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ADD & ADHD: Epidemic of a Phantom Disease Continued from page 16 run more smoothly. This dynamic has _ "cut to the chase", look at the facts and tell heen so nowerful that several TIS states — the truth run more smoothly. This dynamic has been so powerful that several US states have had to pass legislation prohibiting non-medical school personnel from diag- nosing children and suggesting medication. With all these powerful forces combined as not-so-strange bedfellows, it becomes very clear why ADHD has become an "epi- demic” in Australia. It is a complete circle, too, because when the diagnosis is made and the child is drugged, everyone is happy. The drug company has another sale, the physician has another customer, the parent is vindicated and the school loses a behaviour problem. Everyone is happy except the child, and the child has no voice. "cut to the chase", look at the facts and tell the truth. * We are giving powerful and dangerous drugs to children for a "disorder" that has never been shown to exist. * We are allowing pre-schoolers to be drugged with stimulants, despite the fact that these are not recommended for use in children under six and despite the fact that no one knows the potential long-term damage. ¢ We are allowing such a proliferation of stimulants that these drugs are also being sold and shared by children like candy. ¢ We are exposing our children to these dangerous drugs despite evidence that they have no positive effect and only "work" by creating more obedient and docile children. ¢ We are failing to provide parents with the information they need to be able to give meaningful informed consent, and we are failing to give competent children any information so they may do the same—in violation of ethical medical practice, the common law and international law. There is very little that everyone can agree upon in the controversial area of ADHD, but most would agree that further research needs to be done. At this point The seduction is complete with the introduction of stimulant medication. Studies are conclusive that stimulants cause all children—whether they have "behaviour problems" or otherwise—to become more compliant and docile. Obviously, parents who are troubled by their children's "misbehaviour" will be pleased as their kids become more obedient. No more social embarrassment, no more calls from the school. No wonder so many parents seek the ADHD diagnosis—and swear by it. 4) The Schools. It is a fact of modern society that many public schools are over- crowded and underfunded. Teachers often have to deal with 30, 35 and more students in their class as they try bravely to provide a decent education. When a particular stu- dent is a distraction or disruption, the teacher understandably wants the distrac- tion to cease. When other parents are com- plaining to the school administration about the misbehaving child, the administration wants the misbehaviour controlled. If the misbehaving child can be "diagnosed" and drugged, the classroom and the school will Recommendations (Note: These are adapted from Queensland Children At Risk: The Overdiagnosis of "ADHD" and the Overuse of Stimulant Medication.) Clinicians, educators and researchers sometimes tend to equivocate and "sugar coat" in an effort to sound really "profes- sional". When our children's physical health and emotional well-being are in dan- ger, it is time to be very direct. It is time to 74 = NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com FEBRUARY — MARCH 2005