My child can’t sit still and does poorly in school! I don’t know what else to do! I’ve been told he/she has ADD/ADHD and needs to take Ritalin. Is this the best choice?
The side effects of methylphenidate, or Ritalin, can include loss of appetite, weight loss, heart palpitations, sleeplessness, drowsiness, abdominal pain, chest pain, joint pain, high blood pressure, nervousness/anxiety and cardiovascular problems. Ritalin may stunt growth and lower hormone levels. It can trigger Tourette’s syndrome, epileptic seizures, delusions or psychosis, and can even cause a child to hurt themselves or others. Kids on Ritalin are 46% more likely to commit a felony, 36% more likely to commit two or more felonies, 25% more likely to wind up in a mental facility or prison and 15% more likely to commit suicide.
Why on earth would anyone subject their child to use of a narcotic that is equally as addictive as cocaine?
Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder have both been given as labels to children who have behavior and attention issues. There is no objective neuro-biological laboratory test for these symptoms. Simply put, these are all symptoms labeled as a disorder by the psychiatric profession.
The symptoms of ADHD, as given by the American Psychiatric Association, include failing to give close attention to detail, making careless mistakes, difficulty sustaining attention, not listening when spoken to directly, not following through on instructions, failing to finish tasks, difficulty organizing activities, being forgetful or easily distracted, fidgeting or squirming with hands/feet, getting out of a seat when expected to sit, feeling restless, and more. How many adults do you know who fit this same description?
Physicians, most educators and some parents feel that if these symptoms persist, a child will not learn adequately. Proponents of drug treatments often cite a lack of progress in the classroom, failed tests or being held back a grade. Yet, the National Institute of Health issued the following findings regarding ADHD:
- Drugs don’t normalize all behaviors
- Kids on drugs still have higher levels of behavior problems
- Patients often show little improvement in academic or social skills
There is so much that can be done to treat these symptoms naturally. All children should be checked for physical, chemical and emotional stress. Physically, an examination should be done to check for misalignments of the skull on the spine because irritated nerves in the neck can over-stimulate the emotional centers of the brain. Chemically, gluten and dairy intolerance or sensitivity, over-consumption of sugar, food allergies and chronic infections (parasites, H. pylori, candidiasis) should be searched for. Emotionally, the child should be nurtured and encouraged to take control of him/herself — and not necessarily punished.
All physical and biochemical stresses need to be eliminated to create correction to the underlying cause of the symptoms associated with ADD/ADHD.
Drugs for ADD/ADHD are not the answer. Let’s treat the underlying cause to support behavior modification the natural way. We have helped countless children improve behavior and avoid medication by uncovering the root cause of distress in the body and healing with supportive nutrients. Contact us for more information.