SpinalColumnBlog

[This is the second part of Dr. Lamar’s article on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  Click here to read Part 1].

[originally published in KCN, April 2003]

Last month I brought to your “attention” a disorder which is currently termed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  Its prevalence has literally skyrocketed over the past decade.  It has affected nearly 4 million children and strangely only seems to occur, for the most part, within the borders of the United States.  It’s a disorder whose diagnosis is often questionable — primarily because there is no way to objectively prove its existence, making it a subjective diagnosis — one of opinion.  Observations of a child exhibiting hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and an inability to pay attention are enough to bring about the label of ADHD.  But perhaps the most questionable aspect of ADHD is the treatment of choice by most doctors:  Ritalin.  It’s a drug that is classified as a Schedule II Drug of the Controlled Substances Act, and is remarkably similar to cocaine.  The side effects are appalling, personalities are being lost, and children are becoming addicts — actually seeking it out in the streets.  Meanwhile, the drug manufacturer’s wallet is getting fatter.  What someone doesn’t want you to know is that there are other treatments available —  other treatments that are effective and will spare your child.

(more…)