Ritalin
Is Ritalin The Answer?
A child struggles to sit still. He or she finds it difficult to pay attention in school. It is even more difficult to understand what is being taught. A few years ago this child would receive special attention, or would be shuttled around school to keep him/her from disrupting the rest of the class. Nowadays when a child is considered difficult, they are evaluated, and usually placed on the new wonder drug - Ritalin. But, is Ritalin the answer for every child?
It is not unusual, that when a drug promises such a change in personality, that everyone suffering with similar personality problems, wants it too. The number of children taking Ritalin according to the National Institute of Health is between 1.5 to 2.5 million. The number is rapidly growing. Ritalin is not the only drug being prescribed to children, in what some feel, is an alarming rate. Both Prozac and Zoloft are also being prescribed for millions of children. A national study found, that doctors are prescribing and administering anti-depressants to children from birth to age 18, and the number of children being medicated is around 4.6 million.
Not all the blame should be left at the doctor's door step. Many parents want a quick fix, and that quick fix appears to be drugs. But what happens to children who are taking these drugs for years on end. Nobody really knows. All drugs have various side effects, and in many cases their long term effects may not be well understood. I am sure that you have patients who have children or know of children who take Ritalin. But is there another way? I believe there is.
Many years ago, in the late 1970's, Dr. Ben Feingold treated hyperactive children through diet. His diet removed sugar, food colorings, salisylates, and food additives. Dr. Feingold reported much success with his approach. As his diet began to catch on, a study was conducted, to determine the effectiveness of the Feingold Diet. The results of the study were not very encouraging. The study concluded that Dr. Feingold's diet did not work. However, the study was financed by the Food Coloring Industry, so we should be leery of their results.
Many practitioners have used diet modifications and supplements to deal with learning and emotional problems in children. One of the foremost practitioners in this field is Dr. Doris Rapp. Dr. Rapp, a Buffalo pediatrician, has been treating children with ADD, (Attention Deficit Disorder), for years, with great results. Her approach is very simple: each child is tested for food allergies, the offending foods are removed from the diet, and vitamin/mineral supplements are administered. This technique, has greatly improved the lives of the children she treated.
Some doctors and parents think, that modifying a child's diet is very difficult. My experience has been, that kids usually do better in avoiding foods, then their parents. In fact, when removing foods from a child's diet, most of the problems come from the parents. The key is, to not just eliminate foods, but to provide the parents with new ideas of how to find alternatives. For instance: say that a child needs to have milk products removed from their diet, the parents then need to know what can be used as a substitute. Some of the alternatives available are: rice milk or soy milk for cereals; soy cheese to replace dairy cheese; soy ice creams, and whipped fruit sorbets for deserts
Supplementation usually consists of: vitamin B6, DMG, GABA, a Multiple Vitamin/Mineral, and GLA. The doctor may decide on other supplements based upon their evaluation. The results can usually be observed within a short period of time. Children who could not concentrate, are doing better with their school work, and their over-all behavior will be much improved.
This approach in treating ADD children is very effective and very safe. None of the supplements have any side-effects, short or long-term. As long as treatment is consistent, the results will be good. You will be surprised to see, that in many cases, the children enjoy the new foods. Getting children involved in buying the new foods will help with their acceptance. Periodic reinforcement of the new diet is equally important, especially if the doctor has a good relationship with the child. In some cases: children will outgrow their allergies, and the offending foods may be eaten; in other cases, they may not.
Not only will children with ADD benefit from improved nutrition and the proper supplementation, but children who are candidates for anti-depressants may benefit too.
I think that we owe it to our children, to try and deal with their health problems with natural treatments as much as possible. Not only with behavioral problems, but also with everyday colds, sore throats, chronic ear infections, stomach aches, coughs, and particularly allergies. All of these problems can be handled very well with natural products. We find that the chronic use of anti-biotics is making the anti-biotics less effective, and in some cases, not effective at all.
When a child is chronically ill, intervention with natural products is going to bring an end to the chronic condition. For instance, chronic ear or sinus infections can usually to traced to milk or mold allergies. In fact, there can be more mold in the winter months then during the fall. Mold allergies can cause various upper respiratory illnesses, including asthma. When you see a child who is constantly sick, there is much that you can do to break the cycle. Dietary changes, and the proper supplementation, can go a long way to improve the child's health.
Children's diets can be improved, by reducing their sugar intake, and by adding more fresh fruits and vegetables (frozen vegetables can sometimes be used). With less sugar, and more fruits and vegetables, children's bodies will naturally get stronger. Snacks of fresh fruits and vegetables are usually welcomed by kids. Oranges slices, green grapes, and berries, are sized just right, even for the smallest hands. Children really like these snacks, and with a little effort, they can become a staple of their diets. Vegetables are another food, where it takes involvement to get the kids to try them. Vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, and red peppers are usually accepted by most children. Work with your kids, offer various vegetables, cooked and raw. Ask them which ones they would like to try. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables yourself, and soon the kids will try them.
Posted
by Dr. Steven Felder
