Yes
Jenny Missen, 56, was until recently a welfare assistant in an infant
school. She is now chair of trustees for Addiss, a support group for
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder sufferers and their families. She
is the mother of James Missen, 22, whose ADHD was diagnosed when he was 9.
He took Ritalin until he was 21. Jenny and her husband John, 61, also have a
32-year-old son, Paul, and a 28-year-old daughter, Sarah.
‘‘James was our third child, and I knew even before he was
born that there was something different about him. He was overactive in the
womb. He was a lovely baby, really alert and colossally strong. He crossed
his physical milestones early: he was crawling at five months and walking at
ten months. He didn’t stop running until he was 3, when he discovered Thomas
the Tank Engine on the telly. It was the first thing apart from physical
activity that caught his attention.
People complain about ADHD children always running around and never sitting
down, but all you want to do is to tire them out because it’s such a stress
keeping them safe. He was impulsive and had no sense of danger. On my son
Paul’s 11th birthday, we gave 10-month-old James a Little Tikes slide. All
the family were in the garden. James went to the top and took a flying leap.
We all stood there, aghast. But that’s how he was.
At 4, his speech and language were slightly delayed. The speech therapist also
suspected a problem with attention, which was prescient. My GP responded by
saying that Einstein didn’t speak until he was 4, which wasn’t helpful. I
couldn’t wait for James to start nursery because I thought the constant
stimulation would solve the problem. But it opened a new can of worms: there
was too much stimulation, and he went round the nursery like a tornado.
I was working at the school at the time, and James went into reception class
with a teacher I trusted, but he didn’t get any better. We all saw an
educational psychologist, who said there must have been some trauma to make
him the way he was and that he needed a school for children with emotional
behavioural problems. Remember, this was a long time ago, and that’s what
they thought back then. I was gobsmacked, and then angry.
The school was great: it decided to statement him [apply for a statement of
special educational needs] and employ an assistant. It wasn’t until he was 9
that the ADHD was finally diagnosed, and we were asked if we would like to
try Ritalin. We’d never heard of it. We went for it, because at that stage
we felt we had nothing to lose.
I remember giving him his first tablet on a Saturday morning. Within 20
minutes, the house was quiet for the first time in nine years. He didn’t
become a dribbling zombie, but he sat down and watched children’s Saturday
morning TV. He went to school and the teachers were astounded. He was the
first child in his school to take anything for ADHD. The first parents’
evening after that was different, too: we were shown pages of writing and
diagrams he’d produced. We floated out on a cloud.
I’m not saying it made him the perfect boy. It was still hard work for us and
his teachers, but the medicine gave him the opportunity to sit still and
concentrate. There was no change in personality; he still had the cheek and
lip of a nine-year-old. I think we were lucky because the dosage was right.
He stayed in mainstream school and got about five GCSEs. It was a struggle
because he’s probably not naturally academic, although that’s not to say he
isn’t bright. At 21, he said he wanted to stop taking the drugs, and he did.
We saw absolutely no difference and now he’s been off it for a year. He’s
not impulsive any more: it’s possible his brain has matured. He now works
for his dad, helping out with driving and the computers.
I dread to think of what would have happened had we not had Ritalin, and if
we’d followed the advice to take him out of mainstream schools. Medication
is not the only option but the bad publicity about Ritalin is such a shame.
Doctors and teachers pick up newspapers, just like everyone else, and are
influenced by what they read. I’d say to a parent, who are you going to
trust? Clinicians who see ADHD children every day? An unbiased organisation
such as Addiss? Or a journalist?
No
Maria Pindula, 38, is the mother of Marcelo, who will be 8 in December. She
is a full-time housewife and lives in North London. She is divorced from
Marcelo’s father, with whom Marcelo has regular contact visits.
‘‘Marcelo was a normal baby until he reached about 18 months. Then he changed
into a nonstop baby. He was all over the place, full of energy, and was only
sleeping eight hours in 24. He wouldn’t sit still for long enough for me to
read a story to him.
At this age he wasn’t doing the things you’d expect. He wouldn’t respond to
his name and he wouldn’t point at things. He never enjoyed playing peekaboo.
The health visitor referred me to a paediatrician, who diagnosed autism and
learning difficulties. There was a mention of ADHD but it was seen as too
early to give a formal diagnosis.
Marcelo went to nursery when he was 3, but they couldn’t cope because he had
no sense of danger. I had to attend with him. I was asked to consider a
special school, and he moved to a special-needs nursery. He never really
spoke, and even today, he says only a few words. He is now in a
special-needs school, and I couldn’t ask for better care there.
In 2005 he was referred to a psychiatrist, who said he had learning
difficulties but probably wasn’t autistic. The doctor said he was
hyperactive too, and that this was connected with the learning difficulties.
