the drugging of children: a national...

The Drugging of Children: A National Disgrace

Written by Aletha Solter, Ph.D.Saturday, 01 September 2018 00:00 - Last Updated Monday, 28 January 2019 13:45

In 1998, approximately 5 percent of children in the United States were diagnosed with acondition known as “attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder” (ADHD). By 2007, that percentagejumped to 9.5 percent, and has continued to increase. In October 2011, the American Academyof Pediatrics expanded its guidelines. Children as young as 4 can now be officially diagnosedwith this condition. (Until the change, the lower limit was age 6.)

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ADHD is considered a chronic medical condition. Children (mostly boys) who are diagnosedwith ADHD are distractible or impulsive, and overactive. The primary treatment is psychiatricmedication, and the drug of choice is Ritalin (methylphenidate), an addictive stimulant similar toamphetamines (“speed”) that has a paradoxical calming effect on children. The U.S. consumesfive times more Ritalin than all other countries in the world combined.

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With the new recommendations, physicians are now allowed to prescribe psychiatric medicationfor children as young as 4 who meet the diagnostic criteria. These new recommendations arebased on a review of research studies. Not surprisingly, many of these studies were funded bygenerous grants from the pharmaceutical companies that produce these medications.

On the surface, it looks as if Ritalin is the perfect solution for a child with ADHD. When Johnnyis labeled a problem by the schools, the parents feel pressured to get a medical diagnosis andtreatment. There is no doubt that the jobs of parenting and teaching become easier whenchildren sit still and do what they are told. No wonder these drugs are so commonly prescribed!

Let’s look beneath the surface. It is not known how Ritalin works or exactly what it does to thebrain, nor has the safety and efficacy of long-term use been established. It is an addictivesubstance that the Food and Drug Administration has placed in the same category as cocaine.Ritalin has potentially dangerous side effects, and drug withdrawal often results in a return ofsymptoms, in some cases more severe than before.

What kind of message are we giving to children when we teach them that their behavior andfeelings should be altered with drugs? Are we not setting them up to become drug addicts laterin life? Ritalin is one of the most highly abused drugs on high school and college campuses,where students take this easily available drug as an all-night study aid or a cheap “high.” Therehave even been reported deaths from Ritalin overdose.

The status of ADHD as a medical disorder has not been established. Although it is consideredto be a neurobiological disease, no biological factor has been found to be the cause of thesechildren’s behavior, and there is no medical test to diagnose it. Instead, the diagnosis is basedexclusively on teachers’ and parents’ subjective observations. The checklist for diagnosis in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders includes such behaviors as “Often doesnot seem to listen when spoken to directly,” “Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage intasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework),” and “Often hasdifficulty awaiting turn.” Are we justified in giving children powerful addictive drugs to make themdocile, simply because their behavior is annoying?

While Ritalin and other related stimulants tend to help children sit still longer and focus onschool-related tasks, there is lack of evidence indicating long-term improvement in academicperformance, as measured by achievement tests. Furthermore, studies have revealed thatRitalin does not totally eliminate problem behaviors in the majority of children, nor does it

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guarantee improved social relations. Millions of parents are led to believe that their childrenneed Ritalin. But giving Ritalin to children is a superficial solution that changes children’sbehavior without addressing possible underlying social, emotional, or environmental causes.

Maybe our schools are not geared to the needs of these children. There is research indicatingthat many hyperactive children function “normally” in less rigid, open classroom settings withopportunities to learn through hands-on activities, creativity, movement, and games. Manychildren’s symptoms disappear, as if by magic, when the children engage in activities of theirown choice outside of school. Rather than give drugs to children to make them sit still in school,why not search for ways to make school more interesting or relevant for these children?

Another possibility is that children who can’t pay attention have been affected by watching toomuch television and videos. The rapid shift in images on a screen causes children to lose theirability for sustained focusing. Also, the activity, violence, and impulsive behavior of cartoon andlive characters in children’s films serve as a role model for similar behavior. Children are forcedinto unnatural passivity while watching a screen, and this is often followed by a rebound effect:a burst of pent-up energy as soon as the device is turned off.

Let’s not overlook the importance of diet. What are these children eating? Do they have vitamindeficiencies, food sensitivities, or allergies? Are their brains being affected by toxins in theenvironment?

Even when hyperactivity or difficulty concentrating is caused by prenatal drug exposure, are wejustified in further damaging these children’s brains with addictive psychiatric drugs? These arethe children whose brains need the most protection from further drug exposure. We know thatexperiences can change the very structure and function of the brain, which has an enormousability to heal. Why not search for the kinds of experiences that can help to reestablishhomeostasis in these children’s brains and improve their behavior? For example, certain formsof play (such as cooperative games and rough-and-tumble play) can improve the behavior ofchildren labeled ADHD.

Finally, one should always consider the possibility that an ADHD child is suffering from anoverload of stress or the effects of unhealed trauma. There is evidence that major familystresses (such as parental mental disorder, divorce, or hospitalization) correlate with ADHD,and many of these children also show symptoms of depression, anxiety, and conduct disorders.Trauma caused by a difficult birth, major medical procedures, sexual or physical abuse, or

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multiple foster care placements should also be considered. Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk, apsychiatrist at Harvard, has found that hyperactivity is a common symptom of Post-TraumaticStress Disorder. Unfortunately, very few researchers or practitioners bother to take a traumahistory of ADHD children.

When stress or trauma are suspected, every effort should be made to reduce stress for thesechildren and their families, and to offer psychotherapy that allows the children to releasetensions and resolve past trauma. Children can heal from trauma when they feel safe enough tocry, and they can also benefit from certain forms of therapeutic play and laughter.

There is no simple answer. In fact, there might be as many different causes for ADHD as thereare children diagnosed with it. Meanwhile, let’s not settle for a deceptively easy solution inwhich the only real winners are the pharmaceutical companies.

Originally published on Awareparenting.com. Copyright © 1998, 2011 by Aletha Solter.

10 Suggestions for Parents of Children who have been Labeled ADHD

1.

Find a school that offers plenty of choices and self-directed learning through movement, games,and hands-on activities.

2.

Turn off the TV and leave it off. Discourage all other screen time as well, including computergames.

3.

Look for all possible sources of stress in your child’s life, and try to minimize stress.

4.

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Give your child plenty of unstructured play time with opportunities to run, jump, dance, climb,and build.

5.

Give your child plenty of tactile experiences with clay, finger paints, sand, and water.

6.

Take time each day to appreciate some aspect of nature with your child: view a sunset, smellthe flowers, listen to the birds, go wading in a stream.

7.

Set up special times to be with your child each day (if possible) during which you are totallynon-directive and let your child decide what to do. Also engage your child in cooperative gamesand playful wrestling with laughter, in which you let him “win.”

8.

Refrain from the use of authoritarian methods of discipline, which can cause resentment andfrustration in children. Look for underlying reasons for behavior, and strive for mutual conflictresolution.

9.

Accept your child’s attempts to release tensions by crying and raging. Don’t discourage thesenatural stress-release mechanisms. Children are much calmer and have a longer attention spanafter a good cry or tantrum (with someone’s loving attention).

10.

Slow down and try to relax. Remember that your child is a wonderful, unique human being, andthat there is probably nothing wrong with your child’s brain. Parenting is a difficult job. Try to getall the help and support you need.

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This article appeared in Pathways to Family Wellness magazine, Issue #59. View Article Resources . View Author Bio . To purchase this issue, Order Here .

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