Does Your Child Have ADHD?

"Jeff" wrote in message
link.net...

"Jan Drew" wrote in message
m...

"Jeff" wrote in message
link.net...

wrote in message
oups.com...
ADHD itself is due to chemicalisation of the body and brain with "safe"
and "approved" medicines and vaccines.

Funny, kids' symptoms disappear after they start drugs. And they
reappear when they stop taking the drugs.

Not true.

PEDIATRICS Vol. 100 No. 6 December 1997, p. e6

ELECTRONIC ARTICLE:
Methylphenidate Versus Dexamphetamine in Children With Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder: A Double-blind, Crossover Trial

Received May 1, 1997; accepted Jul 14, 1997.

Daryl Efron, Frederick Jarman, and Melinda Barker
From the Centre for Community Child Health and Ambulatory Paediatrics,
Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

Objective. To compare methylphenidate (MPH) and dexamphetamine (DEX) in a
sample of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Method. A total of 125 children with ADHD received both MPH (0.3 mg/kg
twice daily) and DEX (0.15 mg/kg twice daily) for 2 weeks a double-blind,
crossover study. Outcome measures were Conners' Parent Rating
Scale-Revised, Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Revised, a Parent Global
Perceptions questionnaire, the Continuous Performance Test, and the
Barkley Side Effects Rating Scale.

Results. There were significant group mean improvements from baseline
score on all measures for both stimulants. On the Conners' Teacher Rating
Scale-Revised, response was greater on MPH than DEX on the conduct
problems and hyperactivity factors, as well as on the hyperactivity index.
On the Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised, anxiety was the only factor
to differ significantly, in favor of MPH. Parents rated 73% of subjects as
globally improved on MPH and 69% improved on DEX, compared with baseline.
Overall, 46% of parents chose MPH as the preferred drug, compared with 37%
who chose DEX. On the Continuous Performance Test, there was no difference
in the number of correct responses or errors between the two drugs.

Conclusions. Most children with ADHD improve significantly on both MPH
and DEX. There was a slight advantage to MPH on most measures.

All those tests demonstrate is that babies are more willing to comply with
their abusers demands when babies are on stimulants.

Jeff wrote:

"Jeff" wrote in message
link.net...
wrote in message
oups.com...
ADHD itself is due to chemicalisation of the body and brain with "safe"
and "approved" medicines and vaccines.
Funny, kids' symptoms disappear after they start drugs. And they reappear
when they stop taking the drugs.
Not true.

PEDIATRICS Vol. 100 No. 6 December 1997, p. e6

ELECTRONIC ARTICLE:
Methylphenidate Versus Dexamphetamine in Children With Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder: A Double-blind, Crossover Trial

Received May 1, 1997; accepted Jul 14, 1997.

Common knowledge from 9 years ago. Good post.


Daryl Efron, Frederick Jarman, and Melinda Barker
From the Centre for Community Child Health and Ambulatory Paediatrics, Royal
Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

Objective. To compare methylphenidate (MPH) and dexamphetamine (DEX) in a
sample of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Method. A total of 125 children with ADHD received both MPH (0.3 mg/kg
twice daily) and DEX (0.15 mg/kg twice daily) for 2 weeks a double-blind,
crossover study. Outcome measures were Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised,
Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Revised, a Parent Global Perceptions
questionnaire, the Continuous Performance Test, and the Barkley Side Effects
Rating Scale.

Results. There were significant group mean improvements from baseline score
on all measures for both stimulants. On the Conners' Teacher Rating
Scale-Revised, response was greater on MPH than DEX on the conduct problems
and hyperactivity factors, as well as on the hyperactivity index. On the
Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised, anxiety was the only factor to differ
significantly, in favor of MPH. Parents rated 73% of subjects as globally
improved on MPH and 69% improved on DEX, compared with baseline. Overall,
46% of parents chose MPH as the preferred drug, compared with 37% who chose
DEX. On the Continuous Performance Test, there was no difference in the
number of correct responses or errors between the two drugs.

