OMG...Horrifying...as the article quotes "Children below age 4 are not covered in [AAP ADHD] guidelines because hyperactivity and impulsivity are developmentally appropriate for toddlers": THIS
I think the reason that toddlers on Medicaid are disproportionately being prescribed these stimulants may have to do with their environments. Many kids are being raised in homes with unstable environments, experiencing toxic stress, trauma, etc....Many of these parents have Psych disorders themselves. Also a lot of the Medicaid parents have so many stressors in their lives (financial and other), that they can't deal with a toddler's developmentally normal hyperactivity. The parent just wants to park the child in front of the TV and have them sit there quietly, but that's not realistic.