A sobering finding came from a recent Canadian study of kids from divorced families: the rate at which they were prescribed Ritalin was double that of kids from "intact" families. While I'm skeptical about interpretations of statistical information that confuse causation with correlation, as the parent of divorced kids myself, I've got to pay attention and investigate when it's suggested that my kids may have issues that can be traced to the stress and transition pains they're going through as a result of divorce.
Ritalin is often prescribed, and many would say over-prescribed, to kids evidencing symptoms of ADHD and purportedly provides a calming effect. But kids going through divorce or any kind of stress may have the same symptoms; does it work for them and is medicating the symptom really helping? I'd much rather provide support and understanding to my kid, or even therapy, than go with medication for what is likely a temporary situation. That's not to say that some kids don't benefit from Ritalin, but the fact that more kids of divorce are taking it doesn't tell me that they need it. In fact, it tells me that it's likely that their real problems are being swept under the rug.
