ADHD

The following article appeared in the latest edition of Self Healing, by Dr. Andrew Weil. I thought some might be interested in reading this, so am posting the entire article, exactly as it appears in the newsletter.

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.

ADHD: Are We Overmedicating Children?

When I was in medical school in the 1960s, what we now call attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) was considered rare. Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that between 4 and 12 percent of school-age children have ADHD, a condition marked by symptoms ranging from hyperactivity to a propensity to daydream. I’m troubled by this huge increase in ADHD, and wonder if more children are truly afflicted, or whether our tolerance for acceptable childhood behavior has changed. Could we be pushing kids too hard to excel academically?

Equally disturbing to me is that the use of Ritalin and similar medications by preschoolers (some as young as age two tripled during the first half of the 1990s, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The majority of those prescriptions, researchers say, were written for kids diagnosed with ADHD. I worry about exposing a young, developing brain to such powerful drugs. I also fear we may be too focused on labeling and medicating our kids rather than exploring other roots of the problem, which may range from a learning disability or problems at home to depression or even boredom.

Our explanation for the rising incidence of ADHD is that its definition has evolved and expanded over time. For example, it’s no longer necessary to be hyperactive to be diagnosed with ADHD – children who are considered “inattentive” or “dreamy” often receive the same diagnosis and prescription for Ritalin. Adding to the confusion is that there’s currently no objective test for ADHD; practitioners instead depend on the patient’s history and an assessment of symptoms by parents and teachers that can be vague and open to interpretation.

I don’t doubt that ADHD exists, but I suspect that many ADHD patients have been misdiagnosed. ADHD is largely and American phenomenon, with more children being diagnosed here than in most other countries. Some experts think the increasing fast pace of our society has created an environment that may be too stimulating for many kids. Edward Hallowell, MD, co-author of Driven to Distraction, a popular book on the subject, believes millions of Americans really have “pseudo-ADHD.” That is, they ADHD-like symptoms such as disorganization, frustration, and a need for super-stimulation. Meanwhile, advocacy groups insist that ADHD is a neurobiological disorder – the result of disordered brain chemistry – but this has yet to be fully proven.

Proponents of Ritalin say that it makes kids calmer and more focused, and some feel it should be the primary treatment for ADHD. However, Ritalin appears to “work” on anyone, whether they have ADHD or not, casting doubt on the idea that I corrects a chemical imbalance. What’s more, the drug must be taken on an ongoing basis to maintain its benefits. In addition, the drug’s side effects range from decreased appetite, nervousness, and palpitations to headaches, insomnia, and the potential for addiction. Even as more youngsters are taking Ritalin, there’s a lack of long-term studies of the drug in children and of any such studies in toddlers. Research also suggests that Ritalin without additional therapy makes no difference in the long-term outcome of children with ADHD.

Although I believe that Ritalin can reduce symptoms of ADHD and may be helpful in sever cases, I’m concerned that it doesn’t teach coping skills and may mask other problems. Rather than turning to medication, I think that many kids diagnosed with ADHD may simply require different ways of learning. Some children just aren't suited to sitting in a conventional classroom, focused solely on traditional subjects, but might excel in more-flexible educational settings that include hands-on skills, such as art or music.

If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, I encourage you to get a second opinion, preferable from a psychiatrist. Don’t accept ADHD symptoms and behaviors as a physical disease, but consider them as an imbalance between your child’s natural personality and the demands of his or her environment. Consider family counseling as a way to learn new parenting techniques and coping skills. Speak to your child’s teacher about different learning options. Before giving your child Ritalin, experiment with alternative therapies – the martial arts, which allow children to work out their energy while teaching discipline, may be particularly helpful. Other options worth exploring include biofeedback, homeopathy, cranial osteopathy, and dietary changes.

Andrew Weil, Self Healing, August 2000, p.8.

[This message has been edited by Cathy Sears (edited July 27, 2000).]

I read with interest the article on ADHD and agree wholeheartedly with the idea that maybe our standards and expectations of childhood behaviour have changed.

I have a healthy, "normal," ACTIVE 2 year old boy and so I tend to be around other parents of such. I have been concerned by the number of them who seem to want to raise a superchild or genius of some sort.

