Hi Dr. B. I had Michael with me for ten days recently and he was without Ritalin. He does lose focus on some things but no more or less than any other 11 year old who has never been bonded or taught basic life skills. …

[Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD:
Letter from a would-be adoptive father; a genuine, caring, adult friend]

Hi Dr. B.

I had Michael with me for ten days recently and he was without Ritalin.  He
does lose focus on some things but no more or less than any other 11 year
old who has never been bonded or taught basic life skills.
The reason I took him with me was he had been suspended from school on the
Thursday for two days for slapping another child.
When I asked him what happened he said the child called his mom (actually
his grandmother) fat and crippled.  He said the teachers and school didn't
want to hear his side.
When I dropped him off at school I informed them not to give him any more
Ritalin and if he was misbehaving to send him home.  The secretary gladly
gave me his Ritalin (I don't think she likes having to hand it out).
Anyway Children's Aid Services took the boy from school on Wednesday
claiming the conditions of the house were the reason.  The house is a pigsty
and that is being polite however they know it has been deplorable for years.
We had cleaners going in and were getting the child out of the house as much
as possible with the intent of helping him to understand that there is
better in life.  This way he wouldn't be traumatized by sudden separation.
They claim it has nothing to do with the Ritalin however I beg to differ.
The school officials took offence at what I did and used the CAS who has an
office in the school.

[Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD:
"has an office in the school." I presume
CAS is akin to Child Protective Services?]

On Thursday they had a court time to set the date of a hearing.  The judge
after reading the report was "shocked and appalled" that this child hadn't
been taken out of the home sooner.  The CAS only got to tell their side of
the story.
The concern of his Ritalin was brought up and the judge asked if the child
had ever been tested.  The answer was no!!!!
The grandmother, who doesn't have a chance of getting him back, asked to
speak after she had been asked by us and duty council not to say anything.
By the time she was done the judge has Michael going to the Doctor (the same
one who put him on Ritalin) however she said she wanted him to see a
Pediatrician.
The Doctor who prescribed Ritalin is a family doctor only.
Michael will be better off out of the grandmother's house however if they
put him back on Ritalin he's finished.  He hates it and was begging me to
home school him

[Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD:
How many of the nations kids put on Ritalin
other mind-altering, brain-altering drugs are asked, truly asked, if they
want to take the drug(s)]

.  At best I figured he could spend the
summer months with me and then look at getting him tested and enrolled in a
Montessori type of school.
How do you combat the pressure.

The judge at least appointed Michael his own lawyer.  Depending on his
backroom standing with the CAS counsel we'll have to wait to see if this
will be good or bad.
I can supervise visits between Michael and his grandmother and he is
permitted to come to my home and to attend church.
I have sent copies of your reports to everyone I can except CAS.  They'll
try and use pieces for their own purpose.
That's where it stands right now.
Take care.
There is a child Psyche however he can only take new patients by referral
from the family doctor. The Ritalin one.
I am going to try and get Michael's lawyer to request this doctor to test
Michael 

[Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD:
What tests, there are no physical, medical tests for
ADHD or for any psychiatric disorder/condition. Good luck]

.
His reputation is that he is not a pill pusher and looks for environment and
diet  and similar type of root causes for the lack of attention.
John *. ********