Children's Health

ADHD

Ritalin is the fastest growing abused drug in the US!
I attended a valuable seminar on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Dr. Mary Ann Block, has written No More Ritalin, Treating ADHD Without Drugs, A Mother 's Journey, A Physician's Approach. I was interested in her therapeutic approach, since at the RHFC, we have had a great deal of success with this condition.

The seminar was valuable to me for another reason as well. It's another case of "What Do Statistics Really Mean?"

Remember the war on drugs? And all the election hoopla about President Clinton's poor example to America's youth? Well, whatever your feelings about the President, this may be one time where he was unfairly accused.

Teen drug use has risen 105% from 1992 to 1996. During the same period, prescriptions for Ritalin have risen 150%. Currently, 2 million children are on Ritalin.

Do you realize that Ritalin is a cocaine analog? That, in fact, the tablets when ground up and inhaled, give the exact same high as cocaine? Well, the kids do. Ritalin is the fastest growing abused drug today. And most of it is obtained through legal prescriptions!

Furthermore, an 8-year study by Russell Barkeley, PhD, et al., American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, July 1990, concluded that the current therapeutic gold standard-special education resources, greater use of mental health services and medications-had an 80% failure rate when outcomes were studied. After 8 years on drugs and in therapy, 80% of the children still had symptoms. In addition, 60% had progressed to more serious psychiatric disorders which led to them being institutionalized in either a psychiatric hospital or a prison.

For those of you who do not want your children on Ritalin, I think this data offers you a potent counter-argument with the school administrators and teachers who so often pressure parents to medicate their children.

In fact, ADHD is a complex disorder that includes cranial dysfunction, food allergies and bowel dysbiosis. Which factors affect which child can only be determined by the proper diagnosis and testing.

At RFHC, we have been working successfully with ADHD for many years. The key has always been fitting the therapeutic program to the individual's needs.

 Does this apply to your child? If so, see our information on Consultations.

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