Inappropriate Testing

Gone are the days when students are simply tested on spelling words, math problems, and history facts.  It is very common these days to have teachers suggest to parents that their child be tested for ADD or ADHD.  If this has happened to YOUR child, do not take this lightly, parents. Know that you have options.  The teacher is not a doctor.    ADHD is considered a psychiatric disorder, a fact that surprises most concerned parents.  Therefore, any diagnosis for the disorder should fall under the realm of medicine, and the usual treatment is a prescription drug.  And not just ANY prescription drug:  A Class II controlled substance that is highly addictive and can cause serious and even life-threatening consequences.

One medical doctor, Dr. Mary Ann Block, refers to Ritalin as “pediatric cocaine.”  She reports, “Both Ritalin and cocaine use the same receptor site in the brain, give the same “high,” and in medical research are used interchangeably. The only difference appears to be that cocaine leaves the receptor site more quickly, possibly making it more addictive.”

She further states, “All drugs have side-effects.  Ritalin has been used for several years, so the short-term side effects have been documented:  loss of appetite, decreased growth, tics, visual disturbances, nervousness, insomnia, depression, social withdrawal, irritability, abdominal pain, increased heart rate, and psychotic-like symptoms…We don’t yet know how the long-term use of Ritalin will affect our children’s hearts, kidneys, or immune systems.”

If your child is having trouble focusing at school, staying in his/her seat, etc., the FIRST test should be with a medical doctor to check for food allergies, hypoglycemia, or other medical condition.  The ADD/ADHD “test” is one that children should NEVER have to take.  For more information see www.blockcenter.com.