Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD refers to a group of behaviors that make it difficult for children to pay attention and control impulses, affecting boys three times as often as girls. A recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia reported that there has been a 22% increase in the number of children diagnosed with ADHD since 2003. That means that there are now 5.4 million or one in ten children in the United States who have been given the diagnosis of ADHD. The study attributed the increase to more awareness and better screening.
There is considerable public concern that children are being overmedicated and many medical professionals share that concern. Two thirds of the children diagnosed with ADHD are on medications. The most common medication is methylphenidate (Ritalin) or related drugs that are chemically similar to amphetamines. These psychostimulants can increase heart rate and blood pressure and cause changes in the electrocardiogram (EKG). Several recent studies have shown that the ADHD medication dose could be reduced by half simply by replacing it with a placebo (sugar pill) without causing any change in symptoms as perceived by teachers and parents evaluating the child. Clearly this deserves further investigation and raises more questions than it resolves.