All viewpoints wanted

Re: Can you spell 'I cup'?

I-C-U-P

Get it? My 7 yo’s favorite joke which I’ve heard about 100 times in the last few weeks.

Just had to add a little elementary school humor to deflect deranged board terrorism.

Terry B - so sorry you’re in the medicate/not medicate decision process. It’s the hardest parenting decision we’ve made so far.

Well, my 3rd grader was in danger of failing so after many years of trying everything (diet, organization, etc.) i put him on Adderall but on 5mg. Just enough to give him a little focus to not only pass the thrid grade but also get intot he gifted program. However, I’ve since been on a quest to find an alternative to the stim. I’ve been using magnesium in the form of epsom salt baths and oral water soluable mag. It has worked wonders on the hyperactivity end of ADHD but their is still the focus problem. He’s calmer but he said it’ a bit harder to concentrate. So, i continue my search. There has been a lot of studies on ADD/ADHDers to be magnesium, vitamin B (spec. B6) and a few other minerals deficient that are necessary to feed the brain and help those neurotranmitters workmore efficiently. I’ve also heard that the intractive metronome treatment is very successful in many cases. Anyway, hope that helps a little.-Trudy

Re: All viewpoints wanted

My son who is LD, was diagnosed last summer as ADD-inattentive by a neurologist. He also has CAPD and we had done Fast Forward after first grade. That made a big difference in his attention. However, by third grade, we were getting consistent complaints about his attention in the classroom—both by his regular teacher and resource teacher. When I asked them to observe him closely and see if there was a relationship between what he was being asked to do and his fleeting attention, his resource teacher told me that he hardly ever pays attention!!!!

We did Interactive Metronome last summer and it made a dramatic difference. His resource teacher told me he was like a new kid.

We were going to do a trial of medication last fall (post IM) but never did because none of his teachers thought he had problems with attention.

Personally, I think he still is Add-inattentive and increasing demands as he gets older may make medication necessary. On the other hand, processing issues are clearly part of his picture and I see big improvements with attention as we have tackled those through therapy.

Certainly, I would try IM before medication. It may make medication unnecessary or reduce the amount your child needs.

Beth

Re: All viewpoints wanted

Here is my story;

When my son was little everyone said he was super bright. Everyone also politely called him “energetic, a real boy,” they were being nice. He did not check himself very much. When I think about what a nervous wreck I was back then I don’t know how I did it. He took a hammer to our car when he was 2, would impusively jump in the pool with no fear at 3 (after he miraculously learned how to put his hand around the fence and open the gate. He was joyful, sweet and verbally bright through it all.

When he was 4 I read a book that encouraged consistancy and the use of natural consequences. It was awesome. I became super consistant and learned to set up strict boundaries on what was not acceptable behavior. The book was called, “BackTalk.” It was a simple, easy to use manual for reigning your child in that required a calm consistant approach.

Around the same time I was told he had fine motor issues. So, I took care of that problem with exercises and he got much better but is still to this day low average.

In kindergarten everything fell apart. My verbally bright child could not learn to write his name, could not learn to recognize letters and numbers and forget reading.

He was classified at the end of first after the school could not teach him to read. I taught him myself the summer after first with phongraphix. He learned to read but still struggled with writing and math and never really liked to read. He also would put his clothes on backwards. I would tell him to get dressed and find him in his room fascinated with some little toy. When I reminded him to get dressed he would put his pants on without his underwear or wear his shirt backwards. This was in second grade. I had to tell him every step.

We did interactive metronome and again I saw a big improvement. He was able to get himself dressed and clean his room. (Not that he does this without being told, but before he wouldn’t even know where to begin) He could suddenly attend and learn. Before this I just thought he didn’t understand things then I saw that he could understand when he was attending. He now can sit through an entire baseball game, and play 18 holes of golf with his dad. (His attention is now better than mine because I can’t do either of those things.)
I also took him out of special ed after IM.

We took him to a developmental optometrist recently and it turned out that he had the ocular motor skills of “less than a 3 year old,” the worst they had ever seen. Those have improved significantly, he now loves to read and reads above his grade level. Math has improved significantly.

We are still working on a few things so this story isn’t really over.

Sorry it was so long. The answers aren’t simple or easy but I am glad I took this road rather than giving him meds as some had suggested. I believe meds could have masked some of his motor issues and improved some of his symptoms without really treating the neurological impairment that he really does have.