Conclusions. Most children with ADHD improve significantly on both MPH and
DEX. There was a slight advantage to MPH on most measures.



You can read the full report here in PDF format:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...t/100/6/e6.pdf



Jeff



Anyway, can you please back your claim with real evidence?

Jeff
Jag.
Poor Jeff--notkidsdoc--Jeff P. Utz, MD--Jeffery Peter, MD, the REAL
evidence has been posted many times.

And--YOU know that!

"Jan Drew" wrote in message
om...

"Jeff" wrote in message
link.net...

"Jan Drew" wrote in message
m...

"Jeff" wrote in message
link.net...

wrote in message
oups.com...
ADHD itself is due to chemicalisation of the body and brain with
"safe"
and "approved" medicines and vaccines.

Funny, kids' symptoms disappear after they start drugs. And they
reappear when they stop taking the drugs.

Not true.

PEDIATRICS Vol. 100 No. 6 December 1997, p. e6

Is that the best you can do?

Nice comeback.

It demonstrates my point that ADHD medications have been shown to work.

Have a great day.

jeff


ELECTRONIC ARTICLE:
Methylphenidate Versus Dexamphetamine in Children With Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder: A Double-blind, Crossover Trial

Received May 1, 1997; accepted Jul 14, 1997.

Daryl Efron, Frederick Jarman, and Melinda Barker
From the Centre for Community Child Health and Ambulatory Paediatrics,
Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

Objective. To compare methylphenidate (MPH) and dexamphetamine (DEX) in
a sample of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD).

Method. A total of 125 children with ADHD received both MPH (0.3 mg/kg
twice daily) and DEX (0.15 mg/kg twice daily) for 2 weeks a double-blind,
crossover study. Outcome measures were Conners' Parent Rating
Scale-Revised, Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Revised, a Parent Global
Perceptions questionnaire, the Continuous Performance Test, and the
Barkley Side Effects Rating Scale.

Results. There were significant group mean improvements from baseline
score on all measures for both stimulants. On the Conners' Teacher Rating
Scale-Revised, response was greater on MPH than DEX on the conduct
problems and hyperactivity factors, as well as on the hyperactivity
index. On the Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised, anxiety was the only
factor to differ significantly, in favor of MPH. Parents rated 73% of
subjects as globally improved on MPH and 69% improved on DEX, compared
with baseline. Overall, 46% of parents chose MPH as the preferred drug,
compared with 37% who chose DEX. On the Continuous Performance Test,
there was no difference in the number of correct responses or errors
between the two drugs.

Conclusions. Most children with ADHD improve significantly on both MPH
and DEX. There was a slight advantage to MPH on most measures.



You can read the full report here in PDF format:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...t/100/6/e6.pdf



Jeff

http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDai...=20060324-0634...

Note from Jan: Some have claimed they have seen no evidence of kids as
young as two being given ADHD meds. There has been evidence and here is
more.
Ped Med: ADHD treatments raise questions
By LIDIA WASOWICZ
UPI Senior Science Writer


SAN FRANCISCO, March 24 (UPI) -- While no causative connection has been
proven, reports of a small number of children medicated for
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder seeing snakes or suffering
strokes
have prompted two federal advisory panels to recommend that parents and
physicians be alerted to the potential risks.


In the latest non-binding move, a Food and Drug Administration pediatric
committee Wednesday urged a beefed-up warning on the drugs' labels, though
not the direst type referred to as a "black box." That's the kind an
FDA-commissioned group of experts focusing on safety had favored in
February
after reviewing cases of sudden death, heart attacks, strokes and other
cardiac problems experienced by a tiny fraction of ADHD patients who were
taking the medicines and who apparently had underlying cardiac
irregularities.


The specialists meeting Wednesday took the softer approach in part because
of testimony by psychiatrists and mental health officials concerned about
frightening families away from needed treatment. They said stimulant drugs
like Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta are effective against hyperactivity,
lack of focus and impulsivity that form the hallmarks of ADHD. However,
others have raised red flags about overuse of the drugs -- which rack up
close to $3 billion in annual sales.


