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NCB:
You seem convinced that ADD is made up. I feel bad for you. No, I’m not among those who want therapists in every classroom. And the average rebbe/teacher will encounter several students in their classroom whose learning styles do not fit with the mainstream curriculum. But the rebbe needs to deal with these things, not funnel kids off to therapists. Having said that, there are legitimate cases of ADHD and its variants that require interventions. These can include medications, therapy, and/or special tutoring. It is sad that often times, the diagnosis comes from educators, who are usually undertrained and ill equipped to render diagnostic labels or recommend treatment. We still have yeshivos who send talmidim home with instructions to medicate the kids before returning them to the classroom. This often results in parents twisting the arms of pediatricians to prescribe stimulants, with less than adequate evaluation by experienced professionals.
Meanwhile, the mental health profession still has much to deal with
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