Re: All viewpoints wanted

PARENT NEWS ALERT! Sunday, April 27, 2003, our organization, Parents For Label and Drug Free Education, a grassroot parent organization, along with many supporters have alerted federal and state legislators and the U.S. Department of Justice about the forced psychiatric drugging being imposed on our children. Parents are being strong-armed with the threat of Child Protective Services, with charges of neglect for not wanting their children diagnosed with a mental disorder (ADHD) or wanting them drugged with dangerous Schedule II/Psychotropic drugs. Drug companies are targeting parents of young, normal children through ADHD support front groups. Drug companies have also increased their sales by directly marketing ADHD and stimulant drugs to parents using television and magazine advertisements. This propaganda leads unsuspecting parents to believe the fallacy that their children have brain abnormalities. Front groups such as (CH.A.D.D.) try to water down the fact that these stimulant drugs are powerful, addictive Cocaine like drugs. To See the actions of an organization funded by drug companies see the DEA website Page Click here >> http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/cngrtest/ct051600.htm Demand Proper Informed Consent! Without it, our children will continue to be harmed.

The purpose of this website is to educate parents regarding the unscientific nature of the ADHD diagnosis. Example: In 1998 at the National Institutes of Health Consensus on ADHD, the following statement was issued: “We do not have an independent, valid test for ADHD, and there is no data to indicate that ADHD is due to a brain malfunction”.

We wish to expose the health risks, dangers, and deaths that are a direct result of administering psycho-tropic drugs to children. These psycho-tropic drugs given to children labeled with ADHD include Ritalin, Methylphenidate, Concerta, Dexedrine, Dextrostat, and Metadate, just to name a few.

It is time for parents to come together and fight this horrific war against the drugging of our children, America’s future.

This crusade requires a united front. If you want to join, contribute, and/or become an active member of this justified crusade please contact us.

I hope our story and information will in some way benefit you and your child and prevent our tragedy from being your families reality and nightmare.

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Our fourteen year old son Matthew suddenly died on March 21, 2000. The cause of death was determined to be from the long-term (age 7-14) use of Methylphenidate, a drug commonly known as Ritalin.

According to Dr. Ljuba Dragovic, the Chief Pathologist of Oakland County, Michigan, upon autopsy, Matthew’s heart showed clear signs of small vessel damage caused from the use of Methylphenidate (Ritalin).

The certificate of death reads: “Death caused from Long Term Use of Methylphenidate, (Ritalin).”

I was told by one of the medical examiners that a full-grown man’s heart weighs about 350 grams and that Matthew’s heart’s weight was about 402 grams. Dr. Dragovic said this type of heart damage is smoldering and not easily detected with the standard test done for prescription refills. The standard test usually consists of blood work, listening to the heart, and questions about school behaviors, sleeping and eating habits.

*What is important to note here is that Matthew did not have any pre-existing heart condition or defect.

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Matthew’s story started in a small town within Berkley, Michigan. While in first grade Matthew was evaluated by the school, who believed he had ADHD. The school social worker, Monica Fuchs, kept calling us in for meetings. One morning at one of these meetings while waiting for the others to arrive, Monica told us that if we refused to take Matthew to the doctor and get him on Ritalin, child protective services could charge us for neglecting his educational and emotional needs. My wife and I were intimidated and scared. We believed that there was a very real possibility of losing our children if we did not comply with the schools threats.

Monica further explained ADHD to us, stating that it was a real brain disorder. She also went on to tell us that the Methylphenidate (Ritalin) was a very mild medication and would stimulate the brain stem and help Matthew focus.

We gave into the schools pressure and took our son to a pediatrician that they recommended. His name was Dr. John Dorsey of Birmingham, Michigan. While visiting Dr. Dorsey with the schools recommendation for Methylphenidate (Ritalin) in hand, I noted that he seemed frustrated with the school. He asked us to remind the school that he was not a pharmacy. I can only conclude from his comment that we were not the first parents sent to him by this school. Dr. Dorsey officially diagnosed Matthew with ADHD. The test used for the diagnosis was a five minute pencil twirling trick, resulting in me being handed a prescription for Methylphenidate/Ritalin.

It is important to note that the schools insistence and role in our son’s drugging was documented in a letter written by Monica to the pediatrician stating: “We would have hoped you would have started Matthew on a trial of medication by now”.

At no time were my wife and I ever told significant facts regarding the issue of ADHD and the drugs used to “treat it”. These significant facts withheld from us inevitably would have changed the road that we were headed down by ultimately altering the decisions we would have made.

We were not told that The Drug Enforcement Administration had classified Methylphenidate (Ritalin) as a Schedule II drug, comparable to Cocaine.

We were not told that Methylphenidate is also one of the top ten abused prescription drugs.

At no time were we informed of the unscientific nature of the disorder.

We were not told that there was widespread controversy among the medical establishment in regards to the validity of the disorder.

Furthermore, we were not provided with information involving the dangers of using Methylphenidate (Ritalin) as “treatment” for ADHD. One of these dangers includes the fact that Methylphenidate causes constriction of veins and arteries, causing the heart to work overtime and inevitably leading to damage to the organ itself.

We were not made aware of the large number of children’s deaths, that have been linked with these types of drugs used as “treatment”.