In retrospect, he’d always shown signs of ADHD: he is unpredictable, cannot
concentrate and continually on the go. Ritalin was prescribed.
We tried Ritalin for five days, and it worked within 20 minutes. Marcelo got
confused and scared. He didn’t know where he was. He got very down and
depressed, and would hide behind me and cry for no reason. This frightened
me – he was only 6. I preferred him hyperactive to depressed and scared. I
called the psychiatrist and said I couldn’t do it [give him Ritalin].
We tried dexamphetamine [another stimulant prescribed for ADHD], but that
seemed to exaggerate his hyperactivity and send him berserk. Now we know
that Marcelo doesn’t react well to stimulants. We tried another drug,
atomoxetine [a nonstimulant drug], but stopped it after a day because he
couldn’t stand the smell. Then he was prescibed risperidone [an
antipsychotic drug], which he still takes. It’s never calmed down the
hyperactivity but I would say it’s led to a 10 per cent improvement in
language. He’s been on it for 14 months.
I’ve also tried gluten-free and dairy-free diets, fish oils and multivitamins.
Changing diet has helped but when you don’t have much guidance, you get lost
because you don’t know which foods to eat. The doctors tell me that diet has
nothing to do with his condition, but I know he is sensitive to additives
and preservatives. I wish I could find a doctor who could treat Marcelo
holistically, with both alternative and conventional medicine.
Everyone adores him because he’s so jolly, friendly and smiley, but he’s a
lost child. He doesn’t have friends. You take him into homes and he breaks
things – you end up saying “No, don’t do that” over and over again and it
gets too much. It’s also difficult for him to mix with other similar
children – everyone’s overwhelmed with their own difficulties, and everyone
already has so much to cope with. Friends and family tell me that, if only
he would calm down, they could do so much with him.
The most difficult thing for me is that Marcelo never stops. Or, when he does,
it’s for half a second before he moves on to the next toy. He sleeps
three hours a night and doesn’t get tired. I’ve been up since 3am. I can’t
sleep during the day because when Marcelo is not around I’m always waiting
for the phone to ring.
His frustration is getting worse. Now he’s getting aggressive and has punched
me. He slaps himself in the face really hard too, which is horrible. You
know what? I feel very lost, because I don’t know how to help him. It’s
getting overwhelming because he is growing. I feel guilty and sad for him;
at his age, you start making plans for the future, but we have to make it
through each day at a time.
From someone who has experience of the true symptoms of ADHD, those that were correctly dianosed and helped with ritalin/concerta, you cant just learn to cope if you have ADHD. Its not a learning disorder that is responsible for a faliure to behave normally, and it is not as simple as just teaching somone with ADHD symptoms that they need to change their behaviour. Like it or not, the problem in people with the correct dianosis of ADHD is a brain chemical inbalance - the best cure to such an imbalance is chemical. It is the case that there are comorbid conditions that can make medicating ADHD totally counter productive. It is true that the dianosis of ADHD needs improving, but I cant see any truth in findings that medication is not having lasting benefits. Even if we accept their findings that meds have temp (not perm) benefits, are they telling us that the temporary ability to learn can have no lasting benefits? what about all the data about reduced drug dependance and ritalin use?
geoff, portsmouth,
well, I had a troubled past. I made it through school with some good GCSE's, but I don't know how. I used to be completely unable to concentrate, and I knew it was a chemical thing. It wasn't something that I could control at all. I just couldn't sit and listen or read a book, I had to be in constant motion and doing my own thing. It wasn't a case of discipline. I actually wanted to succeed at an early age, but found myself manipulating the classroom so I didn't have to go through the agony of having to concentrate - moving objects in the way of the teacher so I couldn't be seen to be disconnected from the class. I went to uni to study physics, and my lack of attention became a health and safety issue in the lab, then i was FINNALY diagnosed ADHD, given Ritalin/concerta and five years later I can see MASSIVE LASTING benefits! who knows what might have been had I been diagnosed and treated earlier! I now read many books and have hobby's that I could not enjoy before medication.
geoff, portsmouth,
I was incorrectly diagnosed ADHD. age 7 In Johannesburg back in the late 70's.
I was not ADHD but actually highly gifted/ visual spatial.
before I was on Ritalin at age 7, I was not unhappy, my Primary school report cards at age 6 before Ritalin , I had A’s in every single subject, even the extra mural activities. less than 6 months after Ritalin I was failing everything. They never recovered even after I was taken off Ritalin. I am now a dysfunctional 32 year old, the people who prescribed it say it is imposible to link the negative effects as those are also symptoms that could otherwise have reasonable manifested themselves given the passage of time(10 years) and other factors. (Parents Divorce etc). as it is an unknown, there is no miracle cure like before.
Dont do it especially if your Child is diagnosed Gifted/ADHD there are non prescriptive alternatives.
