There has to be something bigger than availability of a medication to explain why paediatric diseases are increasing at such an alarming rate. There are many factors that need to be considered, but ultimately Ritalin is over-prescribed and may not be the solution everyone is hoping for.
It is a rare occasion to meet a ‘pure’ ADHD child. One that actually is extremely hyperactive and nothing else can settle. In those instances I bless medications as we need something to break the cycle for both the parents’ and child’s sake. Unfortunately these pure cases are few and far between. What is most common is a situation whereby a child suffers from a few symptoms that ultimately relate to a number of other causes.
There appears to be alarming increasing trends throughout the world. Some statistics show that ADHD has increased by up to 500%! The primary underlying genetic vulnerability appears to be, in many children, an impaired ability to detoxify. This makes them unable to cope with increasing toxic exposure and ultimately accumulates in tissues such as the nervous system and brain. We are in the midst of a group of new childhood epidemics, which are directly related to industrialism, and to its associated pollution, environmental degradation, and toxicity.
Surely there has to be a reason for all of these increases and I can’t imagine that the discovery of Ritalin will provide all of the answers. Current theories are that hyper-exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants are contributing to these conditions. Mercury and Lead (both heavy metals) are key offenders. It is now understood that lower doses of multiple toxins can have adverse effects especially on the brains and nervous systems of foetuses and young children – even though the level of individual toxin is below that previously thought to be toxic. Mercury from dental amalgams, a heavy fish diet, industrial pollution, lead from old paints and mothers exposed to leaded petrol appear to be the biggest offenders.
The best strategy is a wholisitic, biomedical approach that focuses on; digestive health, dietary modification, nutritional supplementation, detoxification and medication as necessary. Simple Ritalin is not a solution.