Both panels agreed patients, parents and physicians should receive clearer
information about potential side effects, including heart problems,
psychotic symptoms like hallucinations of snakes, worms, spiders, roaches,
bugs, jellyfish and other creepy crawlies, manic episodes or aggressive
behavior -- effects the drug companies say are no more prevalent among
medicated patients than among the general population.


The FDA is now free to follow the prescription of either or neither of the
panels.


In discussing ADHD treatments, consider some straight talk about the
disorder:


-- Diagnosis is in the eyes of the beholder, there being no biological
diagnostic test.


-- There are compelling clues but no patented proofs of the basis for the
disorder.


-- There is no cure.


-- Treatment can control behavior, but there is little evidence it can
increase knowledge or improve academic skills or achievement.


-- The condition is chronic, likely to last years, perhaps decades, with
the
majority of children affected to some degree into adolescence and even
adulthood.


-- Most children improve with age, showing fewer symptoms and problems by
their early 20s, whether or not they receive treatment.


-- There is a dearth of sound scientific evidence of the effects of
psychotropic drugs on growing brains and bodies over the long haul.


-- Every chemical treatment, even when properly prescribed, can have
unwanted and oftentimes unforeseen effects.


-- Inappropriate administration of medication, either for the wrong child
or
at the wrong dose, can have additional, devastating, even deadly,
consequences.


-- All treatments come with caveats.


-- Most psychiatric drugs are not approved by the Food and Drug
Administration for younger age groups, and, like the majority of medicines
for minors, are used "off-label," or at the doctor's discretion.


"Medication will help reduce some symptoms, but taking medication over
time
won't eliminate them," said pediatric neurologist Donna Palumbo of the
University of Rochester in New York. "We can't say if you take this drug
for
five years, (the problem) will go away. We can't predict what will
happen."


In a change of medical mind, increasing numbers of youngsters are taking
the
drugs for prolonged periods.


"Part of the reason for (the) overall increase in prescriptions is that
kids
are now being treated throughout the day and during adolescence, unlike
the
former pattern of stopping with puberty," said Stephen Hinshaw, professor
and chair of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and
author of "The Years of Silence are Past: My Father's Life with Bipolar
Disorder" (Cambridge University Press, 2002).


"If ADHD is validly diagnosed and is present in about 5 percent of
children,
current rates are more understandable, despite the concerned reactions of
some critics."


Those concerns arise in part from some spectacular spikes in the growth
charts of pharmaceutical sales in recent years.


Drug Enforcement Agency records show between 1991 and 2000, annual
production of methylphenidate -- a central nervous system stimulant like
Ritalin or Concerta -- shot up by 847 percent, to 14,957 kilograms, or
more
than 16 tons. Domestic sales for the period ballooned by nearly 500
percent.


During the same nine years, the annual production quota for the other half
of the stimulant treatment equation, amphetamines -- the active ingredient
in the anti-ADHD drugs Adderall and Dexedrine -- rocketed more than 2,000
percent, to 9,007 kilograms, or nearly 10 tons.


Against this backdrop, the annual number of prescriptions written for ADHD
over the nine years mushroomed by a factor of 5, capping at 11 million for
methylphenidate and 6 million and counting for amphetamines.


An estimated 80 percent of the total, or some 14 million, were for
children,
with 40 percent of these for youngsters 3 to 9. In addition, doctors made
out 4,000 orders for stimulants for tykes 2 and under.


Critical of such trends, the DEA has made a point of noting most of these
drugs are not approved for use in children under 6 and none for toddlers
under 3 because their safety and effectiveness have not been established
in
those age groups.


In line with the DEA figures, an analysis by Medco Health Solutions, a
prescription management company, found drug spending for behavioral
conditions ran up 77 percent between 2000 and 2003, due to hikes in both
costs and use.


