Australian carers concerned over Ritalin use in children

Carers had become increasingly concerned about the number of children being prescribed the psychotropic drug Ritalin, a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry was told yesterday.

The inquiry into the use of prescription drugs and medication for young people was hearing evidence from the Network of Community Activities, whose coordinator, Robyn Monro Miller, said increasingly workers were being asked by parents to administer Ritalin to children who had been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder.

Monro Miller also said she was concerned that children, particularly boys, were being prescribed Ritalin just because society was unwilling to tolerate normal childish behaviour.