I know a GP (pediatrician) in my city who only prescribes stimulant medication to treat ADHD if the parents and teachers involved commit to a rather sophisticated double-blind study where the medication is interspersed with placebos over the course of a month or so and the parents and teachers fill out rating scales every step of the way! I have a lot of confidence in working with this doctor- unfortunately most do not have the patience or time or skill to be so thorough and rigorous- and that does worry me. The one thing about stimulants is that despite what the naysayers say- their actual safety record is pretty darn good - much more is known than say, about the relatively new SSRI's especially in regards to the effects on kids...