Justin, London,
I was prescribed ritalin as a child of 7 in Johannesburg... Like other posters it made me feel wire, wierd and I would avoid taking the "DRUG" if I could. Of course my reports showed a improvement in attitude and concentration but this is because the drug suppresses normal brain petterns. If I have a child with ADHD I will NOT follown this path. I feel more activity as Mr Ball professes is the solution wether this be sport, hobbies and in many cases more parental inclusion in a childs life may be the solution. I would be interested to see the rates of ADHD diagnosis in countries with better family scructures in comparison with western ethics of quick solutions for all.
Rob, Currently Targu Mures,
I agree with Margaret from London - it's nothing to do with brain chemistry or diet; it's them pesky phone masts wat's to blame. Forget the Ritalin, what we need is tinfoil hats
Honestly...
Different causes can exhibit similar symptoms. A particular drug may or may not work with a particular individual. I see no sense in dogmatically refusing a particular treatment due to un or semi informed prejudice.
David, Croydon, Mozambique
We've had success with Ritalin. Our lad was diagnosed at 9. He had learning difficulties and strugged to make & keep chums as his behaviour was erratic. The week before his medication started I asked his Cub master if there was any chance of him being promoted to seconder. The incredulous look back spoke volumes. Two days after Ritalin he was promoted & he made sixer three months later.
Early on, he complained that the drug made him feel "not like me", but after a while his experience made him understand that it helped him achieve things he otherwise wouldn't - so he became an advocate (too much so sometimes - we'd have to watch he wasn't taking too much)
The month after he started Ritalin he took the exams for the highly selective local grammar school and passed. He is now 19, was a straight A student at school and is now at a top 5 university studying Classics.
We believe RItalin has dramatically changed our lads outcomes - and much for the better.
Ian, London, UK
Less of a view, more of a suggestion for help for Maria Pindula. Does she know of the Sunflower Trust in Guildford - this takes a holisitc approach to helping children with the difficulties she describes. I have no experience of them myself, but maybe it may be of help to her.Please if you could pass thisinformation on if you feel it would help, the website is www.sunflowertrust.co.uk (I first heard about the Sunflower Trust here in the pages of The Times.) I wish Maria luck in finding a way to help her and her family.
Catherine Daley, Chichester, West Sussex
Personally I have no time for these chemical coshes. The first example actually seems to be describing a gifted child so why hold that back instead of chanelling it and I have yet to meet a 10 month old with a sense of danger . Perhaps if these parents took the time to take their children to athletics clubs or similar there would be no need for this.
Denise Ball, Oldbury, England
I was deemed to have ADHD by numerous 'experts' throughout my school days. I hated taking it as I couldn't sleep and it made me feel wired. I don't attribute it to an inability to concentrate bur rather a lack of interest. The doctor who prescribed it to me had already obtained three different medical degrees and then decided he needed it, and swore by it. I can't see how a man in his late 40's with those qualifications can't concentrate. To cut a long story short, I refused to take it, throwing the pills away while at school. I fought with my parents no end about it, and I reckon I have turned out to be OK. I have (hopefully) graduate from a university I was told by a child psychologist whose focus was on ADHD that I wouldn't make it there.
Whitheld, Johannesburg, South Afrca
My son, aged 20 by now, has been diagnosed having ADHD at the age of 9. Primary school was a catastrophy in classes as well as with his homeworks. I was a wreck having to watch him permanently in order to keep him from having accidents and causing havoc. As he was suffering from asthma as well and taking medicine to help him to breathe properly, I didn`t think it advisable to give him even more drugs. Instead I followed the advise of a fellow mother , testing my child for a disagreement with various nutrients and found his problems are caused by yolk of egg, citric acid, phosphates (even in toothpaste!), almonds, strawberries, some tropical fruits and cows milk protein. These are a bit difficult to avoid as they are put into a lot of inconspicious foodstuff - like citric acid in bread - but once we managed to keep him on his diet all our problems were gone. I think it was worth the trouble and can recommend this strategy. No side effects!
Elke Nachtigall, Seligenstadt, Germany
Read :- Melatonin and microwaves.
Serotonin and microwaves.
The Bamberg Report.
B.Trower Reports.
Melatonin will not work above 0.05 V/M, consequently the body retains and builds up impurities leading to serious illnesses.
Aggression, depression, ADHD, difficulty in concentrating, these are just a few of a long list of problems caused by 'phone masts.
Children being smaller will be more easily affected by these emissions.
It is so easy to blame parents and lifestyle, but until this greedy Industry is curbed by less-greedy Governments the problem will only worsen.
Pills will never work, because they cannot fight microwave energy.
The US and UK have possibly the highest permitted power levels in the world, therefore more problems.
We must lobby our MP's to change these practices quickly.
Our area suffers from a TETRA mast and many people are ill because of it.
Microwave energy is deadly. Nobody doubts that .
