Cobra, I would argue that they are receiving a VERY clear message about themselves by their mother's need to medicate them. Talk about a self esteem buster! "I am so flighty/unorganized/whatever that my mom took me to doctor after doctor until one agreed to put me on meds." That sends a direct message to the child that there is something wrong with them that must be medicated out of them.
It's just wrong.
I know there are cases where meds are necessary and I applaud those parents for going that route, but to do it to a perfectly normal kid just turns my stomach.
