Until recently medical professionals have been intent on prescribing an ever-increasing number of stimulant medications to those struggling with ADHD symptoms. The percent of increase annually is somewhere around 4.5 percent.
This increase has occurred despite a steady flow of negative research linking ADHD stimulant medications to all sorts of serious problems. For example the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) made a compelling argument that these types of drugs could be linked to heart disease and sudden death in children. Another study seemed to make a compelling case for linking ADHD stimulant medications to drug addiction later in life.
When you combine these studies, and many more, with the new finding that the areas of the brain controlling self-regulation are slow to develop in ADHD children it seems that even the most ardent supporter of prescription stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall would at the very least proceed with extreme caution before even considering prescribing stimulant medications to children.
Nevertheless, this has not been the case until now. The reason for the change in course is a rare long-term study comparing populations of children who regularly use prescription medications for ADHD to those that don't. The study in question spanned over a 20 year period and included over 9,000 Finnish children studied by UCLA researchers.
The crux of the study was that in populations where medication is rarely prescribed to treat ADHD, the prevalence and symptoms of the disorder is roughly equivalent to populations where medication is widely used.
As you know ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) revolves around the primary symptom of inattention with a dash of hyperactivity and impulsive behavior thrown in from time to time. In adolescents, ADHD is generally associated with cognitive defects, most notably with working memory and inhibition, which is linked to overall intelligence and academic achievement. According to Susan Smalley (UCLA psychiatry professor) who headed this ground breaking study these deficits are only present in about half of adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Part of this might be explained away in the general diagnostic evaluation process which relies on medical professional to make a judgment call as to what actually constitutes cognitive impairment.
The study also found that children with cognitive defects don't show increased levels of inattention or hyperactivity when compared to other children diagnosed with ADHD.
But the real kicker in this study had to do with the effectiveness of medicine in treating the disorder. When children from Finland which rarely use prescription ADHD meds were compared with children from the United States who regularly take ADHD meds no difference was found in the "look" of the disorder - its prevalence, symptoms, co-existing conditions, and cognition.
In conclusion, this study raises serious doubts as to the efficacy of prescription ADHD medications and is sure to be ignored by many doctors who have a deep set believe in their effectiveness. Nevertheless, parents should know there are a number of safe and effective alternatives worth considering if the information in this study concerns them. A couple of highly regarded examples would be homeopathic ADHD remedies along with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Robert D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic consumer advocate for natural health and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. To discover more about ADHD along with information about a safe and effective herbal and homeopathic ADHD remedies Click Here
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