Any thoughts on this?

I groan when I read articles like this one. Healthy, active, normal children are not diagnosed with ADD. To say children are being misjudged once more blames the parents for what is a brain malfunction. The increase in diagnosis comes from an increase in knowledge about the problem. If there is a real increase, then I'd like to point you to the type of chemicals we've all ingested during the last century, unlike preceding generations. What people fail to understand is the symptoms of ADD and ADHD are bad behaviour. This is dysfunctional behaviour that doesn't result in the child gaining an advantage. This can be separated from behavioural issues, and can't be treated by behavioural modification because it's a BRAIN thing. Medication doesn't cure it. Neither does it cure schizophrenia. But medication can assist a child to function, learn, and be accepted by his/her peers. These are things we take for granted if they're no challenge to us, but vital to a person's self-respect. I agree the medications are less than ideal, but so is a broken life. My son wasn't diagnosed until he was 18. The doctors he saw prior to this didn't believe in ADD. His life was too far gone to fix, and he will never regain what he lost. If I had my time over, I would gleefully feed him Ritalin or anything else, in an attempt to avoid what actually happened.

Medication is fine, when used in moderation.
all to often in this country, we want a quick fix, stop the problem now, don't confuse me with the facts.
How many children out there don't have add or adhd and are on strong medications for them and will pay the price later down the line.
Unfortunately, we in the US have been taught that there is a pill for everything and it will make us akll better, nonsense.
Yes, there are cases where it may be necessary, but to shove a pill down a toddlers throat because someone thinks they have a problem is horrendous.

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Chose you this day whom you will serve,
as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua 24:15

What is popular is not always right.
What is right is not always popular.

I'm sorry zyph, but I do not agree with you. Your personal experience is with a son who truly does have ADD. Mine is with a son who most certainly would have been misdiagnosed as having it, if we weren't awake to what was going on in his life and took the right steps to eliminate the stress in his life that had caused him to become uncontrollable and unable to concentrate on anything.

It is true that there really is such a brain disorder as ADD/ADHD. But it is just as true that people & doctors in this country are too quick to jump on whatever quick-fix solution they can find for problems with their children or their health, instead of looking deeper to find the root cause. And there are many children who are diagnosed as having ADD or ADHD, whose only real problem is that they don't fit into the mold society wants to force them into.

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.

I've seen a report on the news about adults who are being diagnosed with ADD! An article I read mentioned a woman who had trouble focusing, took Ritalin, and now is a "success!"

Apparently it's being used by a lot more adults than was previously thought. The article suggested that some adults are trying to get their kids diagnosed to they can take some themselves.

I'm sorry I don't have a solid reference for this, but I think I read it last month on the ABC News Wire Service.

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Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. Rom. 12:12 NLT

My youngest sister's husband is on Ritalin, in his late 30's. But he has been on it since childhood, and he truly does have ADHD. But it is wrong for an adult to try and get a child diagnosed so he/she can take the child's medication! Won't the doctors give it to adults? The whole thing is really shameful.

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.

ADD doesn't go away. Some children improve at puberty, and some get even more chaotic - particularly the dreamy kind. It's quite easy to recognise the symptoms, once you see it often enough. Some adults can hold it together as long as they're in a familiar rut, but they need a lot of lone time in order to ease their anxiety over trying to be something they're not. I work with homeless men, mostly. Over the years I've had to do crisis assessments 10 to 20 times per day. (I assure you, I'm not exaggerating the figures!) The population of undiagnosed ADD sufferers is higher than in the general population. I can't be 100% accurate, but some men are classic cases, and once they've had a formal diagnosis, they regain their self-esteem. They go from believing they were incorrigibly bad, to understanding they're disabled, and knowing there may be help for them. I think I probably have the condition, and it's a dreadful burden. I would never take medication, unless I was suicidal or something. But if medication is helpful, and the physical cost is not too high, I think it's a real option. I don't know the statistics for mis-diagnosis, but I do know that a clinic in my city was accused of over-diagnosing ADD and ADHD. It was a clinic specifically set up for that diagnosis, and by the time children were referred there, it was a pretty safe bet that they probably had the condition. No-one accuses a cancer clinic of over-diagnosis. And doctors mis-diagnose various illnesses all the time. I also have very little faith in medical practitioners (at a clinic where I used to work, the doctors and I used to play "I Spy" during slow times - ruined my respect for them!). I've had some terrible encounters with them. I still am uncomfortable with anything that shifts the blame back to the parents, for an unavoidable condition. This is probably just a measure of the guilt I still feel.

