Phelps’ popularity said to create divide among AD/HD experts regarding view of disorder.

In the Well column in the New York Times (11/25, D5), Tara Parker-Pope writes that Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, who has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), “is emerging as an inspirational role model among parents and children whose lives are affected by attention problems.” His emergence, however, “has revealed a schism in the community of patients, parents, doctors, and educators who deal with the disorder.” The propensity for some children with AD/HD to “have boundless energy and a laserlike focus on favorite things — qualities that could be very helpful in, say, an Olympic athlete” — is causing some doctors to push “for a new view that focuses on the potential strengths of the disorder.” Other experts “say that while such success stories can be inspiring, parents need to know that their children face real risks.” They note research suggesting that children with AD/HD “have different brain patterns from other children, and that they are more likely to drop out of school, be involved in car accidents, and use illicit drugs.”