Ritalin Debate: Some Experts Doubt Existence of ADHD

Cybercast News Service (CNSNews.com) ^ | April 18, 2003 | Patrick Goodenough

[SoftballMominVA]

Just an FYI. Teachers cannot diagnose ADHD. They can describe symptoms, they can suggest that a parent discuss the situation with a family physician, the school system can offer to pay for a doctor, but only a doctor can make this diagnosis and then prescribe a medication. In fact, ritialin and adderal cannot even be called into a pharmacy by anyone. An adult must present the written prescription in person.

[longtermmemmory]

That may be correct and I am not disagreeing (and here is the..) but I have read stories of parents who are warned about having their children kept out of school, doctors who interview the teacher and watch the child for five minutes. This can not be a coincidence. There are school districts where 40% of the young boys are medicated! Please do not tell us that there is not abuse going on. Doctors are financially rewarded for prescriptions why not for prescribing ritalin? Teachers can not diagnose legally, but for all intents and purposes their "strong suggestion" is equal to the same thing.

[cosine]

NIH ADHD consensus report at http://consensus.nih.gov/cons/110/110_statement.htm#2_1._What

[longtermmemmory]

doctors also supported lobotomies and electroshock therapy.

[Johnny Gage]

Giftedness can also mimick ADD.

Absolutely. Dyslexia, according to many is considered a gift because of the "highly visually oriented" learning style.

For example..
My just took his standardized tests for school and during the reading comprehension phase, he would score about 25-30% higher if the paragraph was read to him, versus than if he had to read it himself.

Visual thinking is quite amazing. Consider that many of the major inventors/theorists were dyslexics.
(ie: Einstein, Edison)

Laz:
Does an athiest, dyslexic, who suffers from insomia stay awake at night pondering if there is a DOG?

[Mfkmmof4]

I have a child who is on medication for attention and hyperactivity and before he was put on a drug we tried all kinds of behavior rituals that were prescibed. It did not work and finally I begged. It worked. Plus he is autistic.

Then my 9 year old cancer survivor suffers from attention deficiet and what a difference in school it makes to have him on medication.

[PoisedWoman]

He cited cases where parents reported that their ADHD-diagnosed children could not pay attention - but then those same children could play video games for hours without being distracted.

When I was editorial director for publishing company that did health-realted books, I turned down a couple of manuscripts on ADHA because I was not convinced that it was a real disorder. The co-owner of our company, a millionaire, wanted to put out the books because his two spoiled brat kids had zero attention span. I asked him whether he bought the boys every computer game that came on the market. He had to admit that he did, and that they paid attentionto the games.

The point is, even wealthy kids suffer from parents who believe that throwing another toy at their kids is "parenting."

[G Larry]

Maybe if more parents were home to do a little "PARENTING" they could apply a little more traditional and effective form of behavior modification?

(save the med's for the nosey social services staff who believe "discipline" is a vulgar concept)

[Johnny Gage]

She is an unusual mixture of ADHD, gifted in Language Arts, Learning Disabled in math, and gifted in Art.

This sounds a lot like Dyscalculia, which is the "numbers" version of dyslexia.

Here's some info I've retrieved about Dyscalculia

Some symptoms of dyscalculia are:

Normal or advanced language and other skills, often good visual memory for the printed word.

Poor mental math ability, often with difficulty in common use of money, such as balancing a checkbook, making change, and tipping. Often there is a fear of money and its transactions.

Difficulty with math processes (e.g., addition, subtraction, multiplication) and concepts (e.g., sequencing of numbers). There is sometimes poor retention and retrieval of concepts, or an inability to maintain a consistency in grasping math rules.

Poor sense of direction, easily disoriented, as well as trouble reading maps, telling time, and grappling with mechanical processes.

Difficulty with abstract concepts of time and direction, schedules, keeping track of time, and the sequence of past and future events.
Common mistakes in working with numbers include number substitutions, reversals, and omissions.

May have difficulty learning musical concepts, following directions in sports that demand sequencing or rules, and keeping track of scores and players during games such as cards and board games.

[oldcomputerguy]

My son was hyperactive as a child until we discovered one thing that was causing it, hot dogs! I can't say that was the only thing but you get the idea. My view it was likely the preservatives which are a small percentage of an adults weight but a large percentage of a childs weight.

This was proven w/o a doubt when a neighbor took him to a store and while there, she bought him a hot dog. She couldn't believe the change and it took 3 days for him to wind down again.

I suspect many, many of our other health problems today start with our food supply.

[longtermmemmory]

How about we come up with a new disorder called "BSAD" Boring School Attention Disorder. It comes from intelligent young children who are abused by the mind numbingly boring teachers. Please, there may be legitimate problems but being able to CONCENTRATE is now called a problem! Learning how to diferentiate is called GROWING UP! Just because you give a CHILD a NARCOTIC does not mean they are better it just means you have subsumed their will to be imfluence by outside sources.

There was a thread here on this same topic which stated that when FATHERS showed up to these "smiley face put you child on ritalin (NARCOTICS) meetings", they were dramatically NOT put on the drug. Please these are members of the NEA, do you really expect these to be good professionals as a rule rather than as an exception.

