Article in Toronto Star (September 26, 2012): ADHD drugs suspected of hurting…

[Bibliophile]

This is an article from September 26, 2012 issue of the Toronto Star:

ADHD drugs suspected of hurting Canadian kids

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1262220–adhd-drugs-suspected-of-hurting-canadian-kids

The article is extremely critical of the way that adverse effects are reported and argues that they are more common than are touted by the drug manufacturers.

One of my major concerns is that how did the Star assess that the drugs were definitely the cause and not other conditions. For example, many ADHD sufferers also have comorbidities including dysthymia, i.e. chronic depression. A bit too sensationalist for my taste.

REPORT ABUSE

[Patte Rosebank]

That article is very biased, because it only gives the NUMBERS of kids who have had adverse reactions. It doesn’t give the total number of people who take the drugs, nor does it give a PERCENTAGE of that number, who have had adverse reactions. Out of the millions of prescriptions for the drugs, I suspect that the rate of adverse reactions is a fraction of 1%. But the Star would rather just give us the incomplete information and a glaring “Just think of the poor children!” headline.

And I notice it doesn’t mention Ritalin. Probably because Ritalin has such a solid track record of safety & efficacy.

Now, the Star is increasing the fear & outrage with this new article, that claims the federal Minister of Health is side-stepping the issue. Just because she won’t give them a statement until she’s thoroughly researched the facts. (How dare she?)

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1262438–health-minister-sidesteps-worries-that-adhd-drugs-are-harming-children#comments

REPORT ABUSE

[Ivriniel]

A piece of advice: Only read the Star article if you are in the mood to deal with rage-inducing ignorant people in the comments section.

(Which is pretty much the case when it comes to ANY online article on ADHD, but I digress. A person with ADHD digressing? Who would have thought it? Oops, digressing again. Moving on. )

I just responded to a few BIG PHARMA MADE IT UP! comments, as well as KIDS ARE BEING DRUGGED INTO SUBMISSION! comments.

In any case I think it would be great if as many people from this site as feel up to it respond to the Star’s article and the ignorant reader comments. Most people’s understanding of this issue is so woefully inadequate.

It especially pisses me off, because I have a kid in my Grade 1 class right now who is somewhere in the process of being diagnosed and he had a TERRIBLE day yesterday. He came in completely unfocussed, and nothing I tried to help him settle him helped. It was very clear to me that he wasn’t doing things to be defiant, or difficult, he just couldn’t stop himself. And it wasn’t just with me. He usually does a pretty good job in listening to stories when they go to the Library, but yesterday was constantly wiggling, grabbing, making noise, etc.

But according to some of the idjiots posting on the Star’s website, if only I had paddled him, the problem would have been solved. *sigh*

REPORT ABUSE

[allan wallace]

Meh, that sort of garbage doesn’t come as a great surprise. I was paddled more than a canoe and it made no difference at all to me. If anything it made me angry and defiant. I could have been paddled to within the threshold of death and I’d still have stuck to my guns…

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

The article nearly made me jump back in bed when I read my morning TO Star that day (actually, since I’m chronically late in the morning I only read the headline and the first couple of sentences of the article). I’m a teacher in a class of ‘contained’ behaviour students and some of them are on meds for ADHD although I’m pretty sure ALL should be on meds. However, it is a free country and that means it is the parent’s choice to medicate their child or not.

Even those who do take meds frequently have days’ off’ meds because the parents ‘forget’ to give the meds or junior refuses to take it. The parent (most who have no control of said children) are frequently unable their childre to take it and eventually give up chasing the kids around the house with the pill hand. The saddest part is these kids are all between 6 and 8 years old and the parents already have lost control over their kids.

Do I see a difference in the kids when they are on meds? Definitely! They still have many struggles throughout their day as many also have LDs that they are dealing with but without the meds, they spin in circles, shred their clothing by pulling loose threads and make constant impulsive annoying remarks/physical contact with their classmates that often result in physical fights. Meds are a godsend for my students and me (since I also use them).

Luckily for me, my parents seem to have missed the article. 😉

REPORT ABUSE

[Author]

Posts