I have ADD and Ritalin was a lifesaver for me. It totally turned everything around for me - well, not everything, because I have the NVLD issues as well, which Ritalin does not help, and I'll get to that later. But having said that, if Charlie does have ADD, you have the testimony of at least one ADDer whose life would have been immeasurably harder without Ritalin. Yes, it does kill the appetite (though right now that's sounding awesome to me, as my weight has gotten out of control since I finished school :P), and it can sometimes have emotional effects. But for me, it was just so unbelievably frustrating never to be able to focus when I was in school or doing homework. I'd try so hard, and I'd lose track of things and get totally overwhelmed, and then feel horribly guilty because everyone was telling me this was just stuff I should be able to do. Despite the minor depressant effect, I was much better off emotionally on the Ritalin than off.
However. That's me. I have ADD. And you might want to look into whether Charlie has ADD, but honestly (and I don't know him, so just take this for whatever it's worth) it doesn't sound like he has ADD to me. ADD is when kids are bouncing off the walls consistently, or else dreamy-dazed out the whole day. It's not when a kid's stress level builds up as a result of a bad situation and he winds up lashing out. That's much more an autism thing; kids with autism are obviously easily frustrated because they tend to have low tolerance for some things that most people can tolerate with ease. It sounds to me like the teacher is pushing him past his limits sometimes, if these have been situations where he's been fine for long stretches of time and then had a big episode in the afternoon.
It's a shame that ADD is the default diagnosis for kids perceived to be difficult these days. I mean, it's getting better (I've been reading so much more about the autistic spectrum lately, I find it heartening) but it's tried-and-true, you know? It bothers me because I've had people tell me, to my face, that ADD does not exist and I need to get off my meds because they're nothing but the realization of Huxley's Soma vision. It's not fair and it's frankly offensive to me, but I can see where they're coming from, because ADD is so shamefully overdiagnosed.
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ninetydegrees
no subject
on 2004-09-14 05:29 pm (UTC)However. That's me. I have ADD. And you might want to look into whether Charlie has ADD, but honestly (and I don't know him, so just take this for whatever it's worth) it doesn't sound like he has ADD to me. ADD is when kids are bouncing off the walls consistently, or else dreamy-dazed out the whole day. It's not when a kid's stress level builds up as a result of a bad situation and he winds up lashing out. That's much more an autism thing; kids with autism are obviously easily frustrated because they tend to have low tolerance for some things that most people can tolerate with ease. It sounds to me like the teacher is pushing him past his limits sometimes, if these have been situations where he's been fine for long stretches of time and then had a big episode in the afternoon.
It's a shame that ADD is the default diagnosis for kids perceived to be difficult these days. I mean, it's getting better (I've been reading so much more about the autistic spectrum lately, I find it heartening) but it's tried-and-true, you know? It bothers me because I've had people tell me, to my face, that ADD does not exist and I need to get off my meds because they're nothing but the realization of Huxley's Soma vision. It's not fair and it's frankly offensive to me, but I can see where they're coming from, because ADD is so shamefully overdiagnosed.
Anyway. That was one long comment.