Ritalin is a "psychostimulant, that's chemical composition is similar to cocaine", that is used for the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Sagvolden & Sergeant, 6). When used properly, Ritalin can improve a child's ability to concentrate. However, currently Ritalin is improperly used to sedate and control energetic but otherwise normal children in America's impacted classrooms today.

Early thought and observation concluded that Ritalin stimulated the child's ability to withhold "inappropriate responding" (Arnett, Fischer, Newby 54). In other words, it gave the child the ability to control their impulses. According to the study conducted by Arnett, Fischer, and Newby, "children diagnosed with ADHD only slowed their responses of both reward and punishment cues" (Arbettm Fischer Newby 55). This study contradicts the original theory that Ritalin stimulates the chemical in the brain that controls behavioral response control, and instead, concludes that Ritalin only sedates the child enough to where both the reward and punishment cues are slowed to the point where the child seems more manageable. Having a more manageable child in the classroom would reduce the burden to the teacher, however sedating a child with Ritalin or any other drug is not physically or mentally healthy.

What is concluded from this study is that Ritalin does not help a child to learn in anyway, it just calms and sedates a child enough to focus on the task at hand. A child can be taught to focus, however, teachers choose to sedate the child because it is a simple solution that takes very little effort. The appropriate versus inappropriate behavioral study was conducted with three different test groups, one who was given a placebo, a second a low dose of Ritalin, and a third group who were given a high dose of Ritalin. Children on Ritalin did not respond well to rewards, however, when they were punished for negative behavior, they tend become more upset then children who were not on Ritalin. It was noted in the study, the children on Ritalin showed "reduced sensitivity to reward" but a "greater emotional reactivity to punishment cues" (Arnett, Fischer, Newby 55). This study demonstrates that Ritalin not only sedates the child, "dampening the intensity of behavioral responding in general rather than having a specific effect" it also makes the child emotionally volatile (Arnett, Fischer, Newby 57).

The process of diagnosing ADD and ADHD is difficult at best. There is no known chemical (or lack thereof) in the body that contributes to ADD or ADHD. ADD and ADHD are behaviors. These behaviors, when noticed in children, include "inability to maintain focus, staying on task, impulsion, inability to sit still, and talking out of turn" (Guffey 168). These behaviors are exhibited in all children from time to time, a typical part of childhood. ADHD affects mostly male children, a "4:1 ratio to female" (Cary, Diewald, Esposito, Pellicano, Carneval, Sergeant, Papa, Sadile 173). ADHD affects between "1.3 and 5% of grade-school children" (Sagvolden & Sergeant, 1). Proper diagnoses of ADD and ADHD are a key factor in the ability to treat these behaviors. Since there is no physical or chemical way to test for ADD and ADHD, "direct observation by a licensed psychiatrist" is the only proper way of ensuring proper diagnose of a child (Jacobs, Boggs, Eyberg, Edwards, Durining, Querido, 696).

Information about a child from the parent or the teacher, and observation of the child in a consultation room are the usual grounds for the diagnosis of ADHD. In America today, the most common way a child receives a prescription for the stimulant Ritalin, is through a "teacher refereed rating scale" (Jacobs, Boggs, Eyberg, Edwards, Durining, Querido, 696.) This is disturbing since "approximately 22% of children in a given classroom exhibit problem behavior such as hyperactivity, inattention, or aggression," however, they all do not suffer from ADD or ADHD (Jacobs, Boggs, Eyberg, Edwards, Durning, Querido, 696).

A study was conducted regarding the validity of the teacher observations when clinical observations were also obtained. The study included 232 children with ages ranging 4-6 years old. Each child had been described as "aggressive, disruptive, inattentive, and impulsive" by their teacher (702). The study demonstrated, when clinically observed, "only 46% of teacher observations correlated with clinical observations" (708). According to this study, when a teacher reefers a child, 54% of the time their observations are invalid. This is astounding! America's children are being given Ritalin by doctors based on the observations of teachers who have less then 50% accuracy level. Positive effects of ADD and ADHD children taking Ritalin include "working memory, task persistence, flexibility of problem-solving, and improved motor skills" (Vance, Luk, Costin, Tonge, & Pantelis 400). Negative side effects involved with the use of Ritalin include "insomnia, loss of appetite, stomach-aches, headaches, dizziness, daytime drowsiness (401). Other less known effects include "irritability, growth suppression, depression, suicidal thoughts, touretts, withdrawal, and male breast growth" (Guffey, 169).

Behavioral effects associated with Ritalin use include the "good pill reaction," where the child blames his or her misbehavior on neglecting to take their Ritalin pill (168). Most negative aspects of Ritalin have resulted from cases in which the use of "stimulant medication was not appropriate," in other words, misdiagnosed children (169). However, long term side effects are a development of a tolerance to Ritalin and "psychological and physiological dependence" (Vance, Luk, Costin, Tonge, & Pantelis 401). The negative physical aspects of the long and short term use of Ritalin far out way the few positive aspects.

Ritalin is a very dangerous drug, one that should be sparsely prescribed to only the most needy patients. America should instead, take the time out to treat children who exhibit some of the ADHD and ADD symptoms with behavioral therapy first. Times in America are changing. Instead of working with children, using behavioral therapy, we sedate them out of their mind with Ritalin. Of course the children heavily medicated with Ritalin seem more manageable, they are tranquilized. Ritalin is not a cure all drug that improves the ability for a child to learn. Ritalin is a strong pschostimulant, that's side effects may impair a child's standard of living for the rest of their life. Frustrated, over burdened teachers are referring perfectly normal children for Ritalin therapy without regret or strong regulation. As elementary classes get longer and the work the common child is expected to sit through becomes more difficult, we as a country need to put a child's health interest first, and not force our children to take Ritalin. Children will be children, and talking out of turn, wiggling, and impulsions are apart of being a child, not a behavioral disorder that needs to be treated with a psychostimulant.

Work Cited:

Carey, M., Diewald, L., Esposito, F., Pellicano, M., Carneval, U., Segeant, J., Papa, M., & Sadile, A.(1998) Differential distribution, affinity and plasticity of dopamine D-1 and D-2 receptors in the target sites of the mesolimbic system in an animal model of ADHD. Journal of Behavioral Brain Research, 94, 174-184.

Sagolden, T. & Sergeant, J. (1998). Attention deficit/hyeractivity disorder - from brain dysfunction to behavior. International Journal of Behavioral Brain Research, 94, 1-6.

Jacobs, J. Boggs, S., Eyberg, S., Edwards, D., During, P., & Querido, J. (2000). Psychometric Properties and Reference Point Data for the Revised Edition of the School Observation Coding System. Behavior Therapy Journal, 31, 695-712.

Vance, L. Luk, E., Costin, J., Pantelis, T. (1998). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: anxiety phenomena in children with psychostimulant medication for 6 months or more. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 33 399-406.

Arnett, P., Fischer, Mariellen, Newby, R. (1996) The effect of Ritalin on response to reward and punishment in children with ADHD. Child Study Journal, 26 51-70

Weber, K. Frankenberger, W. Heilman, K. (1992) The effects of Ritalin on the academic achievement of children diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder. Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 20 49-68