This paper is a contribution to the debate on the phenomenon of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It explores how and why the discourses surrounding the aetiology and interventions are dominated by a bio-medical understanding of ADHD. Competing discourses are examined, particularly those marginalised because they do not support the…

In this article, the author considers some issues concerning future research into school-based assessment and management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He focuses on a few issues of some relevance to school interventions for children and teens with ADHD. He features three articles that found that less intensive interventions…

In this issue of "School Psychology Review," various authors devoted their articles to school-based interventions for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD has been one of the most extensively investigated mental conditions of childhood. Still, important questions regarding the extent of treatment effectiveness remain…

A 9-year-old boy presents for assessment and treatment of his reactive, impulsive aggressive behavior that has been present for approximately 2 years. Six months ago, his pediatrician started treatment with OROS methylphenidate (MPH), which was titrated to 36 mg/day. There was moderate improvement in symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity…

A 7-year-old girl with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), combined subtype, and oppositional defiant disorder presents with a complaint of marked insomnia. Her parents describe 60 to 90 minutes of nightly initial insomnia that began with the initiation of 36 mg OROS methylphenidate (Concerta) 2 months ago. Behavioral interventions…

In response to Robert Cooter, Jr. (EC 202 670), who questioned the widespread use of Ritalin with children having attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, this commentary considers four specific points: how Ritalin works, Ritalin's side effects and relationship to Tourette syndrome, the assumption that Ritalin leads to drug abuse, and the…

In response to a critique by Lori Bell Mick (EC 600 580), the original author counters objections to ideas concerning the nature of Ritalin, Ritalin's side effects, drug dependency, and teachers as classroom pushers. The response concludes that evidence for Ritalin's positive effect on reading achievement in children with attention deficit…

First identifies salient features of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and then offers a model for diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of students with ADHD. The model assumes cooperation of parent, teacher, and physician, and data-based decisions concerning use and ongoing monitoring of stimulant medication or other…

This paper critiques the methodologies used in studies finding that reading problems in children are not strongly associated with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and that medication used to treat ADD does not improve reading performance. New data are reported, suggesting increased reading difficulty with longer reading passages and improved…

Two elementary teachers discuss their experiences of having children with attention deficit disorder and learning disabilities in their second-grade classrooms, focusing on the process involved in deciding whether or not to medicate the children with Ritalin to enhance their ability to learn. (SM)

This article provides information and guidelines for the effective use of medication in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Basic principles of psychopharmacology, different types of medications that have been used successfully to treat ADHD, and best practices for assessing the effects of medication in children with ADHD are…

This interview with a 17-year-old boy with attention deficit disorder-inattentive type and his mother, an early childhood educator and administrator, describes the boy's symptoms, diagnosis, present difficulties, effects of medication, the decision to use medication, the probable neurobiological basis for the condition, and the position of the…

Students who respond to the ludicrous environments of schooling with behaviors and demeanor that do not fit school criteria frequently are given a medical label and drug treatment. The fact that Ritalin is given to 2.8% of all American children reflects a "treatment philosophy" in which professionals define problems and prescribe…

This commentary discusses the use of pharmacological treatments to reduce over activity and hyperactivity in children with autism. While it concedes that some medications, particularly antipsychotics, can effectively reduce over activity, it cautions that the effects of psychotropic medications on inattention remain poorly defined and stresses the…

Determining whether stimulant medication improves learning or long-term academic achievement in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder involves consideration of (1) the prescription of higher than optimal doses, and (2) overinclusive treatment involving adverse responders. A study designed to overcome these theoretical deficiencies…