Medications prescribed primarily to treat ADHD were a standout during the
period. Spending jumped 183 percent for children overall and 369 percent
for
tots under 5, nearly one in 10 of whom was taking one or more of the
drugs,
noted the report, aptly dubbed, "Managing Generation Rx."


Central nervous system pediatric medicines, which encompass those for
behavioral and neurological conditions, outran even cardiovascular
medications to reach the top spot in spending for all prescription drugs
for
all ages in 2003.


"This analysis provides a striking commentary on the state of pediatric
treatment in this country, as well as the costs shouldered by parents
whose
children live with these conditions," Dr. Robert Epstein, Medco's chief
medical officer, said in a statement accompanying the release of the
analysis of prescription data for 300,000 minors under 20.


"It goes without saying that early detection and appropriate treatment of
these conditions is extremely important, but the emphasis is on
'appropriate' with an eye on cost-effective therapy, as well."


With Americans producing, and popping, 80 percent to 85 percent of the
world's supply of the pills, it is little wonder the U.S. ADHD market --
which brought in more than $2.5 billion in revenues, or 97 percent of the
total, in 2004 -- dwarfs all others, according to a report from
Datamonitor,
a London-based independent market analyst.


It is, however, more than slightly startling to note the estimated 2.5
million medicated American children ages 4 to 17 -- or some 56 percent of
those diagnosed with ADHD -- comprise but a tiny fraction of the more than
20 million youngsters identified with the disorder worldwide.


"There is definitely both a higher willingness to prescribe drugs and
acceptance by families to have their children on drugs in the U.S.,
whereas
parents in the EU (European Union) generally prefer to try other non-drug
interventions first," said Alistair Sinclair, Datamonitor central nervous
system analyst.


Even more than the Europeans, the Japanese -- whose national insurance
does
not cover such medications -- lag behind the Americans in their awareness
and drug treatment of ADHD.


As other Asian countries, Japan leans toward a conservative corner of
culture where conditions like ADHD often come with stigma attached and
where
parents and patients tend either not to be aware of a problem or prefer to
manage it on their own, without outside medical assistance, the report
observes.


It does not address the question of why Japanese and, for the most part,
European children consistently outscore their American counterparts on
standardized measures of academic achievement.


In one recent international comparison, for example, U.S. fourth graders
came in 12th in math scores, behind Singapore, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong,
Netherlands, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Ireland, Hungary, and
Australia.


They came in third in science, following Korea and Japan. By the eighth
grade, the American students slipped to the 28th and 17th slots, out of 41
countries, respectively. By 12th grade, they were close to the bottom,
besting only Cyprus and South Africa in math and coming in 16th out of 21
nations in science.


The preponderance of mainstream research suggests psychiatric drugs, if
properly administered and monitored, are safe, at least in the short term,
and effective, at least for clamping down on the core symptoms of ADHD,
but
there is little hard-core evidence they upgrade a child's scholastic
skills.


Where the United States does have an unshakable lead is in the global ADHD
drug market, which is forecast to swell from $2.7 billion in 2005 to an
anticipated $3.3 billion by 2015.


