Mal Fletcher comments on the overuse of drugs like Ritalin to medicate children's behaviour.

One of England's leading psychologists noted a couple of years ago that we have increasing numbers of children exhibiting symptoms like irritability, anger and lack of focus because of an over-engagement with digital gadgets.

Children are learning to read screens better than they can read faces, he said.

Even when Ritalin is a valid option for treatment it can, like a great many drugs, produce over-dependency.

For children, this can lead not only to chemical addiction but to longer-term impacts on social development, because they have not developed other, more effective ways of coping.

For parents, drugs can provide a catch-all, convenient way of dealing with a range of difficult behavioural problems. In some cases, these problems may be related more to a lack of meaningful adult interaction than they are to any chemical deficiency.

Given the many pressures on medical professionals in our over-worked health system, it is not surprising to learn that drugs like Ritalin are probably over-prescribed.

Children's workers with whom I've discussed these issues have shared anecdotes of youngsters who, though diagnosed with conditions like ADHD, have shown marked improvements in behaviour simply by spending quality time with an affirming and empathic adult.

There is no doubt that chemical solutions are sometimes required. However, some forms of hyperactivity are related more to a child's feelings of neglect.

One of the great lessons of parenting is that every child is different. Two children living under the same roof can experience life in quite distinct ways. Their behaviour can develop in very different ways.

Most parents have at some point had to adapt their parenting style at least slightly to accommodate these differences. The differences can start out being relatively subtle but become quite marked over time, especially if they're not addressed.

Spotting them as well as treating them requires time spent engaging in the world of the child; listening and trying to empathise.

Children cannot be engaged in a standardised, off-the-peg way. Certainly, the inherent human values we bring to parenting should not be compromised in the process of raising a child. Our core ethics will play a vital role in shaping his or her values over time.

However, the actual processes of parenting will need to be tweaked to take into account both the changing circumstances in the life of the child and their unique personality.

That is part of the creative joy - and often the pain and uncertainty - of parenting.