Ritalin: friend or foe?

I was shocked to learn this weekend from a friend of mine that her six year old daughter's teacher has asked her to put the child on Ritalin to control her ADD. How can this woman even suggest that? Sure, the little princess can be a bit of a handful sometimes (give her a bit of sugar and she is bouncing off the walls) but I just dont believe that drugging kids is the answer. Since when is that the right way to handle your kids?

I might be clueless when it comes to child-raising but I sure as hell know that I would never put my child on any medication for these stupid little things. And in this case, my friend is adamant too that she does not want to put her daughter on ritalin. The teacher must just learn to cope, that's her job.

And I cant think that the long-term effects of taking ritalin could be any good. A colleague of mine told me that it has actually been scientifically proven that 87% of kids on ritalin end up being addicted to all sorts of drugs when they get older. 87%. That's a huge percentage. And it definitely says a lot. So why do more damage to your child by putting them on ritalin? Is it really worth it?

According to wikipedia, an amphetamine-like prescription stimulant commonly used to treat Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adults. It is also one of the primary drugs used to treat symptoms of traumatic brain injury and the daytime drowsiness symptoms of narcolepsy and chronic fatigue syndrome. (Ritalin is the brand name, the generic name is methylphenidate).

Hectic - it all seems a bit extreme for a six year old that gets a little hyper every now and then.