Next: Taking a backward glance at ADHD treatments


(Editors' Note: This series on ADHD is based on a review of hundreds of
reports and a survey of more than 200 specialists.)

~~~~~~~~~~~

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.s...fbe0fa0ddab472

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.s...fbe0fa0ddab472

I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 33 and have been taking 60mg of
Ritalin for as long as I can remember.

My psychiatrist recently had to stop practicing medicine due to a
terminal medical condition. The last week months my primary has been
managing my ritilan. This is fine, but I feel like a need a change,
but don't know what, or how to convey this to my doctor without
sounding like I am looking for drugs.


I have felt and known a change was needed for about a year. I started
a new job with a high profile trial law firm. ALL we do is civil jury
trials. Very exciting, very stressfull and requires some long days.
My coworkers tease me about talking to fast. Sometimes I want to look
at them and say would you please speed up!!!! They just don't absorb
the information I am telling them unless I consciously speak SLOOOOWLY.
They also tease me about how fast I do things, or maybe I might cut a
corner to soon and hit my shoulder. The teasing is not mean, it is all
in fun (at my expense). This is a new experience for me, I have NEVER
had anyone point out any of my symptoms. There is someone else in the
office with ADHD and we have no problem communicating!!! It is a
freaking joke that me and the other person have their own world. Don't
get me wrong, there is not a performance problem and I am very much
appreciated.


I feel as if my meds are not working as effectively as before. I don't
know how to approach this with my doctor. Some of my other symptoms
have resurfaced over the year . . . impulsive buying, sluggish to get
going, guilty feelings about personal failure (nothing major), bouncing
from project to project (ultimately they all get done, I just don't
need to work on them all at once, ya know!) Multi tasking is great,
but I feel like that when I started taking medication, I resolved a lot
of these things. I also find myself craving caffine again. . .


I hate the thought of starting with a new psychiatrist, but I don't
feel like my primary doctor of 16 years will have the insight to make a
change or increase my Ritalin. If I have a 12 hour day, I have been
self-medicating with an extra dose or 2, which makes me short at the
end of the month. Is that completely wrong, I am abusing my
medication.


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks.


lch




Anyway, can you please back your claim with real evidence?

Jeff
Jag.

Poor Jeff--notkidsdoc--Jeff P. Utz, MD--Jeffery Peter, MD, the REAL
evidence has been posted many times.

And--YOU know that!

"Linda Gore" wrote in message
link.net...

"Jeff" wrote in message
link.net...

"Jan Drew" wrote in message
m...

"Jeff" wrote in message
link.net...

wrote in message
oups.com...
ADHD itself is due to chemicalisation of the body and brain with
"safe"
and "approved" medicines and vaccines.

Funny, kids' symptoms disappear after they start drugs. And they
reappear when they stop taking the drugs.

Not true.

PEDIATRICS Vol. 100 No. 6 December 1997, p. e6

ELECTRONIC ARTICLE:
Methylphenidate Versus Dexamphetamine in Children With Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder: A Double-blind, Crossover Trial

Received May 1, 1997; accepted Jul 14, 1997.

Daryl Efron, Frederick Jarman, and Melinda Barker
From the Centre for Community Child Health and Ambulatory Paediatrics,
Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

Objective. To compare methylphenidate (MPH) and dexamphetamine (DEX) in
a sample of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD).

Method. A total of 125 children with ADHD received both MPH (0.3 mg/kg
twice daily) and DEX (0.15 mg/kg twice daily) for 2 weeks a double-blind,
crossover study. Outcome measures were Conners' Parent Rating
Scale-Revised, Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Revised, a Parent Global
Perceptions questionnaire, the Continuous Performance Test, and the
Barkley Side Effects Rating Scale.

Results. There were significant group mean improvements from baseline
score on all measures for both stimulants. On the Conners' Teacher Rating
Scale-Revised, response was greater on MPH than DEX on the conduct
problems and hyperactivity factors, as well as on the hyperactivity
index. On the Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised, anxiety was the only
factor to differ significantly, in favor of MPH. Parents rated 73% of
subjects as globally improved on MPH and 69% improved on DEX, compared
with baseline. Overall, 46% of parents chose MPH as the preferred drug,
compared with 37% who chose DEX. On the Continuous Performance Test,
there was no difference in the number of correct responses or errors
between the two drugs.

Conclusions. Most children with ADHD improve significantly on both MPH
and DEX. There was a slight advantage to MPH on most measures.

All those tests demonstrate is that babies are more willing to comply with
their abusers demands when babies are on stimulants.

Wrong. the tests demonstrate that children are *ABLE* to perfrom better when
treated with the medication.

I did not see anything about babies being treated in the study.

Jeff

http://www.local6.com/family/9992418/detail.html

Does Your Child Have ADHD?


Excerpt:


With the increase in diagnoses has come an increase in medication. During
the past decade, prescriptions for ADHD drugs have more than quadrupled in
many states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


Each month, about 2.5 million stimulant prescriptions are written for
children and 1.5 million for adults, the Food and Drug Administration
reported.


Stimulants prescribed by doctors for ADHD include Ritalin, Adderall,
Concerta, Cylert, Dexedrine, Dextrostat, Focalin and Metadate. Another
non-stimulant medication, Strattera, has been approved by the FDA for use
with ADHD.


Despite their possible misuse -- a study by RTI International found that 7.3