I found this article at CNN today.

Metronome said to help ADHD

March 9, 2001
Web posted at: 11:01 a.m. EST (1601 GMT)

From Rhonda Rowland --CNN Medical Correspondent

WESTON, Florida (CNN) -- A new study suggests that a metronome device may help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder concentrate better. But many ADHD experts are questioning the results of the research.

ADHD is thought to affect 3 percent to 5 percent of school-aged children in the United States, most of them boys. The developmental disorder, characterized by inattention and behavioral problems, is generally treated with medications such as Ritalin or with various behavioral therapies.

One of those therapies involves performing various tasks -- clapping, tapping the foot -- to the beat of a metronome.

The technique originated with Tom Eggleston, whose 14-year-old son Jimmy has ADHD. Eggleston noted that Jimmy seemed to improve after taking piano lessons with a metronome.

He was so impressed, he started a company, Interactive Metronome, to market a metronome device as an ADHD treatment tool.

The new research, published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, appears to bear out Eggleston's experience. Fifty-six boys took part in the study.

"Their attention improved, their motor planning and sequencing improved. They had improvement in selected academic skills involving reading and some math capacities," said Dr. Stanley Greenspan, a child psychiatrist who conducted the research. Greenspan is also an advisor to Interactive Metronome.

Not all ADHD specialists are convinced. They say the study was too small to draw conclusions and point out that children who used the metronome did little better than those who played video games instead.

"There's probably no harm in doing it," said Dr. Rebecca Fewell of the University of Miami. But she stresses more study is needed to determine whether it's truly effective.

"Let the researchers experiment and provide us a little more evidence on these new techniques before we expose our children to them and think it will make a big difference," she said.

But many parents aren't waiting.

Alyssa Loeffler tried the therapy with her 8-year-old son, Ryan, with good results.

"His teacher was telling me, 'This is a different child,'" she explained. "She couldn't believe Ryan was doing all his work and that he was sitting in his seat and he was attentive."

The interactive metronome is available in 300 hospitals and clinics across the U.S., administered by therapists who have had 15 hours of training. It's not designed to replace existing therapies, but to complement them.

For parents who believe they've seen a difference in their children, the therapy has been worth it, despite lingering questions.

My son was misdiagnosed with adhd since kindergarden. I have to say I helped though. He resently was re-diagnosed. He has a severe nervious disorder allong with inherited depression. I feel so bad that he had to go on the wrong meds off and on for years. but now we are on the right track. the drs. said that if I had not the nutritional knowledge I do, he would have to be on a higher dose. lisa

All I know about ADHD is that I have a friend whose son was diagnosed with this disorder about 6 years ago, and he is almost 12 now. Something has helped him, I have often heard April say how different he is now. But, it wasn't all medication that helped,although he is still on it, there was much loving "family" support. April could not have done it all by herself, for, she is a single Mom, and has another younger child, a girl. But, she was so fortunate that her sitter and husband (as they had no children) gave her son the love and attention along with them learning all the skills to work with him that was thought would help. Also, her sitter's mom has acted as a grandparent, April had no biological family to turn to.

I have learned through all the pain through the last 12 years, that we may think we understand another's pain, and yes, even guilt feelings, when we feel we might have somehow done more. But, as Zyph has said, often it is too late. We would have done more, had we known what we know now, (at least, often, that is how it is, or, sometimes, as in the case of my son, I didn't know, and still don't know what would have helped.) We shouldn't even think we know how another feels, if we have not BEEN in their position, and, sometimes when we don't even mean it to be critical, it may come across that way.

It is SO much easier to feel we know the answers, when we are looking from the situation from a distance, rather than being in the middle of it, and having to deal with the pain every day.

