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I have a different interpretation. I think Calvin is a pretty normal kid in the scheme of things and that the comic is a commentary on medicating our kids . .
by hartror 16y ago
I have a different interpretation.
I think Calvin is a pretty normal kid in the scheme of things and that the comic is a commentary on medicating our kids . . . not to be kids! I'm not a ADHD denier but my reading suggests that it is both over diagnosed and over prescribed for. A commentary on this over diagnosis is what I get from the comic. I have definitely met ADHD kids who you cannot doubt have behavioural problems and for whom medication should be an option.
- eavc 16y agoOf course that's the intended purpose of the comic. It's a statement about over-medication, that we should let kids be kids, and so on. But it makes a slew of misleading implications on the way there, and in doing so, it perpetuates the stigma I mentioned before. Edit to add: My reading has been that it is both over-diagnosed and under-diagnosed depending on a variety of factors. Some social contexts lead to one, some lead to the other. One of the main reasons for under-diagnosis is that some popular beliefs about the brain, behavior, and medicine are off the mark, extending to parents, teachers, administrators, and even doctors. It's a very, very frustrating situation.