million people have abused the drugs to increase academic or professional
performance -- University of Pennsylvania assistant professor Russ Ramsay
said medication is often an important part of overcoming the disorder.


"They are very well researched," said Ramsay of the drugs used to treat
ADHD. "All of the evidence so far suggests they're safe."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet_Death_Penalty

1.. Active: with an active UDP, messages that fall under the UDP will be
automatically cancelled by third parties or their agents.
2.. Passive: with a passive UDP, messages that fall under the UDP will
simply be ignored and will not spread.
3.. Partial: a partial UDP applies only to a certain subset of newsgroups,
not the entire Usenet newsgroup hierarchy.

"Mark Probert" wrote:

"Jeff" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Linda Gore" wrote in message
link.net...

"Jeff" wrote in message
link.net...

"Jan Drew" wrote in message
m...

"Jeff" wrote in message
link.net...

wrote in message
oups.com...
ADHD itself is due to chemicalisation of the body and brain with
"safe"
and "approved" medicines and vaccines.

Funny, kids' symptoms disappear after they start drugs. And they
reappear when they stop taking the drugs.

Not true.

PEDIATRICS Vol. 100 No. 6 December 1997, p. e6

ELECTRONIC ARTICLE:
Methylphenidate Versus Dexamphetamine in Children With Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder: A Double-blind, Crossover Trial

Received May 1, 1997; accepted Jul 14, 1997.

Daryl Efron, Frederick Jarman, and Melinda Barker
From the Centre for Community Child Health and Ambulatory Paediatrics,
Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

Objective. To compare methylphenidate (MPH) and dexamphetamine (DEX) in
a sample of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD).

Method. A total of 125 children with ADHD received both MPH (0.3 mg/kg
twice daily) and DEX (0.15 mg/kg twice daily) for 2 weeks a
double-blind, crossover study. Outcome measures were Conners' Parent
Rating Scale-Revised, Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Revised, a Parent
Global Perceptions questionnaire, the Continuous Performance Test, and
the Barkley Side Effects Rating Scale.

Results. There were significant group mean improvements from baseline
score on all measures for both stimulants. On the Conners' Teacher
Rating Scale-Revised, response was greater on MPH than DEX on the
conduct problems and hyperactivity factors, as well as on the
hyperactivity index. On the Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised,
anxiety was the only factor to differ significantly, in favor of MPH.
Parents rated 73% of subjects as globally improved on MPH and 69%
improved on DEX, compared with baseline. Overall, 46% of parents chose
MPH as the preferred drug, compared with 37% who chose DEX. On the
Continuous Performance Test, there was no difference in the number of
correct responses or errors between the two drugs.

Conclusions. Most children with ADHD improve significantly on both MPH
and DEX. There was a slight advantage to MPH on most measures.

All those tests demonstrate is that babies are more willing to comply
with their abusers demands when babies are on stimulants.

Wrong. the tests demonstrate that children are *ABLE* to perfrom better
when treated with the medication.

With Americans producing, and popping, 80 percent to 85 percent of the
world's supply of the pills, it is little wonder the U.S. ADHD market --
which brought in more than $2.5 billion in revenues, or 97 percent of the
total, in 2004 -- dwarfs all others, according to a report from Datamonitor,
a London-based independent market analyst.


It is, however, more than slightly startling to note the estimated 2.5
million medicated American children ages 4 to 17 -- or some 56 percent of
those diagnosed with ADHD -- comprise but a tiny fraction of the more than
20 million youngsters identified with the disorder worldwide.


"There is definitely both a higher willingness to prescribe drugs and
acceptance by families to have their children on drugs in the U.S., whereas
parents in the EU (European Union) generally prefer to try other non-drug
interventions first," said Alistair Sinclair, Datamonitor central nervous
system analyst.


Even more than the Europeans, the Japanese -- whose national insurance does
not cover such medications -- lag behind the Americans in their awareness
and drug treatment of ADHD.


As other Asian countries, Japan leans toward a conservative corner of
culture where conditions like ADHD often come with stigma attached and where
parents and patients tend either not to be aware of a problem or prefer to
manage it on their own, without outside medical assistance, the report
observes.


It does not address the question of why Japanese and, for the most part,
European children consistently outscore their American counterparts on
standardized measures of academic achievement.


In one recent international comparison, for example, U.S. fourth graders
came in 12th in math scores, behind Singapore, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong,
Netherlands, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Ireland, Hungary, and
Australia.


They came in third in science, following Korea and Japan. By the eighth
grade, the American students slipped to the 28th and 17th slots, out of 41
countries, respectively. By 12th grade, they were close to the bottom,
besting only Cyprus and South Africa in math and coming in 16th out of 21
nations in science.


The preponderance of mainstream research suggests psychiatric drugs, if
properly administered and monitored, are safe, at least in the short term,
and effective, at least for clamping down on the core symptoms of ADHD, but
there is little hard-core evidence they upgrade a child's scholastic skills.


Where the United States does have an unshakable lead is in the global ADHD
drug market, which is forecast to swell from $2.7 billion in 2005 to an
anticipated $3.3 billion by 2015.


Next: Taking a backward glance at ADHD treatments


(Editors' Note: This series on ADHD is based on a review of hundreds of
reports and a survey of more than 200 specialists.)