Margaret, London,
Child in the article "only" slept 8 hours at 18 months - not a problem. That's enough sleep for the adult/s, and children's needs vary. One size DOESN'T fit all.
QUOTE
She only wears the [Ritalin] patch during school hours and only during the week - never during summer vacation or holidays. ... Our physician stressed that learning and teaching coping skills were just as important as medication and would serve us better in the long run. UNQUOTE
I found this very significant. If the child can manage life without being drugged in normal life - home, ordinary society - then why drug the child with a cocaine derivative to force her into a place that makes her ill?
The school environment is simply BAD for a large minority of children.
Very large groups shut up in small spaces,
same age grouping,
overcrowding everywhere,
almost no exercise,
constant competitive pressure linked to "failure"
= aggression.
We know this in zoos & animal care yet we do it to children!
Shan Morgain, Newport, Wales, UK
Nutrition, Professor Puri has suggested EPA fish oil for ADHD. Read his book.. Gabriel Cousens MD also has found nutrition plays an important role with the treatment of ADHD
ARTHUR BROCKLEBANK, Cheshire, England
Have these kids become this way after received the triple jab?
I have seen several kids that I cared for become personaity alterned ONE DAY after their jabs in Canada.
Here is a good opportunity to pursue this outside of the pressures of governemnts and pharmas that fear liability issues - and loss of income
Anyone, Calgary , Canada
My daughter was diagnosed last year at the age of 10. I was diagnosed at the same time. Prior to the diagnosis our lives had become nearly unbearable. The two of us would constantly forget important items like homework, lunch money, permission slips, etc. Short tempers and arguing were so destructive for us. Ritalin and Adderal have been real life savers for us. My daughter's Ritalin is dispensed through a patch placed on the skin and allows us to fine tune the dosage. We can remove it to stop the flow of the drug at any time. Otherwise, if left, the patch stops working after 9 hours. She only wears the patch during school hours and only during the week - never during summer vacation or holidays. Her school work has improved dramatically, as has my performance at my job. Medication is NOT the silver bullet. Our physician stressed that learning and teaching coping skills were just as important as medication and would serve us better in the long run.
tlms, USA,
A supplement containing DMAE and magnesium appears to have been very helpful for our son.
Cece, London,
My 10yr old son is in the Autistic Spectrum mostly Aspergers and drugs made things a lot worse, told us (parents) he would rather be dead his life was so awful, he was 8 then! Now he we do not medicate him at all and he is a lot happier, this is not to say that medication does not work for some children, it obviously does, the sad thing that has come to my attention is that some parents only medicate (Ritalin) their children at home! That way they get some quality time! They don't care what happens at school!
Graham Palfrey, Littlehampton,
There can be many reasons a child has the symptoms of what is currently being called ADHD. (Many names have been used in past decades.) As the new study from the University of Southampton shows, synthetic food dyes are a major trigger for behavior and attention problems in all children, not only those diagnosed with ADHD.
These dyes are synthesized from petroleum and have been found to trigger serious health problems, and there are natural dyes that can be used in their place, so it makes sense to see if they are a reason for the symptoms.
The mom who attempted to use a diet for her child may not realize that there is lots of help available. Volunteers at the Hyperactive Children's Support Group in the UK and the Feingold Association of the United States have been helping families for over 30 years. There is a great deal of information at www.feingold.org.
Jane Hersey, Williamsburg, Virginia
Our 9 year old daughter started taking ritalin in September to help her to focus in school. We manage her behaviour ourselves at home - we have found that this is not so difficult once you amend your expectations about life with an ADHD child. But school is a different situation - there is little flexibility, and children are expected to be able to sit quietly and listen. Our daughter had her own 1-1 helper but it still wasn't enough to keep her still and on task. Since she started on ritalin school have noticed a fantastic improvement in her ability to focus and she is now even in the choir, something that was unthinkable beforehand. She still has some ADHD type behaviours but they are less pronounced and this alone is a huge breakthrough. I think that people who expect ritalin to produce a magic cure in their child will be disappointed - but even small victories are to be savoured. Panorama was unhelpful as it didn't show ritaln being used more responsibly
Jackie, Kingston, Surrey
I feel sorry with your sons,but please stay on it .
Be strong!Everyday is a blank new day,keep tryin' and you will see final victory!God bless you!
KAME, FOSHAN, CHINA
I know of several pediatricians who prescribed a cup or two of strong coffee instead of ritalin as school counselors had suggested. The results were excellent. Apparently caffeine can do what ritalin does without the side effects. Of course the pharma companies will never go into prescription caffeine because it cannot be patented and therefore is not sufficiently profitable.
The school minions, when they found out that the child was getting caffeine, went ballistic despite the fact that the child's problems were resolved. Thankfully, the doctor stood his ground because the results of the coffee treatment were self evident.
Jon Maynard, Lansing, MI, USA