A very Contoversial post. What do you think?

The Present & the future: The Dangers of Ritalin

After reading the post that I've linked to above, I'm left with very mixed feelings. Part of what was written resonated with me and I found myself almost shouting out loud "That's not true" to other parts of the post.

I do agree that Ritalin is overprescribed and as Dr. Peter Breggin -who is quoted in the post- says that sometimes doctors seek easy solutions to behavioral problems which may have more complex causes.
I also agree that Ritalin is not a magic bullet to the proble with ADD.

But where I start to differ is when the very existence of Attention Deficit Disorder is questioned. The reason for the questioning of wheteher ADD exists or not is based on the fact that there are no measurable, scientific tests that can prove conclusively the existence of ADD.

Instead the diagnosis of ADD relies on a series of diagnostic questions that are answered by the child's parent, the medical practitioner and perhaps the teacher. And these can be highly subjective. But that does not mean that ADD / ADHD doesn't exist.

I also feel that the diagnostic criteria listed in the post are inaccurate. Where is any mention of a limited attention span. Or any mention of a child who is hypepractive? The post focuses on the behavioural aspect of ADD, which may or may not be present in someone who has ADD / ADHD.

The premise of the post is that doctors and parents are using medication to control their out-of-control kids That may be true in some cases, but I certainly wouldn't label all parents who choose to medicate their child with such a heartless label. To Dr. Breggin and "The Doctor" who made the post ADD is simply a child with lots of anger.

I know from personal experiance that ADD & ADHD exist. And reading any forum on attention deficit disorder will put you in contact with hundreds of caring parents who want what is best for their kids, not lazy parents who want to drug their kids into behaving better. And you'll see the pain, anguish and suffering that ADD causes is real.

He also points out some pretty scary side effects of Ritalin, including stunted growth, shrinkage of the brain, possible addiction and so on.

I have chosen not to medicate my children (I have 2 boys with ADHD), NOR to take medication myself (I have ADD) because I feel the side-effects are too high a price to pay.

Instead I have chosen to use a combination of beahvior modification, brainwave entrainment and a healthy, wholesome diet to treat the ADD & ADHD, and I must say that I'm pleased with the results.

Parents need to be made more aware of alternative treatments once their kids are diagnosed so that they can make an informed decision, and I think all parties concerned (parents, teachers, doctors and other health care providers) should fully educate themselves on all avaliable options. I would also urge parents to consider medication as a final resort and not a quick-fix. You'll be surprised at what a positive difference some small simple changes to a child's diet or daily routine can make.

That's why I've put together a free report entitled "10 Ways to Increase Your Child's Attention Span & Improve His Behavior Without Drugs" and "The Dark & Deadly Truth Behind Ritalin & Other Drugs." to make parents aware of the side-effects and dangers of Ritalin that your doctor may be unaware of.

What do you think? What has your experiance been? Have you ever used Ritalin? Or is your child on Ritalin? Or are you against Ritalin? What do you think of Dr. Peter Beggin's claims? Share your opinion by posting a comment and let's get a discussion going about this very controversial opinion.