~~~~~~~~~~~

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.s...fbe0fa0ddab472

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.s...fbe0fa0ddab472

I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 33 and have been taking 60mg of
Ritalin for as long as I can remember.

My psychiatrist recently had to stop practicing medicine due to a
terminal medical condition. The last week months my primary has been
managing my ritilan. This is fine, but I feel like a need a change,
but don't know what, or how to convey this to my doctor without
sounding like I am looking for drugs.


I have felt and known a change was needed for about a year. I started
a new job with a high profile trial law firm. ALL we do is civil jury
trials. Very exciting, very stressfull and requires some long days.
My coworkers tease me about talking to fast. Sometimes I want to look
at them and say would you please speed up!!!! They just don't absorb
the information I am telling them unless I consciously speak SLOOOOWLY.
They also tease me about how fast I do things, or maybe I might cut a
corner to soon and hit my shoulder. The teasing is not mean, it is all
in fun (at my expense). This is a new experience for me, I have NEVER
had anyone point out any of my symptoms. There is someone else in the
office with ADHD and we have no problem communicating!!! It is a
freaking joke that me and the other person have their own world. Don't
get me wrong, there is not a performance problem and I am very much
appreciated.


I feel as if my meds are not working as effectively as before. I don't
know how to approach this with my doctor. Some of my other symptoms
have resurfaced over the year . . . impulsive buying, sluggish to get
going, guilty feelings about personal failure (nothing major), bouncing
from project to project (ultimately they all get done, I just don't
need to work on them all at once, ya know!) Multi tasking is great,
but I feel like that when I started taking medication, I resolved a lot
of these things. I also find myself craving caffine again. . .


I hate the thought of starting with a new psychiatrist, but I don't
feel like my primary doctor of 16 years will have the insight to make a
change or increase my Ritalin. If I have a 12 hour day, I have been
self-medicating with an extra dose or 2, which makes me short at the
end of the month. Is that completely wrong, I am abusing my
medication.


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks.


lch



I did not see anything about babies being treated in the study.

Jeff