I am going to rework and re-run this post as I think ADD and ADHD are over diagnosed, and over treated. And the more kids I see treated with stimulant drugs the more I grieve over the obvious side-effects. First a word about cause and prevention:
ADD and ADHD (ADD with hyperactivity) have multiple causes. One of the most frequent associations is watching TV in infancy and early childhood; other factors are lack of exercise, especially lack of outdoor play; lack of, or poor quality sleep; and, of course, genetic factors.
Obvious prevention measures include limiting screen time, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends NO screen time during the first two years of life, and no more than 2 hours a day after that. My experience tells me two hours are way too much. Attention to bed time is important as well as lots of vigorous play outdoors especially in green areas – those with grass and trees.
There are many possible treatment options: family and individual counseling, altering parenting styles, changes in sleep and bedtime routine, increased exercise, more time out of doors, limited TV, (Try a week or two without TV and you will be absolutely amazed at a child’s improved behavior.) and last of all, drugs.
I do not like using drugs for ADD or ADHD unless the symptoms are extreme and other treatment methods, including behavior modification, have failed. A recent large study concluded: “When the environment supplies clear rules for conduct, immediate and frequent reinforcers and predictable consequences of misconduct, there is no difference between children receiving medication and those not receiving medication.” Often altering the environment by increasing the amount of sleep, decreasing television time and increasing the amount of time spent outdoors is more beneficial than Ritalin or any other drug. And remember, stimulant drugs have serious side effects including loss of appetite, irritability, stomach ache, a “zoned-out” mental state, and even sudden death from cardiac arrest! As a society we have rightly condemned any use of meth-amphetamine yet we use dex-amphetamine – a closely related drug – to treat growing children. Totally unbelievable!! Drugs should be used only as the very last resort, if ever; never the first.