. . . Why take Ritalin and other
behavioral drugs? . . . attention deficit disorder as well as most other
mental problems are commonly treated pharmacologically. When the parents
of a child with this disorder are discussing this condition with their
doctor, a common thread is woven through this blanket diagnosis. This
common thread is that the child has a chemical deficiency, and this
deficiency results in aberrant behavior. Typically, drugs such as
Ritalin are given to cover-up that deficiency. In other words, a
chemical is given to cover up the symptoms of a chemical deficiency in
the brain. For many of these children and their families the drugs that
are given are a Godsend. Family life and school life suffer when
children have this condition, and many of these families are on the edge
of being not able to cope any longer. For other families, the trade off
of the reduction of the symptoms to the long-term affects to the child
is not acceptable and the search for an alternative treatments starts.
For me, discovering what this chemical deficiency is seems to be a
smarter course of action.
