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Ritalin Risks

Children's health issues image.

Character traits associated with ADHD/ADD include a chronic history of having a short attention span, being easily distracted, impulsivity, moderate to severe hyperactivity, minor neurological signs, abnormal EEG, impaired ability to learn…sounds like most normal children/teenagers! Aren’t they all easily distracted and impulsive? Yet, even though there is no single comprehensive test to diagnose ADHD (most consist of checklists of different types of observed behaviors), millions of prescriptions for Ritalin were written in 2005.

Some of the side effects associated with this mass-marketed psychotropic drug include:

  • Impaired thinking/memory loss due to decreased blood flow to the brain – similar to what happens to the brain on cocaine
  • Interference with the growth hormone, causing growth retardation, both brain and body, in children
  • Addiction, similar to that of cocaine
  • Insomnia, depression, mania, anxiety and an increase in the symptoms it is supposed to help
  • Decreased ability to learn

There are natural alternatives to Ritalin, and other prescribed medications, used to treat ADHD and ADD. Parents need to be informed about these alternatives and to understand that according to the package insert, “Sufficient data on safety and efficacy of long-term use of Ritalin in children are not yet available. Although a causal relationship has not been established, suppression of growth (i.e., weight gain, and/or height) has been reported with the long-term use of stimulants in children. Therefore, patients requiring long-term therapy should be carefully monitored.”

Often children are diagnosed with ADHD when what they really have is a food allergy, sugar addiction, hypoglycemia or hearing/vision problems. We would be happy to talk to you about your child’s problems and to review with you the many alternatives that are available to deal with your child’s condition. Call us to schedule a consultation and examination of your child.

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Dr. Leslie Asks some important questions of interest to Fountain Valley residents - Chiropractor Fountain Valley Dr. Leslie Asks...

What's a side effect?
It may sound like a bonus; something extra, but chiropractors know it should more accurately called an "unintended effect," and "unwanted effect" or in some cases an "adverse effect." A pill can't come close to matching your body's ability to create and deliver the essential compounds it needs. That's when it's important to make sure your nervous system is working correctly—the purpose of chiropractic care!
What's your plan to deal with drug-resistant 'super germs'?
Chiropractors have always been concerned with the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, accelerating the mutation of microbes that make "wonder" drugs increasingly ineffective. My strategy? Do everything possible to bolster my immune system through proper diet, rest, exercise, clean air, pure water and an optimally functioning nervous system with regular chiropractic care.