Dr. Michael Steinhardt believes it’s unfair to simply label a child with a medical acronym and fill a prescription, or chase after a “surefire” alternative remedy. The leading neuropsychologist says identifying underlying causes of a child’s difficulties sets the stage for a healing action plan.
Every now and then, Dr. Michael Steinhardt surprises you with a flash of passion. Like the colors in his office, everything about the neuropsychologist is gentle: voice, appearance, manner of speaking.
But when discussing the chinuch self-help industry — purveyors of herbs and other remedies for a variety of childhood ailments — or the number of children misdiagnosed with ADHD and other behavioral issues, you see the glint in his black eyes, hear the edge in his voice.
“Let’s say a child shows signs of being ADHD, so the parents get a prescription for Ritalin. Simple, right?” Dr. Steinhardt tells me animatedly. “But really, it’s not so simple. More than half of children with ADHD are affected by another comorbid condition, which means, in layman’s terms, that ADHD doesn’t usually come alone, but along with other issues.
“Now, if a child has ADHD plus, but is only treated for ADHD, it’s almost as if he hasn’t been treated at all!”
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