In Christ's Love,

Dora

I don't know a whole lot about ADHD. Recently, I have been diagnosed with a similar disorder. I forgot what the Dr. called it but it has to do with brain waves misfiring, much like an electrical current in a thunderstorm which unbalances the brain chemcials.

The misfiring can lead to many symptoms. My symptoms were deep depression and flu like feelings. An overal sense of being sick physically and mentally. Lots of far off staring etc.

The Dr. tried all the antidepressents they have on the market. None of them worked.

Finally, the Dr. tried me on Neurontin (which is a sizure medication used for epileptics).

Within a few days the flu symptoms disappeared and the depression lifted.

As long as I am taking the medication I am fine. If I miss a dose then the symptoms return in a hurry.

Perhaps, if ADHD was diagnosed 40 years ago they would have had me on Ritalin. I don't know.

It seems to me that the school system likes to make all children who are not attentive diagnosed ADHD.

Has anyone ever heard of the "diagnosis" that I have. I wish I could remember the name the Dr. tagged on it.

There are two distinct forms of Attention Deficit Disorder. One includes hyperactivity, and is ADHD. The other one has as it's major symptom inattention and dreaminess. There is a LOT of ADD about - 10 percent of the population. I believe those figures, and I encounter lots of these people in my work. It is a devastating condition, and the lack of diagnosis, or belief in its existence causes a great deal of suffering for many people.

I don't think I've heard of your symptoms, Kay. The fluey thing throws me. But it's similar to ADD in that the electricals are firing improperly in your brain. I've seen my poor son all worked up when he was going out, talking a million miles an hour, and generally being loud and childish. He's become aware of himself, then felt on the verge of tears because he didn't know how to control it all. How disheartening. I'm not medicated, nor do I have a diagnosis, but I think I have symptoms of ADD, too. Not pleasant.

I'm glad you've found a solution to the worst of your symptoms.

zyph, thank you for responding to my portion of the discussion in this thread.

It wasn't until about 6 months ago that I started on the Neurontin. Before that, I was yacking a mile a minute, tears flowing for no reason; it was a nightmare.

I don't like to take any kind of "man's" medication but I thank God I am able to go about my daily business and spiritual walk with our Lord.

I often wonder what God thinks about all this medication thing. Aren't we supposed to depend upon Him for peace? I have come to the conclusion that if I don't take this medication then I will have lost my life and the Lord.

God bless all who come to this site and are able to be uplifted.

You know, Kay, I feel very wary about medication, too, particularly anything that alters our minds. And I will avoid all things that disorientate me - unless it's a side effect of something I need. Then I have to decide if it's worth it. I am on anti-inflammatories - Indocid - which make me sleepy sometimes (the effect varies sometimes). I can only take them at night, but it means I have a pain-free night, instead of waking up and having to take other pain-killers (which caused two stomach haemmorhages previously). It's not ideal, but I have no other options. I'm on blood pressure medication, which causes very mild confusion (lack of concentration when driving!!)- the stuff I was on originally had me roaming around unable to gather my thoughts for six weeks. But my sister had a brain haemmorhage, and I don't want to go down that path. I'll be on - wait for it - proton pump inhibitors for the rest of my life. I have dreadful gastric reflux, and I had ulcers in the past. I don't have the curable bacteria that causes ulcers, so that treatment is not an option. I'm a walking challenge! Most of mine is physical (except for suspect ADD stuff) and it sounds like most of yours is physical - only located in your brain. The drugs Ellen white referred to in her day were things like opium, which was freely give for minor things, and cocaine, which was in Coca-Cola. I believe a drug-free existence is best. But would you tell a diabetic to stop taking their injection of chemistry-altering hormones (insulin)? Of course not. This has been show to save lives. Anti-biotics save lives. There is a middle ground somewhere. Schizophrenics often do much better when medicated. Their medication is very potent and damaging sometimes. But the quality of their lives is enhanced.

By the sound of what you've said, your life has dramatically improved, and you are able to be closer to God. I think that speaks for itself, and on the basis of your capacity to approach God previously, you should be able to decide. Talk to Him about it, and until it is obvious that you are making your life bad by taking medication, enjoy all the good things that have come about as a consequence. God is good and kind, and He just wants the channels of communication to be open.

