Dr. Joel Fine

Dr. Joel Fine lives in Vacaville, California where he has been in private practice for 22 years. He has written and spoken extensively on healthcare-related topics and is the author of the recently-published “Arc of the Covenant: A Psychiatrist Tracks His Path Through Judaism.” He can be reached at jfinemd@yahoo.com.

Op-Eds

The ADD Epidemic: How Real Is It?

By Dr. Joel Fine

I recently read yet another article in a Jewish publication stressing the importance of having your child tested for attention deficit disorder if he is having trouble at school or finds paying attention difficult. I would have yawned if I hadn’t gotten so frustrated. The fact of the matter is that there is no scientific test for ADD. It’s a condition diagnosed by clinical evaluation – and grossly over-diagnosed at that.