School Daze A staggering 4 million kids a day line up at their school's nurse's
office for their daily afternoon doses of Ritalin. If that isn't a jolt
during these back-to-school days, I don't know what is. We've gotten e-mails and anecdotal reports from concerned
parents saying that they feel pressured -- from the teachers, the
school nurse, and their doctor -- to subject their kids to these
prescription behavior controls, or risk losing their spot in the
classroom (or worse). In a growing number of cases, resistance to
giving Ritalin for "behavior problems" and the rampant diagnoses
of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is being given
as much scrutiny as opting not to vaccinate your children --
without any of the federal protections. Some parents have even
been hauled into court, charged with "medical negligence" and
forced to give their children the medication. This is a nightmare on a lot of levels. Here's something even more startling, and disturbing. Last year,
there was a reported 369 percent increase in spending on ADHD
drugs for children UNDER five years old. The mainstream medical
reporters attribute this rise to the popularity of newer, long-acting
patent medicines that are edging out twice-a-day doses of Ritalin.
But starting such small children on a prescription drug without
ever taking a moment to seek out the root cause of the problem
being treated is the true "medical negligence" if you ask me. Especially since this sentences them to a childhood -- and perhaps
lifetime -- of prescription stimulants and the long-term effects of
children taking such drugs has not been studied. There are reams of material written on the potential risks of Ritalin
- way too much to get into here. But with a new school year
looming, it's worth mentioning that there are several possible
answers to your child's behavior if you suspect or have received a
diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. And addressing these causes naturally
may help the little one in your life avoid ever needing drugs to
mask their symptoms. The first rock to look under is food allergy. Dr. Wright has related
numerous cases of parents at their wits end who bring their
children in to his clinic, desperate to keep them off prescription
drugs. In many cases, an allergy to milk, wheat, soy, or some other
allergen is often the culprit. Find the allergy, eliminate the
offending food, and the behavior will often change. Another
potential sensitivity to pay close attention to is a possible reaction
to salicylates, natural preservatives stored in the bark, leaves, roots,
and seeds of plants and found naturally in many foods. In
vegetables, they're mostly concentrated in the peels and rinds or
the outer leaves. The salicylate content in fruit is highest when the
food is unripened fruit and it decreases during the ripening process.
And raw foods, dried foods, and juices can contain higher levels of
salicylates than cooked food. The second thing to consider is inadequate diet. A 1996 study
showed that boys with low levels of essential omega-3 fatty acids
also have a greater incidence of behavior and learning problems,
and have a diagnosis of ADHD. Seems that old-fashioned daily
spoonful of cod liver oil our parents and grandparents swore by
may still be the secret for good behavior as well as better overall
health. Other possible diet problems could include excessive amounts of
sugar, grains, and dairy. Even if there is no allergy or sensitivity
present, these foods can have a detrimental effect on behavior
because of their effect on insulin regulation. Finally, you may want to consider looking into a different learning
environment. Today's classrooms emphasize a level of conformity,
excessive standardized testing, and idle hours spent sitting still and
listening – it's just not a great fit for all children. Smaller class
size, even homeschooling, or "alternative" schools where more
experiential and hands-on learning exercises are often incorporated
can sometimes resolve any behavior challenges a child might have
at a regular school. While taking Ritalin or a similar patent medication will bring you
results practically overnight, it could take several weeks or months
to use the approaches outlined above to really nail down and
eliminate the root cause behind the behavior. But what the extra
time will save you and your child in terms of expense and possible
long-term health consequences will be well worth it. **********************************************
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options for sweetening. I've been reading in your column and
elsewhere about stevia and I thought it was natural. But on the
National Institute of Cancer website it is listed it as an artificial
sweetener. Now I'm not sure what to think. JVW: The website you mentioned does list stevia side-by-side
with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, making it look "guilty
by association." This is just one instance of the half-truths and sins
of omission stevia has been subjected to by the mainstream
medical community. This is the primary reason why this powerful
sweetener is so often left languishing on shelves - under-labeled
and under-utilized in this country. But stevia is indeed an all-natural herb that has been used for
centuries as a sweetener. Take a look at the e-Tip from 2/5/04 (subject line: "Now what?")
for more information on stevia (available at
www.wrightnewsletter.com). Also, if you are a subscriber, you
may want to go back and take a look at the August 2001 Nutrition
& Healing article "Kicking the refined sugar habit" for even more
natural tips on eliminating sugar from your diet. **********************************************
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What is…vetiver? As a grass, vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) is used for its unique
ability to grow in soil that has been degraded and contaminated by
heavy metals. It pulls the heavy metals out of the soil, and literally
rehabilitates it. It is hailed by chemists as the best method for
remedying the contamination by oil shale disposal piles. As an essential oil, vetiver is popular for its musky scent and
reported calming effects, and is known in India as The Oil of
Tranquility. Parents of children with ADD/ADHD who have tried
alternative treatments to Ritalin have noted the calming effect the
oil has on their children. Note: In the 8/23 eTip (subject line: "Sidestepping shenanigans"), a
typographical error occurred in relating the dosage amount of zinc for
macular degeneration. That amount should have read 30 milligrams, not
30 grams. We apologize for any confusion resulting from this error. Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Managing Editor
Nutrition & Healing Sources:
Burgess J, Steven L, et al. "Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids
in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder." Am J
Clin Nutr 2000; 71(suppl): 327S-330S Charach A, Ickowicz A, Schachar R. "Stimulant treatment over
five years: adherence, effectiveness, and adverse effects." J Am
Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2004; 43(5): 559-567 Stevens LJ, Zentall SS, et al. "Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Boys with
Behavior, Learning, and Health Problems." Physiol Behav 1996;
59(4-5): 915-920 "US Courts Forcing Parents to Medicate Kids for ADD/ADHD,"
USA Today, 8/8/00
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