Now, I've opened up a can of worms with my confession of being a drug user. I hope no-one notices! lol

Hi zyph,
Thank you so much for your response. I would like to add that with all medications previously I would sleep most of the day and when I wasn't sleeping I was like a zombie. Those meds increased the depression and panic attacks so that I had come to the point of death.

Neurontin has no side affects for me. Not one. I am so happy that I have a life now. I am able to drive and do most things that I couldn't do before.

Praise God! I feel like singing. I'm on the other side of life now. (thats from a song I heard, lol)

Related to this theme is a book I have written about my own experience. Hyperactive behavior was an early symptom in my own case. My book can relate to many diagnoses, but shows mainly how I found God thru my sufferings and eventual complete recovery. It is not a namby-pamby story, be warned. It's at this website, if any are serious about these matters: www.ashlinsart.com

Restin, I have read only a few chapters of your book so far, but intend to read it all. I just want you to know I think you write beautifully and simply and this makes it quite powerful. I want to read your full story, and I thank you for allowing me (us) to do so. I may comment further.

One thing I want to say is that we should be very careful of what we say to others. We don't know their history or the pain and hurt they have been called to endure, and we can't judge anyone else by our own standards. Your story has reminded me of that.

Restin,

I just want to let you know that I also read the first six chapters, and hope to read more. Not very many people open themselves up like that to others as you have done, and publically at that.

Thank you, Zyph and Daryll, I'm glad you read the book. I also want to post a paragraph I wrote on one of the other forums. I realize this forum is in Canada, but probably most of you have heard of the frightful events in our capital in Washington, D.C., with the sniper. Now adventists are talking about the fact the youngest sniper went to a SDA school, and how that refects on us all. If I may, I would just like to paste my comment here, also, as I believe it's important: The devil is active indeed! I've always believed that one's past is not an excuse for misbehavior..maybe a reason, but not an excuse. But I will say this, from my own experience growing up and being moved from place to place, family to family. The newspapers are describing how Lee Malvo, the 17 year old sniper, seemed like such a nice young boy in the SDA school in Jamica. But it was just one of the many places he lived. When there, he was cared for by two women, not his mother. I respond to that, as I also lived in different homes after my mother was killed when I was one year old. I grew up as a bright, busy child in an SDA school, and pretended I didn't have a problem in the world! But I did have some odd ways, such as being the most boyish tomboy ever, and not wanting to be hugged or touched. Then I had severe problems later as an adult who couldn't feel. So, I want to say this, if it will help anyone starting a family. People have the mistaken assumption that all a baby needs is a bottle in his mouth and a clean diaper. They seem to forget the baby has feelings, young tho he be. A baby is bonded to his mother from birth, and no-one else will quite do. Babies a few months old are sent to daycare all day so mommy can go to work, and are expected to understand her need to do so. What about the baby's emotional need, which is different from an adult's? Separation doesn't make babies independent, it makes them too insecure to even try anything. Severe, repeated, separation anxiety has a devastating effect on babies. It usually results in a shut down of capacity to feel. The "bright and loving" child is just a front for the coldness beneath. I know this from having to go thru a lot of therapy. I'm not excusing Malvo in any way. Growing up SDA, always indoctrinated with moral principles, I kept my sense of responsibility tho I had deep problems. There is a choice in there somewhere. Malvo seemed to have lived in many different places, cared for by different people. But he should have worked on his resentments instead of let them twist his morality. And adults around him should have responded with more than platitudes. It gets me how so many SDA have the old scientoligist, Jehovah Witness attitue toward mental problems...just trust in the Lord, don't go to a doctor. Adventists, as a denomination, have combined faith with modern medical skill, as testified by their fine hospitals all over the world. But, sadly, they remain in the dark ages about mental health. That is a science too, without taking away the spiritual component. Most SDA don't know it, but adventists also have the finest psychiatric wards, too! In my opinion, lay adventists need to read more about mental illness and become more able to help someone with emerging disorders beyond the ordinary. I'm sure there were some who saw something beneath Malvo's exterior, but what could they do when so few care, and "just leave it to The Lord".

[ October 26, 2002, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: Restin ]