We have a strong correlation (but haven't proved causality yet) with brains that look and act more normal, and "better" outcomes, if better means fewer suicides, fewer car accidents, decreased rates of incarceration, and improved educational and career success.

No, the medications don't appear to be curative for most people, although the evidence does suggest that for some children, they might actually be cured i.e. be free of ADHD for the rest of their life if they take the medications in childhood.

But bandaid is a demeaning and inaccurate analogy. We use bandaids as temporary skin protection to reduce infection and mechanical disruption while skin is healing. They are to help with a temporary, recovery process.

With ADHD and most medical and mental health conditions we are dealing with ongoing conditions, which makes ongoing treatment appropriate. Do you label insulin a "bandaid" for a type 1 diabetic? Or L-DOPA a bandaid for someone who has Parkinson's disease.

We absolutely need to be doing more to understand, and if possible, prevent these conditions. But for those who have such conditions, in many instances the most powerful ways to restore or improve functioning remains medications. This is well documented for stimulant medications in the treatment of ADHD, with dozens and dozens of studies that demonstrate this point.

They don't help everyone. They harm some people. But currently, they work better than anything else.