Thomas Armstrong

In the following viewpoint, Thomas Armstrong questions the existence and prevalence of attention deficit disorder (ADD) which is characterized by overactivity, impulsiveness, and inattentiveness. According to Armstrong, a child’s symptoms of ADD may appear in one setting only to disappear when the child is involved in novel, interesting, or stimulating situations. In addition, the method used to determine whether a child has ADD is extremely subjective, he contends, and could be influenced by the observers’ preconceived notions about the child. Thomas concludes that the acceptance of ADD by the educational community is especially troublesome due to the stigma attached to such a diagnosis. Arms0trong is the author of The Myth of the ADD Child.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the concerned mother quoted...