Most of the time, ADD should stand for Adult Discipline Disorder. The kids I see who "have" ADD are bratty monsters whose parents make excuses for them. I have watched my sister make every excuse in the book for her son. He was able to concentrate on everything he liked to do, but she had to tell him 15 times to feed the dog. Why didn't she walk him over to the tub of dog food, make him scoop the food out and set it outside the door? It was easier to sit on her ass and yell "Jeremy did you feed the dog?" Did I mention that he was 15 at the time? He was a spoiled brat (and still is, even at 19 yrs old) and she makes excuses for him. I thought I'd choke her when she said, "Boys will be boys" when he was three and crawling across the dining room table while we were eating. WOW.

There are so many other things that can help ADD and ADHD besides drugs. Their should be ADD/ADHD management classes in schools that teach ways to work with the problem. I was undiagnosed for the first 28 years of my life and still managed to do well in school, but I had serious social problems. I don't take medication to this day, but since I am aware that I have a problem, I approach common tasks quite differently. The simple fact of the matter is that I can't do things quite the way a "normal-brained" person can. Yet my ADD comes with certain benefits. I miss certain things, but I also pick up on other things that normal-brained people don't. It's a huge asset in my current job. My brain makes leaps on occasion that it wouldn't otherwise, and I've come up with some very good ideas for my current company. My creativity is very respected among my co-workers, even if no one's going to ask me to organize their files. Rather than medicating children into "normality" they should be taught how to do things their own way, and how to find their own strengths. Most of my family has ADD, and most of them were undiagnosed for a very long time (if at all) - they all have found successful careers by using the strengths that come with their so-called disability.

Further, it is a disorder that is both over- and under-diagnosed. I did well academically, but my personal life - relationships with peers, neatness, reading of social cues, etc. - was a mess. I remained undiagnosed because I was at the top of my class - but I was so miserable, because I couldn't seem to live a "normal" life. At the same time, kids who exhibit any abnormal behavior are automatically classified as ADD/ADHD, when the real reason can be another mental health issue or a problematic home life. There needs to be more education among pediatricians and educators about exactly WHAT it is and the many ways it can affect children. I don't even think a lot of therapists fully understand it.

Incidentally, I remain unmedicated. The drugs I've tried have been too heavy on the side effects, so I basically use strategies to negotiate day-to-day life - like not owning a television and leaving the radio off when I drive. I meditate. I remind myself to focus on what people are saying. I know exactly what my weaknesses are now, and I compensate for them just as anyone else would.

There is no "ONE" answer for kids labeled with ADD/ADHD.

There are legitimate cases from severe to mild...however - we need to check causation for behaviors and not just say it's ADHD.

So many kids are put on meds for symptoms of ADD without checking for other things like allergies and sleep apnea; both of which can cause kids to act out.

As a parent of a little boy who was once labed ADD....parents check your facts!!!!

Bring them to an allergist and ENT specialist. My son was medicated for 6 months until I demanded and ENT consult. He was suffering from sleep apnea due to huge tonsills and adenoids...his brain wasn't getting a restful sleep and was acting up in school. Tonsils came out....he could sleep soundly, ADD behavior disappeared. Not saying every kid....but way too many are on meds.

Our son is ADHD and on meds for several years.  While the meds helped him in school, he hated them and they changed his personality.  We took him to a therapist that practiced neurofeedback.  After 25 to 30 sessions, one of his teachers told us he was improving in class.  After 35 or so sessions, we were able to keep him off of the medication.  He has been off medication for 1 1/2 years now and his grades and self confidence have improved.