Is Ritalin Turning Children & Adults Into Zombies?
Renowned Israeli Psychiatrist Says ADHD is a Complex Issue
By Ken Stephens
Is Ritalin over prescribed? Are parents using medicine in the place of discipline? Sheba’s Head of Child Psychiatry, Prof. Doron Gothelf says "No".
“Yes, there are many worrying headlines about ADHD and use of Ritalin but the reality of what is going on is much more complex. In some instances Ritalin is indeed being over-prescribed but there are just as many children and adults who absolutely need the drug and are not getting proper treatment,” claimed Prof. Gothelf, one of Israel’s most renowned child and adolescent psychiatrists.
It is easy to see what has caused the alarm. Israel’s leading HMO’s (Health Maintenance Organizations) reported that prescriptions for Ritalin to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) amongst children/teens ages 5-14 years old were up 14%, ages 15-24 up 26% and adults ages 35-44 years old up 125%, during the past four years alone!
America’s Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has called on parents of preschoolers with ADHD to try behavior therapy first before trying drugs. According to the CDC, 75 percent (or about 2 million American pre-school children) diagnosed with ADD are currently receiving drugs as treatment.
Medical professionals are currently being caught up in a wave of negative headlines caused by these and other studies around the world, with pundits suggesting that Ritalin is being overprescribed and in many cases being abused.
This alarming trend has not gone unrecognized by Israel’s top psychiatrists and medical experts.
Prof. Gothelf heads both the Child Psychiatry and Behavorial Neurogenetic Center at Sheba Medical Center. The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division at the Sheba Medical Center is the first such unit of its kind in Israel to provide mental health services to children and their families in a pediatric rather than in a psychiatric setting.
“Many children were under diagnosed in the past and as ADHD is very hereditary, many of the parents of children with ADHD report to me that they were never properly diagnosed. Today, there is much more awareness,” explained Prof. Gothelf.
Greater awareness has led to a sharp improvement in treatment of ADD and a recognition of the challenges facing people with the condition. Prof. Gothelf explains, “In the past, teachers would tell someone that they were either lazy or disturbed and many people would have low self-esteem believing that they were perhaps lazy or disturbed, when in fact they had ADHD and could have been treated. Consequently, many untreated people with ADHD avoided going to college and ended up living as underachievers. This does not have to be the case today.”
Prof. Gothelf stressed that it is imperative for parents to seek out a qualified child psychiatrist in order to discern whether a child has ADHD or has a different emotional disorder, where Ritalin should not be prescribed. “Sometimes, there is tension between school teachers and parents, where some teachers will demand that a child must receive Ritalin in order to continue with their education. The psychiatrist should reach the diagnosis and recommendations and the parents should decide whether to give medication to their child based on the psychiatrist recommendation,” professed Prof. Gothelf.
Dr. Gothelf admitted that the usage of Ritalin has side-effects but is an important treatment that can have positive results on cognition and behavior. “It’s almost as effective, as most effective treatments in medicine such as antibiotic medications, and can assist in concentration, and reduce hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors” he said. “Because of the stigma attached to Ritalin usage, some parents actually go out of their way to avoid its usage and search for natural means to deal with their child’s ADHD, which is a mistake. Some parents will give their child Omega 3, a natural vitamin that is effective for depression but has minimal effect on children or adults with ADHD.”
Prof, Gothelf reiterated that the bottom line in dealing with and treating ADHD is “finding a good, qualified child psychiatrist who can make a proper assessment.” He added, “The sobering reality is that up to 10% of all school age children have some form of ADHD and until a better drug is developed, Ritalin offers the best solution for now.”
