-Caveat Lector- Note: This study does not address the issue of improper diagnoses of ADHD which are made for MindControl purposes in school systems. ===== > http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/121599hth-children-ritalin. > html > > December 15, 1999 > > > > Study Backs a Drug for Hyperactive Children > > > > By HOLCOMB B. NOBLE > > > > [I] n one of the largest studies of its kind ever > > conducted, researchers have found that the drug > > Ritalin, the subject of sharp debate for three decades, > > was more effective than behavior-modification therapy > > in treating children with attention deficit > > hyperactivity disorder. > > > > The researchers, who worked at six sites around the > > country in teams assembled by the National Institutes > > of Health, said that adding the behavioral therapy to > > Ritalin treatment was no more effective than the drug > > alone. > > > > But they said they found that about 70 percent of the > > children they studied also turned out to have problems > > like depression and anxiety. > > > > In those cases, they said, behavior therapy provided > > significant benefits, especially when used in > > combination with the Ritalin. > > > > The results, reported in the current issue of the > > Archives of General Psychiatry, were discussed at a > > news conference today at the College of Physicians and > > Surgeons at Columbia University. > > > > Dr. Peter S. Jenson, a child psychiatrist at Columbia > > and a senior adviser to the N.I.H. who directed the > > project, said the results were "the first real > > information on comparative treatments over the long > > term." > > > > Dr. James T. McCracken, the director of child and > > adolescent psychiatry at the Neuropyschiatric Institute > > of the University of California at Los Angeles, who was > > not involved in the research, called the study a > > landmark and said it proved the benefits of treating > > hyperactive children with a stimulant. "As a child > > psychiatrist, it is still surprising that Ritalin > > remains as controversial as it is," he said. "One hopes > > that this study will put some of the controversy to > > rest." > > > > Dr. William Carey, a child psychiatrist at the > > Children's Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, > > said that while he had no criticism of the study, > > Ritalin is overused, adding, "Do you give it to a child > > who talks incessantly in line?" The drug should be > > reserved for real brain disorders, he said. > > > > One of the most recent battles over the drug took place > > last month when the Colorado Board of Education moved > > to discourage teachers from recommending behavioral > > drugs like Ritalin and urged school personnel to use > > discipline and instruction instead to overcome problem > > behavior in the classroom. The action was said to have > > stemmed from fears that such drugs were related to > > violence among children, although medical scientists > > say there is no evidence of that. > > > > Its side effects, which include headaches and loss of > > appetite, are reported as minor and reversible. > > > > The N.I.H. researchers studied 579 children over 14 > > months. The children, who were 7 to 9 years of age, > > were given long and detailed examinations, Dr. Jensen > > said. About 80 percent were boys. > > > > The children were divided into four groups for > > treatment: those receiving Ritalin alone; those > > receiving intensive behavior management therapy alone; > > those receiving a combination of the two, and those > > receiving whatever treatment was standard for their > > community. > > > > The researches found that among the children who had > > attention deficit hyperactivity disorder but not the > > other psychiatric disorders, Ritalin brought > > improvement in their conditions when it was used alone, > > regardless of whether it was accompanied by other > > therapy. They also found that Ritalin and the intensive > > behavior therapy used in combination were the most > > effective when used for the children with psychiatric > > problems that went beyond attention deficit > > hyperactivity disorder. > > > > The study found a number of differences between the > > institutes of health program of intensive behavior > > management -- based on the B. F. Skinner theory on the > > value of using positive reinforcement to encourage > > acceptable behavior -- and the various community > > therapies. > > > > Dr. Stephen P. Hinshaw, a child psychiatrist and > > professor at the University of California at Berkeley, > > said they included monthly meetings under the N.I.H > > approach and more emphasis on behavior management by > > parents in the home and teachers in the classroom. > > > > > > -------------------- DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. 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