| During
the past 10 to 15 years we have seen a significant increase in the number
of American children who are diagnosed with mental disorders and who, as
a consequence, are put on drugs such as Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Cylert
as standard treatment. Are our kids really more troubled than they
were 10 years ago, or are teachers (who are untrained in this genre, yet
often the first to "medically diagnose" your child) and psychiatrists taking
the path of least resistance with drug therapy?
"It should be
clear by now that the diagnosis of many childhood disorders is far from
scientific endeavor. Symptoms can inexplicably appear and disappear,
teachers with no medical or psychiatric training are given the power to
diagnose the disorder, and the definition of the disorder is based on subjective
criteria which depend more on the temperament of the person doing the diagnosing
than on the actual mental health of the child being diagnosed," says Gary
Null, noted author and one of America's leading health and fitness advocates.
There are various
alternative approaches to childhood disorders which you may want to explore
before letting a doctor put your child on drugs. Dr. Ray Wonderlick,
who has a background in pediatrics, explains his approach to treating children
with learning disorders or behavior problems: " We try not to give them
Ritalin or amphetamines when they have hyperactivity or attention-deficit
disorders. Instead we look at their basic quality of life and their
lifestyle." Infections, allergies, nutritional deficiencies, chemical
toxicities, are all evaluated and considered. In 90% of the cases,
the problem is managed without the use of drugs.
|
Let's
Talk About It - Go to:
Psychiatrists
and Ritalin
|
| "Aren't
caffeine and cocaine "natural" alternatives to Ritalin? I dislike the promotional
use of "natural" to imply "good." Some of the most deadly poisons
known are "natural." -- GreatGuru |
"I'm
not an expert, but from what I've seen of those kids who are deficient
in attention, or lack the ability to concentrate on something, they tend
to display personalities very similar to their parents." -- Kyin |
"There
is an ever growing body of psychologists and psychiatrists that believe
that ADD/ADHD has become the dumping ground diagnosis, and ritalin has
very little benefit. -- Vinny (Licensed Psychiatrist) |
|
Recommended Reading
and Book Review
|
The A.D.D.
Nutrition Solution: A Drug-Free 30-Day Plan
By Marcia Zimmerman,
C.N.
Certified Nutritionist,
Marcia Zimmerman, brings to her work years of lecturing, studying, and
recommending diets that have helped countless children and adults overcome
AD/HD, a misunderstood health phenomenon of the 90s. She is also
a consultant to some of the country's leading nutritional and supplement
companies.
Her newly-released
title, "The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution," provides information on the nutritional
deficits, food allergies, and hereditary and environmental factors that
can cause attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), a condition
that afflicts more than 17 million people in this country today.
This book clearly
explains why what we eat affects how we think and outlines an easy-to-follow
30-day dietary and supplement plan shown to decrease or end AD/HD symptoms
completely. Scientific studies and personal anecdotes accompany the
practical, accessible information, including foods and ingredients that
may exacerbate AD/HD and wonderful, all-natural recipes for family favorites
-- like macaroni and cheese --your children will love.
The author also
explains how women can boost their nutrition before conception to prevent
AD/HD in their newborn children, and much, much more! If you're looking
for a healthy alternative to the much-prescribed drug Ritalin (you can
also use this diet in conjunction with conventional treatment), then this
is the book to buy.
"This book is
must reading for every parent, physician, teacher, and school nurse who
deals with ADD and AD/HD children. ADD is not caused by a deficiency of
Ritalin. Marcia Zimmerman's The A..D.D. Nutrition Solution is right
on target!" --Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., director of the Autism Research Institute,
San Diego, CA.
-
"Over a million
young ADD/ADHD people are now taking Ritalin. How many of these young people
and their parents have been informed by their physicians that
Ritalin
may cause permanent heart damage? (Part of original article: Henderson,
Theodore A., Ph.D. and Fischer, W. Vernon, Ph.D., "EFFECTS OF METHYLPHENIDATE
(RITALIN) ON MAMMALIAN MYOCARDIAL ULTRASTRUCTURE," The American Journal
of Cardiovascular Pathology 5 (1): 68-78, 1994
-
For a list of Net
resources on this site offering alternative therapies, See Net Links area:
ADD/ADHD
-
If you're looking
for information regarding conventional treatments
for ADD, see About.com's ADD GuideSite. Bob Seay offers excellent
resources and articles.
Post your comments, questions
and concerns on
our
message board!
Additional
Net Resources for Health
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