While Matthew was taking Methylphenidate (Ritalin), at no time, were we informed of any test: EKG, echocardiogram. These types of tests could have detected the damage done to his heart. These test are not considered “standard” in monitoring “treatment” of ADHD they are usually never administered to children. Sadly death is inevitable without the possibility of detection.

*I want to ask every parent out there these important questions:

How different would your decisions be if information was withheld from you? How different would your decisions be if you receive only distorted data?

I, myself, know that our families and Matthews outcome would have been quite different had we received all information. If I had known certain facts I would have acted differently and my son would be alive today. This I am sure of.

Informed Consent”, which states in part A person’s agreement to allow something to happen (such as surgery) that is based on a full disclosure of the facts needed to make the decision intelligently; i.e. knowledge of risks involved, alternatives etc” and “the probable risks against the probable benefits”

The violation of parent’s rights is when they are not told of the unscientific nature of so-called disorders such as ADHD or the risks of the treatments involving (drugs) and they certainly are not told of alternatives to their child’s behavior such as undiagnosed allergies or food sensitivities, which could manifest with the symptoms of what psychiatry calls ADHD.

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Here are some facts that are being withheld from parents that could possibly alter their life decisions and outcomes.

Did you know that schools receive additional money from state and federal government for every child labeled and drugged? This clearly demonstrates a possible “financial incentive” for schools to label and drug children. It also backs up the alarming rise/increase in the labeling and drugging that has taken place in the last decade within our schools.

Did you know that parents receiving welfare money from the government can get additional funds for every child that they have labeled and drugged? In this way, many lower socio-economic parents (many times single mothers) are reeled into the drugging by these financial incentives waved in front of them in hard times, making lifestyle changes possible.

Did you know that by labeling your child with ADHD, you are actually labeling them with a mental illness listed in the DSM-IV, the unscientific billing bible of psychiatry?

Did you know that a child taking a psycho-tropic, psycho-stimulant drug after the age of 12 is ineligible for military service?

Did you know that the subjective checklists that are being used as criteria for diagnosis are very similar to the checklists used to determine Gifted and Talented Children? These two checklists are almost identical.

The Drug Enforcement Administration clearly states in their report on Methylphenidate: “However, contrary to popular belief, stimulants like methylphenidate will affect normal children and adults in the same manner that they affect ADHD children. Behavioral or attentional improvements with methylphenidate treatment therefore is not diagnostic of ADHD.” (p.11) This statement thoroughly contradicts what is being told to many parents by the many “professionals” that have a vested stake in the diagnosis itself.

The DEA further states that: “Of particular concern is that most of the ADHD literature prepared for public consumption by CHADD and other groups and available to parents, does not address the abuse potential or actual abuse of methylphenidate. Instead, methylphenidate (usually referred to as Ritalin by these groups) is routinely portrayed as a benign, mild substance that is not associated with abuse or serious side effects. In reality, however, there is an abundance of scientific literature which indicates that methylphenidate shares the same abuse potential as other Schedule II stimulants.” (p.4)

Did you know that groups like CHADD and others available to parents are being supported financially by pharmaceutical companies? This is a red flag and demonstrates a conflict of interest in the role that these groups have regarding our children’s health and well-being.

Did you know that there are studies such as the Berkeley Study that contends that Ritalin and other stimulants further raise the risk of drug abuse? From the Wall Street Journal, Monday, May 17, 1999 by Marilyn Chase: “Nadine Lambert, a professor of education, followed almost 500 children for 26 years. She argues that exposure to Ritalin makes the brain more susceptible to the addictive power of cocaine and doubles the risk of abuse.” This study seems to never make it into the hands of parents because it doesn’t support the theories of those using the diagnosis to profit off of our children. What does seem to make it into many parents hands is research indicating that if children go “untreated”, which corresponds with “unmedicated” they will “self-medicate” or end up as juvenile delinquents. Sadly many of these parents are not aware that many of this biased and unproven research (one such is the Beiderman study) infiltrating our schools are actually being distributed by pharmaceutical companies, such as Novartis. This in itself is another red flag and conflict of interest surrounding our children’s health.

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I leave you with this question: How many more 11 year old Stephanie Hall’s, 14 year old Matthew Smith’s and 10 year old Shaina Dunkle’s need to die before we realize what is happening and speak out and act to put an end to it? One toy might be recalled if 1 or 2 children die from it. How many children have to die from these drugs before we realize and put an end to this horror. Why should hundreds or thousands have to die before we are outraged and act? Is the profit of so many, worth more than our children’s safety and lives? Sadly the deaths of these children have remained unexposed and suppressed for so long because there is a tremendous amount of money and profit at stake for so many. My son’s voice will not be one of those suppressed and quieted. His voice in death will be heard by all.

Lawrence T. Smith