There is no doubt that certain children have attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, and they need early intervention to get them the help they need. But when children find themselves in classrooms with peers who are sometimes at least a year older than they are, what can appear as hyperactivity may just be the difference between how a five-year-old behaves and a six-year-old behaves. Distinguishing between age-appropriate struggles and real issues of attention deficit is key to making sure that kids who need intervention get it—and those who don’t aren’t medicated without good reason.
Read more at The New York Times
