comes to medicating.
Furthermore, no
public school can withhold an education from any student because they are not taking medication for ADD, trust me I have known a few parents who do not want the meads they were recommended/prescribed (by their doctor, even after diagnosis) and there is nothing you can do about it. Again, this is ridiculous bullshit that you, I am guessing, are assuming goes on in a school. If you have witnessed this or experienced then, then I can only believe there were factors you are unaware of. A school can not force parents to take the steps required to even see if a child needs medication, even after testing and evaluations may prove that it would be helpful. Even if that child is formally diagnosed with any condition, medication cannot be forced upon them. A school can suspend, even expel a student for continuous extreme behavior issues, but that would happen no matter who the student is, ADD or not.
The parents have complete control and no child will be legally documented on paper without complete parental support and approval EVERY STEP of the way. A teacher can not even get the ball rolling if a parent is against it. If testing does find a child has ADD, you still need parental approval to do anything about it at school (ie. special resources, pull-out classes, etc.) If they don't want it, you can give it. The process is not so simple and can take months, even years without cooperation and/or good resources.
I have seen parents completely refuse to believe their child has any sort of problem just because they don't want them
labeled and their child suffers through years of class, learning nothing, at times complete disasters, and their is NOTHING we can do. It is completely frustrating because the child is the one who suffers. And yes, if you truly have seen one with ADD, it is suffering, when ignored. It is amazing what the right dose of medication can do for a young child's progress, not that it is the only answer, but I know first-hand that it is the right one at times.
It is terribly "over diagnosed" (especially by those who
say they have it yet have never even been to a single doctor, but feel they are hyper and can't stay focused so they must have ADD, which is really much more than that), but it does exist and it's not just hyper kids, who are spoiled, can't sit still, little brats. You learn to spot the differences. In my actual classes I have had three, in ten years. Yes they maybe were a pain in the ass, but so are many other kids, many more so than them (my worst behavior problems have not been my ADD kids). Many ADD children are actually quite withdrawn in the classroom and not classic "behavior" problems. With actual ADD, they need real intervention (meds are not the only one either) to help them be successful and feel happy with their education and themselves at school.
Sorry this is so long and not quite about the original post but that part of the reply just pissed me off!
