New Warnings Emerge For ADHD Drugs And Children
June 20th, 2016
Parents Seek Natural, Effective Alternatives To Stimulant Medications
Medications used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (known as ADHD) are becoming increasingly common each year, as the number of children diagnosed with the condition skyrockets. But as stimulant medications increase in popularity, so, too, do the known risks and dangers of utilizing pharmaceutical treatments to ameliorate symptoms of ADHD in children and teens.
Two recent studies on the impact of ADHD stimulant medications on children and teens are currently making waves in the news, and, while the findings are a bit worrisome, the research also makes a strong case for alternatives to popular ADHD drugs.
Considering recent developments in ADHD medication research, you might wonder why stimulant treatment for the condition remains a first-line tactic to treat the condition in children.
Why ADHD Medications Are So Popular
Stimulant medications for ADHD are not new, and neither is the default of prescribing them for a diagnosis of the condition in children.
While the prescribed treatments for ADHD are controversial (and, some say, heavily overused as a primary option), they are generally considered effective to manage symptoms in both children and adults.
As any parent raising a child with ADHD knows, unmanaged symptoms can be incredibly disruptive – both at home and in educational settings. Children struggling to focus can be irritable, angry, tantrum prone, quick to frustration and perceived as disobedient in classroom settings.
ADHD isn’t just unpleasant for the parents and teachers, though. From a kid’s perspective, the constant cognitive fight to remain focused and complete tasks can lead to anxiety, stress, insomnia and other secondary symptoms.
Downsides
Health concerns aside, the use of stimulant medications to treat ADHD symptoms in children and teenagers is not without additional disadvantages.
One frequently cited difficulty in treating ADHD with stimulants is the high cost and time-consuming process of securing the medications, such as Ritalin.
Potentially addictive and with a high risk of being abused, ADHD drugs are often heavily restricted by law. As such, specialist visits are required monthly to continue these treatments, and the costs can quickly add up.
In addition, the legal restrictions placed upon these pharmaceutical remedies have led to a supply shortage, resulting from a discrepancy between prescriptions written by doctors and the amount of ADHD medication legally allowed to be on the market. Parents often find themselves unable to fill prescriptions for children already accustomed to the medications … sometimes resulting in an abrupt and more severe return of symptoms, as well as an increase in stress and decrease in mood stability in children.
Common Side Effects Of ADHD Drugs
While effective, stimulant medications for ADHD are both difficult to obtain and sometimes expensive – and two new studies have added to the growing concerns parents have about using the drugs to treat the condition in children.
Over the years, side effects of ADHD medications have been carefully tracked. A few known downsides of stimulant drugs include:
Stress
Anxiety
Appetite Reduction
Gastrointestinal Complaints
Dizziness
Tics
Suicidal Ideation
However, two newly released studies have outlined additional concerns about ADHD treatment, adding to the list of adverse effects.
Addiction And ADHD Drugs In Childhood
In the July 2014 issue of the medical journal Pediatrics, research indicated that children who are diagnosed with ADHD are twice as likely to later both experiment with and abuse recreational drugs.
Researchers are still investigating the link between ADHD in kids and adult drug abuse, but the role of stimulant medications is under particular scrutiny.
Dr. Michael Duchowny, a pediatric neurologist at Miami Children’s Hospital, told CBS that a direct link had not been established, but he commented:
Children with ADHD need to be counseled about the risk of substance abuse … Obviously, the medications that are used to treat ADHD have the potential for abuse, but the vast majority of children with ADHD do not develop a substance abuse problem.”
Duchowny added that additional studies are needed to “find out why some children are more susceptible than others,” and urged parents to be aware of the potential for addiction and recreational use of ADHD stimulant medications:
Parents need to be aware that the medications prescribed for ADHD have the potential for abuse. They also have to be aware of the symptoms of substance abuse, and distinguish those from ADHD … Counseling is important, and awareness is the key to preventing the problems.”
Other Stimulant Risks Emerge
The potential of ADHD drugs to adversely impact an individual’s relationship to substances later in life is a long-term concern, but additional research raised questions about the immediate risks of pharmaceutical treatment of the condition in children.
New research out of Denmark, where use of ADHD drugs is far less common in children, indicates that potential cardiac problems are also a concern when considering the use of stimulants such as Ritalin.
The research indicated that rare cardiac problems may be twice as likely in kids treated with ADHD drugs, and study lead author Dr. Soren Dalsgaard cautioned that such risks should not be forgotten in the consideration of such medications, adding:
Indeed, the benefits from ADHD medication can be worth the risk of adverse effects, but we should not underestimate the risk of cardiac effects.”
Micronutrients: A Growing Body Of Evidence
Stimulant medications are only one way, albeit a common one, to address the pervasive symptoms of ADHD in children.
Some parents have reported mild gains in mood and focus when experimenting with diet – however, such changes are both time-consuming and restrictive, as well as unpredictable. A lengthy process of strict elimination and waiting are often necessary to pinpoint dietary triggers.
The exact cause of ADHD and focus disorders is not precisely known, and as such, treating the condition is a challenge.
Research suggests that micronutrients – a nutritional “magic wand” used by the body to create necessary enzymes and perform crucial cognitive functions – may offer a safer, effective way to improve focus and stability and reduce ADHD symptoms.
An All-Natural Alternative That’s Clinically Proven.
Addressing the symptoms of ADHD in children diagnosed with the disorder is every parent’s individual choice, but many have reported success with a clinically proven product.
Great Testimony
What difference does Q96 make for ADHD kids? You tell me! Here are 2 emails from my son’s 8th grade History teacher – oldest first and the one I got 3 days ago below it. Only difference is that he has been taking Q96 regularly for the past 2 weeks~
***Jan 23rd***
Hi ,Mrs —
I have spoken with (son) several times about work he needs to get done before the semester ends. I spoke with him today and gave him a list of his missing assignments. Since we last e-mailed (when he only had one missing assignment), his focus and effort in class have dropped. He hasn’t been using his class time to do his Interactive Student Notebook (ISN) with his group members, and has been talking instead. It has been incomplete for about a month and I have been giving him constant reminders. With the end of the semester this Friday, there will be no more assignments counting toward this semester’s grades. I graded his ISN today and little to none of it was done.
His grade in the class has dropped to a 61%, just 1% above failing.
Thanks,
History teacher
***Feb 15th***
Hi Mrs.
I just wanted to send you a quick note to commend (son)! He is doing incredible in the class this semester. His focus, effort, and the quality of his work is head and shoulders above anything I have seen from him this year. Although we are still early in the semester, he has a solid A (90/95 points for a 94.7%).
This is exciting!
History teacher
Every Child needs that focus and ability to know they can do good in school.. Q 96 is making that happen. Will YOU give your child that confidence to know they can excel?
Q Sciences is leading the way with proper nutrition our brains need to focus and stay healthy.
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