The controversial guidelines for the prescription of ADHD drugs are
undergoing a rush review following claims that the leading doctor, who
was responsible for extensive research into the anti-psychotic drugs
accepted large payments from the drug company.
US-based child
psychiatrist, Dr. Joseph Biederman is currently under investigation in
America by authorities who have uncovered $1.6 million in payments made
by ADHD drug manufacturers.
Following this revelation, the
Australian Government has been forced to stop the release of the draft
guidelines and may have to rewrite them following the scandal.
Authorities have also been forced to admit that the guidelines, which
recommend medication like Ritalin as the best form of treatment for
ADHD may be corrupt.
University of South Australia education
faculty lecturer Dr. Brenton Prosser said “I advise parents to use
medication as a last resort. Pills don’t acquire skills. Medicines
don’t address social skills.”
In 2008, it was revealed that
seven of the 10 people in charge of setting the guidelines had
financial links to firms who make ADHD drugs.
The Spinal Centre’s Comment:
It comes as no surprise that the deception has finally been revealed.
ADHD
drugs, like Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall are all dangerous drugs.
All-too-commonly prescribed to children who show ‘symptoms’ of ADD or
ADHD, these drugs are in the same drug class as cocaine - indeed they
have very similar chemical compositions and elicit the same effects.
Australia
has one of the highest rates of ADHD diagnosis in the world. In 2008,
around 300,000 Ritalin prescriptions were issued, compared to 11,114 in
1992. That’s close to a 25-fold increase. We find it very hard to
believe that 300,000 Australian children need to be taking a drug as
strong - and dangerous - as ADHD medication.
Somewhere between 5
and 10 percent of American school children are diagnosed with ADHD. If
the multinational drug companies could have their way, every single one
of these children would be on their drugs, equally billions in profit.
This is reflected in this recent extortion findings.
If Ritalin
was truly as safe and effective as it is intended to be, then the large
jump in prescription could possibly be justified, but make no mistake -
it isn’t. And if the drug manufacturers need to pay a lead researcher
to promote their drug, something is seriously wrong.
In the
time-poor, gadget-filled, junk-food era that we live in, there is
little wonder why children are becoming more hyperactive, having
trouble concentrating and being downright naughty.
Remember
that there is no physical test for ADHD - it is all based on
questionnaires, doctor’s opinions and ‘symptoms’. If a child has
trouble concentrating, expressed hyperactive behaviour or is
argumentative, they could be diagnosed as ADD or ADHD.
How can
we possibly expect our children to have normal behaviour and optimum
concentration if they are fed a diet based on bread, cereal, sugar,
processed food, chemicals, juices, soft drinks and junk?
We
truly are what we eat. What happened to fresh vegetables, fruit, lean
meats and plain old water? Surely there must be others that wonder why
the number of ADD/ADHD diagnosis have risen as our intake of processed
food and junk has increased too.
If a child eats only a tiny
portion of their daily vegetable requirements, and instead fills up on
processed food, bread, junk food and frozen meals, they CANNOT get the
vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. This includes mentally
healthy too.
It all starts with diet. You simply cannot have a
healthy functioning brain in a child that is not given the proper foods
to develop optimal brain function.
Throw out the junk. It may be
easier to give your kids processed foods and sugar, especially if you
work, but you are just setting yourself up for failure. Take
responsibility for their health instead of drugging them up. Starting
good eating habits early is the best way to make sure your kids turn
into healthy, functioning adults. Don’t put it off - start a new
healthy eating regime today and stick with it.
For a good starting guide, read Health Promoting Nutrition. This will help you through the often confusing world of healthy eating. Read ‘Why Change our Diets?’ for more information on how healthy eating can affect your health. Stuck for meal ideas? Our Weekly Meal Planner provides a long list of nutritious and tasty meals using basic ingredients.
What else can I do?
Eliminate
grains. Quit kidding yourself that bread and cereals are good for your
kids. No good comes from eating refined, bleached white flour. Not only
does it have no nutritional value whatsoever, it is also setting your
kids up for a massive sugar crash. Bring on the hyperactivity. Refer to
Eating to Reduce Inflammation and Health Promoting Nutrition Explained for more information.
Begin
using fish oil immediately. This is just as important for all members
of the family. Fish oil has been proven to be more effective than
Ritalin, minus the side-effects or cocaine-like sedation. A good fish
oil, like the ones found here, will work wonders on your child.
Start
giving them a multivitamin. It is impossible for your children to get
all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients they need to function
properly, feel energetic and concentrate from their diet alone. A
multivitamin will help to ‘fill in the gaps’ in their diet and provide
them with the proper nutrition to perform at their best. Check out The Best Multi’s for the best formulas around.
Stabilise
their blood sugar. Most children will have bounds of energy straight
after breakfast (hello hyperactivity), but will quickly crash as their
blood sugar plummets (anger, lashing out). A product like Eagle Pharmaceuticals Gluco Support will help to stabilise their blood sugars, keeping them on level ground throughout the day.
Do
your kids exercise enough? Exercise almost immediately elevates
dopamine and norepinephrine and keeps them up for a period of time. It
helps to still the impulsivity and hyperactivity of some kids, calming
them down and burning off extra energy. Our kids are more sedentary
than ever before with computers, video games and TV featuring highly in
their day. Get them moving after school - take them for a walk, play in
the park or run around in the backyard. For more information, read Stretching and Exercise.
Further Reading:
