What are we doing to our children?

A U.K. study shows that children in America and the U.K. are increasingly being given anti-psychotic drugs to treat a myriad of problems, most commonly autism and hyperactivity. This increased dependency on drugs to solve or control these problems could be jeopardizing the health of these children. We don’t know for certain because long-term effects of these drugs are not tested before being administered!

Here’s the side effects we do know of: weight gain, nervous-system problems and heart trouble. There is little long-term evidence about whether these drugs are even safe for children. Weight gain alone creates additional risks including diabetes.

Once again we go for the immediate quick and easy answer. We use our children as guinea pigs because some pharmaceutical company’s ad hawks their latest creation as the answer we have all been praying for.

What is the root cause of hyperactivity? Why is a pill the only answer to address this problems?

There has been a great deal of focus on Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder as a cause of hyperactivity. Other conditions can cause it as well. Normal young children can be very lively and may or may not have short attention spans. Normal teenagers can also appear hyperactive; puberty can cause it. Children who are bored, are suffering from mental conflict, or are having problems at home — which may even include sexual abuse — can be hyperactive. The disorder has a large range of effects on children. Some have learning disabilities, while others may be very gifted, or both. None of these conditions warrant the use of drugs.

Hyperactivity can also occur because of problems with hearing or vision. Overactive thyroid, lead poisoning, atypical depression, mania, anxiety, sleep deprivation and a range of psychiatric illnesses are some of the potential causes. These conditions can all be addressed by treatments without using drugs.

These are the issues that need to be researched before resorting to any response from pharmaceutical companies who will push any pill that earns them money.

Thioridazine, sometimes used to treat hyperactivity in attention deficit disorder, was one of the frequently used early medications that was halted because it was later found to have heart-related side effects. This was only learned after children had been given the drug.

Doctors themselves are adding to health risks. For example, atypicals are a new generation of antipsychotic drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration for adult schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (manic depression). None of the six drugs — Clozaril, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify and Geodon — is approved for kids, but doctors can prescribe them as "off-label" medications. Why are doctors allowed to prescribe these drugs to children as long as the drugs do not carry the original label? Why do doctors prescribe these to children knowing they are not approved for children?

Research on how the drugs affect children is sparse, and experts increasingly are concerned that the drugs are being prescribed too often for children with behavior problems, such as attention-deficit disorder and aggression.

In a USA Today interview, John March, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine, prescribes the drugs to kids in some cases of serious illness when he thinks the benefits outweigh the risks. But he says prescribing them for behavior problems alone may be a mistake. "We have no evidence about the safety of these agents or their effectiveness in controlling aggression," he says. "Why are we doing this?"

A study of FDA data collected from 2000 to 2004 shows at least 45 deaths of children in which an atypical antipsychotic was listed in the FDA database as the "primary suspect." There also were 1,328 reports of bad side effects, some of them life-threatening. Are parents so desperate to get relief from the burden of a hyperactive child that they resort to drugs with these side-effects?

The FDA's Adverse Events Reporting System database captures only 1% to 10% of drug-induced side effects and deaths, "maybe even less than 1%," says clinical pharmacologist Alastair J.J. Wood, an associate dean at Vanderbilt Medical School in Nashville. So the real number of cases is almost certainly much higher.

We need to break free of conventional medicine’s dependence on drugs. This whole culture of take a pill to solve your problems needs to be stopped. Pharmaceutical companies placing ads pushing their latest miracle drugs need to be banned. The FDA needs to more thoroughly test these drugs before they are prescribed.

There are several alternative treatments to medication for the hyperactive child, but be absolutely certain you consult only a registered and qualified practitioner.

Osteopathy:

Osteopathy treats the musculo-skeletal system. It concentrates on gentle manipulation to restore and maintain the proper functioning of the muscles and bones. It is particularly useful for treating problems with the ligaments and spine. It improves lymphatic drainage and breathing which, in turn, can be very effective in treating hyperactivity in children. Cranial osteopathy also relieved many of the symptoms of hyperactivity such as headaches, dizziness and lack of concentration.

Nutritional therapy:

Much of our modern diet is highly refined and lacking in essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Nutritional medicine aims to redress this balance by adding essential nutrients to the diet in such a way that the body is able to absorb and utilize these nutrients. A nutritional therapist will recommend a system for diagnosing and eliminating any foods that are likely to trigger hyperactive behavior in the child.

Homeopathy:

The homeopathic approach is growing in popularity as an alternative treatment for hyperactivity in children. Homeopathy is gaining recognition in the conventional field of medicine and has been subject to many clinical trials. Homeopathy works according to the principle of “like cures like” where substances that cause certain symptoms can also be used to cure them. However, used in conventional doses, these substances would be toxic, so homeopathy dilutes them to miniscule levels in order to make them safe but, at the same time, retaining their effectiveness. Because homeopathy adopts the holistic approach, the child’s medical history, lifestyle and temperament will be assessed before treatment is prescribed. Hyperactivity is considered a complex problem by homeopaths. It is, therefore, essential that you consult a recommended practitioner rather than trying to treat the child yourself.

Acupuncture:

Acupuncture is based on the principle that well-being depends on the balance and flow of energy (called “Qi”) through the body. The acupuncturist will correct the flow of Qi by inserting thin needles into certain points in the body. Because some children are afraid of needles (acupuncture needles, incidentally, are painless), massage or acupressure will be used instead. However, most acupuncturists treating children will only use the finest of needles and only leave them in place for a few seconds. The acupuncturist will take a full history of the hyperactive child and then concentrate on the points where he or she believes the energy channels are being blocked in the individual child. Acupuncture has proved a very effective remedy for hyperactivity in children.

Herbal medicine:

Herbalism is probably the oldest form of medicine. Whereas modern medicine often relies on extracting one active ingredient, herbal medicine uses the whole plant. Herbalists often point out that symptoms may get worse at first but then a marked improvement will follow. Many herbal remedies are particularly relevant to the treatment of hyperactivity in children. A herbalist will be able to pinpoint the remedies which are best suited to the individual personality of the child.

At least try some other form of treatment before subjecting your child to the crap shoot that pills have become.