Plus notice we are only talking about young boys...

[bvw]

It's a babysitter drug. That's why the incidence of drugged sons of single moms -- or of the rarer single dads, and in families with less-than minimally capable parents -- of whom a higher percentage are low income.

I'm not making a claim about ADD, ADHD in saying that -- just claiming that most -- most most most -- kids on it are on it for the wrong reasons. Because adults are avoiding or unable to deal with the discordancies, unpredictablenesses and enerigies of well-in-band childhood. So the kids are drugged. And ritilan, and the other speed-like drugs are only one class of such lousy, abusive drugging -- prozac type sedatives are also big.

[PoisedWoman]

I suspect many, many of our other health problems today start with our food supply.

Good point. Sugar may well play a role in hyped up kids, ditto "corn syrup" that shows up in virtually ever processed food, even frozen vegetables. Perhpas our obesity epidemic is in some way related to attention problems.

Twelve years ago, a book came out advancing the theory that watching tv's flickering images actually alters the pattern of brain development. Wracking my brain for the title....been on the comuter to long to recall.

[PianoMan]

Those on either side of this debate who fear the overmedication of our youth might be interested to know that this is not the first time in history people have used medication as a substitute for parenting.

In the 19th century, when opium was legal in Britain, the best-selling varieties had names like "mother's helper." Opium was used regularly to make kids quiet and polite, the way more designer drugs are used today.

Does ADHD medication have it's uses? Sure, for an incredibly small number of kids who have genuine neurologically-initated problems. But using drugs as a substitute for parenting is a tactic with a long, sad history. Hey, raising kids can be an insane amount of work - is it any surprise many parents want a shortcut?

[longtermmemmory]

I have also heard that about flickering screens. I remember it from university. I wonder if modern plasma and LCD screens would affect the theory.


Pixie sticks, not just for breakfast any more. (ha ha, I won't quit my day job)

Parents used to really control the sugar intake of children. In those days sugar meant sugar, not sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, aspirtame or anything else. Read the labels if you really want to be alarmed.

[Orangedog]

There was a thread here on this same topic which stated that when FATHERS showed up to these "smiley face put you child on ritalin (NARCOTICS) meetings", they were dramatically NOT put on the drug. Please these are members of the NEA, do you really expect these to be good professionals as a rule rather than as an exception.

Notice the lack of any numbers collected by anyone about how many of these kids are being raised by just the mother. Most women cannot handle an unruley child. Sure, there are exceptions, but most mothers can't do it. Funny how ADHD didn't become a problem until the divorce rate and single mother households grew to the obscene levels they are have been at in recent years.

In short, follow the money. Large, powerful industries have grown by exploiting kids and gullible parents. Get the government involved (schools, social services, "family relations" courts) as well, and you get this kind of mess. These parents need to wake up. They are being used, and their own children are being used as pawns in someone elses game.

[luckystarmom]

I think ADHD is associated with lots of real problems like autism.

[longtermmemmory]

here is the prescibing information on ritalin.

I found it interesting there has been NO study on the beyond TWO WEEKS effect of Ritalin!

http://www.adhdinfo.com/hcp/treating/hcp_treating_adhd.jsp/product/pi/pdf/ritalin_la.pdf

if that does not work go to http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com/products/name/ritalinla.jsp and then click on prescribing information.

(if anyone can figure our how to cut and paste from the pdf document let me know please) read the warnings and contraindications bookmarks.


If you read this it will definitly open you eyes about prescribing this to the developing brains of children

more info:

from the surgeon general regarding side effects:

Side Effects
Common stimulant side effects include insomnia, decreased appetite, stomach aches, headaches, and jitteriness. Some children may develop tics, but a recent study suggests that they disappear with continued treatment (Gadow et al., 1995). Rebound activation (i.e., a sudden increase in attention deficit and hyperactivity) has been noted anecdotally after the child’s last dose of medication wears off (Johnston et al., 1988). Most of the side effects are mild, recede over time, and respond to dose changes. Children rarely experience cognitive impairment, which, if it does occur, can be resolved with reduction or cessation of the drug (Cantwell, 1996). A few cases of psychosis have been reported. Pemoline has been associated with hepatotoxicity, so monitoring of liver function is necessary. Two studies have shown no long-term effects of stimulants on later height or weight (Klein & Mannuzza, 1988; Vincent et al., 1990). Nonetheless, regular precautionary monitoring of weight and height for children on stimulants is recommended.

(sourcehttp://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter3/sec4.html#treatment )

Making boys smaller and lighter?

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Until I was in my 20's, I had no idea that there was any method of thinking except visual thinking.

I agree; visual thinking is quite amazing.

[Humidston]

I completely agree with you. (BTW, my son loves hot dogs and ate them often. Maybe I should have thought of that, lol!)

My daughter was very allergic to food additives as well.

But I still maintain that most excess energy can be burned off via healthy means, such as a good run or basketballs into hoops or whatever the child likes.

We have a family member whose parents claim is ADHD, "delicate and sensitive," etc. I can tell you that if we had a week or so with him alone, we'd have him straightened out PDQ. Without drugs!

Today - IMO, people look to a pill bottle to solve every problem they have.