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ADHD: A Drug-Free Approach
Go back to "Medicating for ADHD: A Stirring of Controversy"
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric diagnosis, defined by the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition) as a Mental Disorder. The most common treatment for ADHD is drug therapy. Children as young as three or four are routinely given major psychiatric drugs, like Ritalin, Tofranil, Dexedrine, Clonadine, Prozac and other medications. Many of these drugs are prescribed to children by family doctors or paediatricians on the strength of subjective and anecdotal reports by parents and teachers. The 'Connors Scale,' a simple check list, is often used to determine whether a child 'has' ADHD before a prescription for a major psychiatric drug is written out. Many children on these drugs receive no other form of treatment and remain on the drugs for many years.
It is a known fact that there are many more children diagnosed with ADHD today than there were twenty years ago. According to Dr Mary Ann Block (reference below), ADHD can in fact be seen as a major industry, with the main
beneficiaries being doctors, pharmaceutical companies, psychologists, psychiatrists, etc. It has also been suggested that the increase in incidence of ADHD is closely linked with the sales of Ritalin in the USA.
People who are unhappy with the psychiatric diagnosis of ADHD point out that the 'symptoms' of the 'disorder' are rather subjective perceptions of teachers, parents, doctors, etc. Can 'not listening,' 'making careless
mistakes,' 'failing to follow through on instructions,' etc. be called 'Symptoms' of a Psychiatric Disorder? Surely the 'diagnosis' of ADHD would depend on both the personality of the teacher and the 'symptoms' of a
particular child? If so, then ADHD can not strictly speaking be termed a 'disorder' or a 'disease.' This does not mean, however, that the symptoms of what is called ADHD are 'all in the mind!'
An alternative viewpoint is that ADHD is not, in fact a 'disorder,' but rather a cluster of symptoms which could be attributed to a variety of problems, including food intolerance, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), allergies, low
muscle tone, perceptual difficulties, nutritional problems, candida, hyperthyroidism, Tourettes Disorder, brain dysfunction, family and emotional problems, abuse, poor discipline, undiagnosed hearing impairment, depression and
other conditions. All of these can produce ADHD-like symptoms in children. Routinely prescribing psychiatric drugs without proper and thorough assessment to find the underlying cause of the child's problem is nothing short of
alarming! Interestingly, while the incidence of ADHD in children is estimated at about 3% of all children, surveys have indicated that almost 6% of children are on some sort of psychiatric drug for ADHD, the most commonly prescribed
being Ritalin. It is worth noting that Ritalin is a controlled substance, like morphine. It is similar in structure to amphetamines and uses the same receptor site in the brain as does cocaine - and it is routinely
prescribed for children with behavioral problems and difficulties concentrating in class!
While drug therapy certainly has short term 'results' in about 75 - 80% of cases, it does nothing to treat the underlying causes. As we have seen above, there is often no attempt to find the underlying causes, let alone treat
them. Using Ritalin and other high schedule drugs to treat children with behavioral and concentration problems is, in my opinion, like treating every headache with morphine.
Possible short term side effects of Ritalin include loss of appetite, tics, anxiety, decreased growth, insomnia, visual disturbances, depression, irritability, stomach ache, increased heart rate, and psychotic symptoms. Ritalin has
not been around for long enough to document the effects of long term use on the children's hearts, kidneys, livers or immune systems. Essentially children taking Ritalin at the moment are guinea pigs! In addition, it is well-known that
some children are abusing prescription drugs in schools and Ritalin is sometimes sold to peers rather than used medicinally. Children snort Ritalin like they snort cocaine, or they use it to obtain a high. There is evidence
that it is addictive although this is not yet conclusive.
Are there alternatives? Psychiatric drugs are only one way of treating the symptoms of ADHD.
The most important thing is to start with a thorough assessment. In my practice all assessments begin with a parent interview where a comprehensive history is taken, including information on development, diet, allergies,
discipline, family functioning, sleep patterns, behaviour and school performance. After this, the child undergoes an assessment over a number of days to determine emotional, scholastic and intellectual functioning. A comprehensive
report is compiled and recommendations are made.
Many children improve with changes in diet and the introduction of consistent and effective disciplinary methods. Some need therapy for emotional problems. Others are taught, by means of games and exercises, to recognise
when they fidget and become distracted and are helped to focus, plan, organise and complete their tasks. Some children are sent to their doctors for further tests, or they are referred to occupational therapists. Sometimes it
is the parents that are taken into treatment to assist with family problems that are causing trauma for the child. Whatever treatment plan is devised, the majority of children treated in my practice improve without psychiatric
drugs, so long as parents (and teachers) are prepared to follow through and persevere with treatment at home and at school as well. Yes, it is much easier to simply prescribe a drug, but is it the best thing for your child?
Many children respond very well to homeopathic remedies, especially if these are combined with therapy and a change in diet. Instead of suppressing the symptoms, homeopathic formulas can strengthen the child's own defense mechanisms
to fight against the symptoms of ADHD. Homeopathic medicines are safe, non-addictive and effective
alternatives to drug therapy, especially in the case of children!
So if you suspect (or have been told) that your child has ADHD, it is my suggestion that your first port of call should be a psychologist who has a reputation of working with children without the use of psychiatric drugs.
For those who would like to do some further research, here is a list of recommended reading:
Book Reviews:
FEELGOOD TIP!
If your child has difficulty sitting still and cannot concentrate in class, see what happens if you cut out sweets, caffeine, soda pops and cola drinks from his diet. Also try to eliminate foods with artificial flavors,
preservatives and colouring like Tartrazine and MSG.
Take care and be well!
Go back to "Medicating for ADHD: A Stirring of Controversy"
Copyright © Michele Carelse. Michele Carelse is a Registered Clinical Psychologist with more than 12 years experience. She runs a private practice as well as an Online Counseling and Resource Centre. Michele has also developed Feelgood Health - a range of natural remedies for adults and children, especially formulated for emotional and psychological health. For more information, Click here. This article courtesy of Health-Dir.com. This information is provided as a courtesy to MyParenTime.com's visitors and is for educational purposes only.
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