The medicalization of deviant behaviors during childhood is usually presented as an effective strategy to deal with troublesome children, but the problems associated with medicalization are not frequently exposed. Even so, the process of medicalization is complex and may present many negative results. In this context, our aim is to discuss these difficulties. First, we present an overview of the relationship between medication and childhood. After that, we discuss some positive and negative aspects of medicalization. Finally, we conclude that framing a child under a psychiatric diagnosis is often more beneficial for the society and the child's surroundings than it is for the child herself.
Medicalization; Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity; Attention deficit disorder; Childhood development