~Foreword~
Anybody with an ounce of common sense knows it is insane to give young children drugs like Ritalin to “modify” their behavior. Doing that creates a psychological gateway to illegal and prescription drug dependency in adult life. Why not just give them heroin and cocaine now – and get it over with?
It has always been my assertion that a lack of exercise and an excess of sugar in the diet is the cause of the so-called ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children. I can “modify” a twitchy-kid’s behavior by having him show up for school one hour early, report to the gym and run him around the track for 2-5 miles before he showers up and heads to class. Do that with your hyperactive brats and you won’t need Ritalin.
Now comes the following report that strongly suggests Ritalin can cause long-lasting or permanent changes in the brain. Gee, what a shock. – Carl F. Worden
A study by scientists at the University at Buffalo has shown that Ritalin (methylphenidate) may cause long-term changes in the brain. Joan Baizer, professor of physiology and biophysics, and senior author of the study, reports, “When the active dose has worked its way through the system, they consider it all gone. Our research with gene expression in an animal model suggests that it has the potential for causing long-lasting changes in brain cell structure and function.”
The changes, according to Baizer, are similar to those seen with cocaine and other psychoactive drugs. “Children have been given Ritalin and it is extremely effective and beneficial,” explained Baizer, “but it’s not quite as simple as a short-acting drug. We need to look at it more closely. Ritalin does appear to be safe when used properly, but it is still important to ask what it is doing to the brain.”
Whether Ritalin, like other psychotropic drugs, causes long-term adverse effects on the brain has been debated for years. While doctors continue to research the effects of Ritalin on children, other medical professionals debate the validity of the diagnosis of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), the disorder most often cited in cases of treatment with Ritalin. Those in the medical community who believe ADHD to be a subjective psychiatric diagnosis – one not based on science – argue that there is no case of a child dying from ADHD, but there are cases in which children have died from using the stimulant.
Kelly Patricia O’Meara is an investigative reporter for Insight.
Copyright © 2002 News World Communications, Inc.
Written by Kelly Patricia OMeara for Insight Magazine, and published on DrKelley.info, December 21, 2002. Embedded links (if any) may no longer be active. (Ed. 01.01.11)
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