Probably not. In a society where a large percentage of students significantly under-perform, seemingly easy solutions are a temptation. “Should I medicate my child?” is a question on the minds of parents nationwide and is most often asked by parents of children tagged ADD/ADHD. There is a growing field of cognitive brain training researchers investigating alternatives to drugs for ADHD. In almost every case, learning skills testing reveals that these children have “cognitive deficits, specifically in working memory.” Weak cognitive skills often mean they can’t pay attention long enough for good academic performance.

Researchers have explored methods to train the brain and impact weak learning skills. In one case, a number of ADHD students underwent 5 weeks of specific skills training and afterwards, 60% no longer fit the label. These results point to the possibility of overcoming lifelong learning hindrances in an extremely short period of time with the right mental skills training. Why wouldn’t everyone do it? The investment in cognitive skills training is “not easy for a time-crunched society and far more laborious than popping a pill.” Although maybe not as easy as taking a pill, the benefits of overcoming skill weakness and building advanced learning ability are worth the short-term effort.

Response compiled from Gunjan Sinha, an award-winning freelance science and medical journalist. She has written well over 100 feature and news stories, appeared on Dateline NBC, CNN, and been featured on several national radio stations. Specific citations are derived from Training the Brain: Cognitive Therapy as an Alternative to ADHD Drugs. Scientific American. July 2005.