It's always nice to have a forum for one's views so I'm pleased to let you know that a letter of mine in response to a weekend op-ed, Raising the Ritalin Generation (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/opinion/sunday/raising-the-ritalin-generation.html), was published today in the print and web editions of the New York Times. Here is the text of my letter:
In America, 4 percent of the world's population uses 88 percent of the Ritalin produced worldwide. Among the many factors contributing to our fixation on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Ritalin, two stand out. The first is economic: our nation's continuing relative decline among world players and the growing gap between the 99 and 1 percent. The second is our worry, perhaps excessive, about our children's feelings if they are "below average."
The fears about our children and their futures have led to an intolerance of differences or diversity in children's temperaments and talents. Several years ago I predicted that I might have to medicate "the last normal child." Apparently, according to Bronwen Hruska, Manhattan may have gotten there first.
Here is the link to view all the letters: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/opinion/deciding-whether-to-medicate-a-child.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss. Please as always let me know what you think.