Medicalization?

<p>My friend was ADHD in high school where that meant extra time on tests and all sorts of accommodations, which all went away once he got to college (he hads a difficult time as a freshman in college). Thinking about this, I realized that grade school parents, at least at my high school, were quick to find medical reasons for their childrens' low performance. Sometimes, we just have to try harder or accept a less than stellar grade now and then. I went to a competitive but public suburban high school where 15% of kids were on stimulants for AD/HD when we surveyed them... The total number on any kind of prescription psychotropic I would guess is 30%...</p>

<p>I was wondering if anyone else is concerned about the over-diagnosis of children in grade school with learning conditions, autism disorders, and ADHD, esp. in upper-middle class suburban America. I am not doubting the existence of such diagnostic entities; it just seemed they were really abused at my school.</p>

<p>While medicalizing low grades may make parents feel better and put school administrators off the hook (they can artificially inflate progress reports by shunting low scorers into the "learning disabled" pool, which is counted separately), it may leave thousands unprepared for a college and employment world where your "diagnosis" doesn't get you any special treatment, not to mention iatrogenesis from the medications they're on.</p>

<p>If anyone disagrees, please explain--I am not really sure how accurate my opinion is (I have never had any of these conditions)</p>