Posted on 01/29/2012 9:01:54 PM PST by nickcarraway
THREE million children in this country take drugs for problems in focusing. Toward the end of last year, many of their parents were deeply alarmed because there was a shortage of drugs like Ritalin and Adderall that they considered absolutely essential to their children’s functioning.
But are these drugs really helping children? Should we really keep expanding the number of prescriptions filled?
In 30 years there has been a twentyfold increase in the consumption of drugs for attention-deficit disorder.
As a psychologist who has been studying the development of troubled children for more than 40 years, I believe we should be asking why we rely so heavily on these drugs.
Attention-deficit drugs increase concentration in the short term, which is why they work so well for college students cramming for exams. But when given to children over long periods of time, they neither improve school achievement nor reduce behavior problems. The drugs can also have serious side effects, including stunting growth.
Sadly, few physicians and parents seem to be aware of what we have been learning about the lack of effectiveness of these drugs.
What gets publicized are short-term results and studies on brain differences among children. Indeed, there are a number of incontrovertible facts that seem at first glance to support medication. It is because of this partial foundation in reality that the problem with the current approach to treating children has been so difficult to see.
Back in the 1960s I, like most psychologists, believed that children with difficulty concentrating were suffering from a brain problem of genetic or otherwise inborn origin. Just as Type I diabetics need insulin to correct problems with their inborn biochemistry, these children were believed to require attention-deficit drugs to correct theirs. It turns out, however, that there is little to no evidence
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
these kids need better diets not drugs. cut out all the junk and so on and give them real food. it will turn them around.
The firm hand of a father would solve 90% of these problems. Yeah, I know there are true problems out there, but with kids running wild and parents caringmore about their social lives than their kids, it’s no wonder kids are acting up, which again would be solved by a fathers firm hand.
School districts get paid more for a child on ritalin. I watched it myself as I worked for a school districts health office. Teachers would heavily encourage parents to put their kids on ... Cha Ching.
Eh. ADHD is a real condition—though it’s both over-diagnosed and under-diagnosed.
I didn’t dxed with it until my mid-20s, but I’m glad I did.
My daughter has ADHD non hyperactive and literally can not function without her meds. It is sad that she went through years of torture at school because she was not diagnosed until she was 17. She had problems with social interaction and relationships with her peers and began struggling in school as the classes became more difficult.
Maybe it is over diagnosed but for girls who do not exhibit the hyper activity it goes undiagnosed.
I couldn’t agree more. I saw interview with a movie star and she said she had terrible behavioral problems as a child and multiple doctors told her mom to put her on ADD drugs but her mom didn’t want to and instead enrolled her in a dancing class for hours each day. The woman said it completely changed her life. Focusing was easier, her grades went up, and her ballet eventually opened the door to acting.
Also, what a tragic thing to tell a poor kid. “You can’t be normal without your amphetamines”?
Well, congratulations on your awakening! If you look at the past 50 years and look at the suggestions, recommendations, etc. of this group, you will find a major discrepancy.
Their recommendations change over time and many time go 180 degrees against the previous recommendation. Surely that should make you question their advice!
I’ve looked at things like salt intake, fat intake, sugar intake, vitamin supplements, and you can go on and on...
These things keep changing with more information - ie. the original diagnosis was WRONG!
How about just letting most folks live their lives and as long as they don’t over indulge in any particular area - they should be just fine!
Doctors advice is about 30% correct as I see it and you should take their advice with two grains of salt!
My son, when he was in second grade, was not learning to read. Actually, he was unlearning to read because we sent him to public school knowing all his letters and sounds and being able to sound out small and easy words. By second grade he was trying to guess read and he was a bad guesser.
I observed him in the classroom to see what he was doing. I took four days off of work over a month to help in his classroom with a poetry program. I immediately saw why the kid was not learning.
The classroom was a dang zoo and he was busy watching it all instead of doing his work. Worse, they had a grouping of desks in “teams.” When the group was finished with their work, they could move on and they could help each other. Gregory was doing my kid’s work for him. I recognized his writing on all those smiley face papers my son had been bringing home!
I home schooled him for a few years because he could not get into private school without being held back. We really had a great time together and he flourished. But when the school found out I was not happy with his progress, they suggested - strongly - that I put him on ritlan. No way Jose! Good grief!
Really good article, thanks! (can’t believe the slimes published something worth reading.)
the teachers are taking it upon themselves to prescribe medications. I came from a famiy of 9 kids none of us were on any drugs for add. It is just wrong. Ritalin destroys kids brains and it is cruel. These teachers and administrators should be held accountable for what they are doing to these kids.
each teacher btw with the unions is guaranteed a huge retirement pension we all have to support. they are guaranteed a future the kids are not.
When Can a Child With ADHD Get Disability?
If the severity of your child’s ADHD meets the Social Security Administration’s impairment listing for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, your child will be granted benefits. (snip)
http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/adhd-attention-deficit-social-security-disability.html
I know a 10 year old swimmer that takes adderal at meets. He goes from a quiet kid to a Mexican jumping bean instantly. Kid is one of the best in the state but will max out at 5 ft. 4. Father is a maniac. If I had proof I would report it but all we found was some Energy drink containers and saw him puff up with asthma inhaler. He doesn’t have Asthma.
Yep, truly sad. That crap changes the way children’s brain works. It is truly disgusting.
it is amazing how many kids with adhd can sit playing video games for hours on end.
Exercise would help along with not listening to some commie moron for 6 hours a day
My daughter was diagnosed at 19 after years of struggling and suffering.
She was not hyperactive externally.The day she was diagnosed and began getting help, she and I Iiterally danced in the street. Her life turned around quickly, and she graduated from college with honors.
I agree. Take them off the junk food.
Dysfunctions within the Vestibular System and sensory processing can also trigger anxiety. If a child lets say is told too take out the trash and does not respond that could be the problem If the child hears it a second time they may say huh? Or when you repeat the third time they do it. It's not a deliberate I'm ignoring you but rather they are simply just then processing what you said.
Placing a kid up close too the teacher helps in school. The kid will likely have great difficulty taking notes so I would recommend a recorder for that. The kid isn't lazy but rather the kid can not do the multi-task of hearing and writing at the same time. Also real important is the fact that their concentration may be greatly hindered similar to ADD ADHD. These kids may also have issues with their balance or coordination and associated eye problem as well. They may have trouble reading such as skipping words, sentences, or even a paragraph. They may show having trouble recognizing spelling errors and sentencing structure. That is also common with CAPD.
Why has this happened? Why could this be the actual ADD ADHD rise we've seen? The condition as such has always been there. But due to advances in technology it is being triggered. Video games can trigger it. Sounds can trigger it as can background noises. Many things simply were not around 30-40 years ago. TV was black and white and relatively low tech meaning very little special affects. Now the TV is bombarding them with strobing and flashing ever changing scenes. This is a life long issue as it will not go away.
I highly advise and parent who is told their child might have ADD ADHD to have this checked out. If the kid has it you do not want that child on Ritalin or any ADD ADHD treatment as such.
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