Ritalin (and other ADD/ADHD Drugs) have lots of negative side effects and should never be used as a substitute for developing skills that the child needs and dealing with the underlying problems the child has.
But there are 3 instances where medication may be a good idea.

1. The first group of children are those who have severe and unremitting hyperactivity caused by neurological problems.
   These are neurological problems caused by lead or chemical poisoning, Parkinson's Disease and brain damage.
   
2. The second group of kids that medication can benefit are those kids with ADD/ADHD who are going through a difficult and stressful time and learning new skills is simply too much for them to cope with at present.
   In this case medication should be used on a short-term basis, as a temporary measure to ease the strain and improve the situation.
   
3. Medication can also be used as a last resort.
   And I do mean a last resort after parents have made a sincere and concerted effort to look for other solutions.
   

Medication should never be used in isolation.
Physical education programs, behavior modification techniques, the development of coping skills & study skills, diet , brainwave entrainment and so forth should all be used in an attempt to improve and reduce ADD/ADHD symptoms.
This is where The Calm Kids Program really stands head and shoulders above the competition.
It is a complete, holistic program that combines life-skill development, behavior modification, brainwave entrainment and diet into a program unlike any other.
It is 100% safe, and results show in as little as 2 weeks.
There are no side effects whatsoever, although people who suffer from epilepsy shouldn't listen to the brainwave entrainment mp3.
And the best part is that changes are permanent, unlike the temporary improvements that medication results in.