happy 7 y.o.'s father wants a psychiatrist because of ADD

[Anonymous]

No one is diminishing your challenges or your child's challenges but i stick by my earlier advice that you are way out of line here. I don't care how close you are to this family, this is not your business.

First of all, you are simply wrong. A child with ADHD (the term "ADD" is no longer used) absolutely should be treated by an expert, meaning a psychiatrist (or a developmental pediatrician). I have a child with ADHD who has no accommodations and I don't know where we would be without the expert care he is receiving. You sound really paranoid about doctors (ask yourself -- what is the downside of taking a child to an expert? And don't answer based on paranoia.) and if you are giving advice based on this paranoia, you are doing your friend a disservice.

Second, you are clearly taking the wife's side in a marital dispute where you have no business. Don't hide behind the fact that you think she is right and he is wrong (and you are wrong about that) because thats not even the point. The point is that you have decided to back her up against her husband no matter what. So you are no longer just listening, you are becoming her advocate.

Finally, you didn't really come here for advice, you just want us to tell you that you are correct. You aren't listening to our advice. We are families with children just like the one you say you are concerned about. We have all been there, we know what we are talking about. the fact that you are ignoring this advice, backing up the wife as she makes a bad decision, interfering with this child's care and their marriage, will only harm this child.