Did you know that spending on ‘ADHD’ drugs in this country rose in 2010 to £31 million a year (a 65% increase in four years)? Drugs such ritinol, which are prescribed to manicly depressed people are being given to out of control young children. This is seriously worrying.
Whilst I don’t believe that this condition is totally fabricated as does Peter Hitchens , Mail on Sunday Columnist, but I am concerned that young children are being categorised with ADHD when they really do not have anything wrong with them.
Symptoms of ADHD are often seen in many young children, such as short attention span, disruptive behaviour and uncontrollable behaviour. However that does not mean that they need to go on anti depressants to overcome this.
Could it be that they are bored, their diet is poor and they just need stricter boundaries? I listened to BBC London on this very subject today and there were callers whose children had had astonishing side effects from these drugs; some even pledging to commit suicide.
It seemed that psychiatrist had a label for misbehaving children and parents could blame the genes rather than finding alternatives. I believe the condition is worse in America where they are handing out these drugs like they are smarties.
About 10% of children are diagnosed with ADHD. I don’t know any, although at times I have thought certain reprobates on the buses must have it. Seriously though, have we just moved on from “Prozac Nation” to “Ritinol Nation”?
Bunty
