Ritalin nation
When I told you about a drug company’s plan to create convenient Ritalin patches for kids (“A Patchwork Orange” 5/16/02) I promised to keep you up to date on Ritalin news. So let’s start with a quick Ritalin timeline:
The FDA grants approval for the drug in 1955.
In 1971 Ritalin is officially recognized to have effects similar to amphetamines and cocaine, and is reclassified accordingly.
In 2001 an estimated 1.5 million U.S. kids take Ritalin every day.
On July 15, 2002, USA Today quotes Tom Kobylski, professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University, who believes that with the long-term effects of Ritalin on kids’ brains still unknown, there must be “cautious and careful assessments.”
I agree with Tom wholeheartedly. I would only add that if cautious and careful assessments had been taken in ’55 and ’71 (and they certainly should have been), we might not have a Ritalin Nation with a population of hundreds of thousands in our schools today.
The article in USA Today this last Monday exposed some of the uglier points in the case against Ritalin. For one: when Ritalin is found to be ineffective in treating Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), there are plenty of lesser known drugs that many doctors are only too happy to try out on your young son or daughter.
And if Johnny or Jill show signs of depression along with their AD/HD diagnosis, then it’s all too common to find that doctors are prescribing Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) – a drug class that includes Prozac – right along with the Ritalin. And we’re not talking about a few kids here and there – we’re talking about many thousands, nationwide.
Deplorable? Absolutely! Hopeless? Absolutely not.
I urge you to take a moment to find the USA Today article (usatoday.com / Health & Science section) and read about the inspiring stories of two mothers who not only resisted the over-drugging of their children but also set out on separate missions to make educators and other parents aware that pharmaceutical quick fixes are the very last thing our kids need.
Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.
