Russell Barkley Said I Was Crazy—Turns Out, I Was Just Right

How the ADHD Narrative Unraveled—and Why It Matters More Than Ever

Oh, woe is me. What’s a parenting guru supposed to do when someone sends him the following email?

“I'm in the education section of your book [presumably, The Diseasing of America’s Children by yours truly and pediatrician Bose Ravenel]. A lot of good it does me, as I'm the grandparent of my son’s three boys. (Are you aware that Russell Barkley gives advice on how to handle grandparents who object to the diagnosis and the medicating of their grandkids?) Mom is a PA herself and is 100% on board with the diagnosis. She told my son exactly what you say they say: ‘If he had an illness, like kidney disease, you would want to give him medicine to help him, wouldn’t you?’. Not that she has taken the time to educate herself about the ‘condition’ or the medication itself. I have educated myself to the hilt about all kinds of parenting things, but again, I am a voice in the wilderness, echoing my own voice back to me. No one else will listen.”

I don’t think the writer is waiting for an answer, but I’m gonna answer anyway.