Misdiagnosing and Overprescribing Adhd Medications
Misdiagnosing and Overprescribing ADHD Medications Miriam Valdez HSM 210 Melissa Ellison January 31, 2010
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that millions of children across America are being diagnosed with and put on drugs for. Being the most common childhood disorder in the United States and around the world there are millions of children taking psychotropic drugs to treat ADHD. With so many conditions that imitate ADHD and so many risks and side affects; are doctors misdiagnosing and over prescribing unbecessary medication to children?
According to National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH] (2006), it is estimated that 3-5% of children in the U.S. have ADHD; that is approximately 2 Million school aged children. This percentage does not include the adults that have been diagnosed. Although it has been around for such a long time; researchers still do not know exactly what causes ADHD. With so many children being diagnosed with ADHD it is a bit scary to know that not even scientists, doctors, or researchers know what the exact cause is. There are no medical tests that prove it to be a disease; it is a neurological disorder.
Dr. Fred A. Baughman, a child neurologist who has been in practice for over 35 years reports that the ADHD epidemic has grown from the thousands in 1985 to over 6 million today. Psychiatrists have collected a list of the most common loss of misbehaviors that parents and teachers complain about the most in children and without thinking twice labeled them a disease (2001). Are children not allowed to be children anymore? Many of the so called ADHD symptoms are just children behaving like children or a child looking for attention. Dr. Baughman states “The entire country, including all 5-7 million with the ADHD diagnosis today, have been deceived and victimized; deprived of their informed consent rights and drugged--for profit” (Baughman, 2001)! The Drug and Chemical
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that millions of children across America are being diagnosed with and put on drugs for. Being the most common childhood disorder in the United States and around the world there are millions of children taking psychotropic drugs to treat ADHD. With so many conditions that imitate ADHD and so many risks and side affects; are doctors misdiagnosing and over prescribing unbecessary medication to children?
According to National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH] (2006), it is estimated that 3-5% of children in the U.S. have ADHD; that is approximately 2 Million school aged children. This percentage does not include the adults that have been diagnosed. Although it has been around for such a long time; researchers still do not know exactly what causes ADHD. With so many children being diagnosed with ADHD it is a bit scary to know that not even scientists, doctors, or researchers know what the exact cause is. There are no medical tests that prove it to be a disease; it is a neurological disorder.
Dr. Fred A. Baughman, a child neurologist who has been in practice for over 35 years reports that the ADHD epidemic has grown from the thousands in 1985 to over 6 million today. Psychiatrists have collected a list of the most common loss of misbehaviors that parents and teachers complain about the most in children and without thinking twice labeled them a disease (2001). Are children not allowed to be children anymore? Many of the so called ADHD symptoms are just children behaving like children or a child looking for attention. Dr. Baughman states “The entire country, including all 5-7 million with the ADHD diagnosis today, have been deceived and victimized; deprived of their informed consent rights and drugged--for profit” (Baughman, 2001)! The Drug and Chemical
References: Baughman, F. A. (2001). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Exposing the Fraud of ADD and ADHD). Retrieved January 31, 2010, from http://www.adhdfraud.org Drug Enforcement Administration United States Department of Justice (Dec 10-12, 2006). The Hazards of Treating attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder" with Methylphenidate (Ritalin). Retrieved January 31, 2010 from http://www.oikos.org/deareport.htm National Institute of Mental Health (2006). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (NIH Publication, No. 3572). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved January 31, 2010, from The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Web Site: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/adhd.cfm#intro (Rabiner D N.D ADHD Medications Ritalin and Strattera)Rabiner , D. (n.d.). ADHD Medications Ritalin and Strattera. Retrieved January 31,2010, from ADHD NEWS Web Site: http://www.adhdnews.com/adhd-medication.htm