`    **** Yes, I know that's what Russell Barclay has to say about stimulant treatment. But notice that he is talking about symptom relief here, NOT about long-term outcomes. He states clearly in the text that behavior is ``normalized`` in a percentage of the population, but only as long as the drug is in the system. He makes no comments or implication that this normalization of behavior will improve any of the outcomes I mentioned. Please take note that I am referring you to a list of viable scientific publications that support this, most notably the OSU medication effectiveness study, which concludes without hesitation that there is almost no evidence (despite a reasonable number of studies) that stimulants have any LONG-TERM positive effects, such as reductions in delinquency and improvements in academic test scores. None of this contradicts or is addressed in the Barclay section you quote in any way. So I am not suggesting that stimulant medication is ineffective in treating symptoms short-term. I am trying to add the perspective that medication does NOT appear to be the determining factor in improving long-term outcomes like delinquency and school achievement.  I think it is VERY important for people to understand that giving a child stimulants IS likely to moderate their behavioral symptoms but is NOT likely, in and of itself, to result in improvements in long-term outcomes. Barclay himself has observed this. That's what the science says. I know it's not a popular or well-known set of facts, but that's what this process is supposed to be about - educating people as to the facts of the situation.   I think a section on long-term outcomes absolutely belongs in the article. To leave it out will leave people with the impression that stimulant treatment is a good way to make sure their ADHD child gets a good educational outcome or stays in school until graduation, which is not supported by the scientific facts as we know them.  [Steve]`