The Drugging of Children: A National Disgrace

Copyright © 1998 by Aletha Solter. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical (including copying to other web sites, and including translations), without written permission from Aletha Solter.

Approximately five percent of children in the United States have been diagnosed with a condition known as "attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder" (ADHD). These children (mostly boys) are distractible or impulsive, and overactive. Not surprisingly, they have few friends and are at high risk for school difficulties. Between one and two million children in the United States are being given drugs for this condition. The drug of choice is Ritalin (methylphenidate), an addictive stimulant similar to amphetamines ("speed") that has a paradoxical calming effect on children. The U.S. consumes five times more Ritalin than all other countries in the world combined.

On the surface, it looks as if Ritalin is the perfect solution for a child with ADHD. When Johnny is labeled a problem by the schools, the parents feel pressured to get a medical diagnosis and treatment. There is no doubt that the jobs of parenting and teaching become easier when children sit still and do what they are told. No wonder these drugs are so commonly prescribed!

Let's look beneath the surface. It is not known how Ritalin works or exactly what it does to the brain, nor has the safety and efficacy of long-term use been established. It is an addictive substance that the Food and Drug Administration has placed in the same category as cocaine. Ritalin has potentially dangerous side-effects, including suppression of growth, vision problems, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nervousness, insomnia, skin rash, dizziness, headaches, drowsiness, and increased blood pressure and heart rate. There have been reported cases of serious tics, anemia, and scalp hair loss. Drug withdrawal often results in a return of symptoms, in some cases more severe that before.

The status of ADHD as a medical disorder has not been established. In the majority of cases, no neuro-biological factor has been found to be the cause of these children's behavior. There is no medical or psychological test to diagnose this "disorder." Instead, the diagnosis is based exclusively on teachers' and parents' subjective observations. The check-list for diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders includes such behaviors as "Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly," "Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort (such a schoolwork or homework)," and "Often has difficulty awaiting turn." Are we justified in giving children powerful, mind-altering drugs to make them docile, simply because their behavior is annoying?

While Ritalin tends to help children sit still longer and focus on school-related tasks, studies have shown that the drug has absolutely no effect on improving children's learning, as measured by achievement tests. Other studies have revealed that Ritalin does not totally eliminate problem behaviors in the majority of children, nor does it guarantee improved social relations.

What kind of message are we giving to children when we teach them that their behavior and feelings should be altered with drugs? Are we not setting them up to become drug addicts later in life? There is growing abuse of Ritalin on high-school and college campuses, where students are taking this easily available drug as an all-night study aid or a cheap "high." There have even been reported deaths from Ritalin overdose.

Millions of parents are led to believe that their children need Ritalin. But giving Ritalin to children is a superficial solution that changes children's behavior without searching for the possible underlying social or emotional causes.

Maybe our schools are not geared to the needs of these children. There is research indicating that many hyperactive children function "normally" in less rigid, open classroom settings with opportunities to learn through hands-on activities, creativity, movement, and games. Many children's symptoms disappear, as if by magic, when the children are engaged in activities of their own choice outside of school. Rather than give drugs to children to make them sit still in school, why not search for ways to make school more interesting or relevant for these children?

Another possibility is that children who can't pay attention have been affected by watching too much television and videos. The rapid shift in images on a TV screen causes children to lose their ability for sustained focusing. Also, the activity, violence, and impulsive behavior of cartoon and live characters in children's programming serve as a role model for similar behavior. Children are forced into unnatural passivity while watching TV, and this is often followed by a rebound effect: a burst of pent-up energy as soon as the TV is turned off.

Let's not overlook the importance of diet. What are these children eating? Do they have vitamin deficiencies, food sensitivities, or allergies?

Finally, one should always consider the possibility that an ADHD child is suffering from an overload of stress or the effects of trauma. There is evidence that major family stresses (such as parental mental disorder, divorce, or hospitalization) correlate with ADHD, and many of these children also show symptoms of depression, anxiety, and conduct disorders. Trauma caused by a difficult birth, major medical procedures, sexual or physical abuse, or multiple foster care placements should also be considered. Dr. Van der Kolk, a psychiatrist at Harvard, has found that hyperactivity is a common symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Unfortunately, very few researchers or practitioners bother to take a trauma history of ADHD children. When stress or trauma are suspected, every effort should be made to reduce stress for these children and their families, and to offer psychotherapy that allows the children to release tensions and resolve past trauma.

There is no simple answer. In fact, there might be as many different causes for ADHD as there are children diagnosed with it. Meanwhile, let's not settle for a deceptively easy solution in which the only real winners are the drug companies.

Ten suggestions for parents of ADHD children:

1. Find a school that offers plenty of choices and self-directed learning through movement, games, and hands-on activities.

2. Turn off the TV and the VCR and leave them off. Discourage computer games as well.

3. Look for all possible sources of stress in your child's life, and try to minimize stress.

4. Give your child plenty of unstructured play time with opportunities to run, jump, dance, climb and build.

5. Give your child plenty of tactile experiences with clay, finger paints, sand, and water.

6. Take time each day to appreciate some aspect of nature with your child: view a sunset, smell the flowers, listen to the birds.

7. Set up special times to be with your child on a daily basis (if possible) during which you are totally non-directive and let your child decide what to do.

8. Refrain from the use of authoritarian methods of discipline, which can cause resentment and frustration in children. Look for underlying reasons for behavior, and strive for mutual conflict-resolution.

9. Accept your child's attempts to release tensions by crying and raging. Don't try to discourage these natural healing mechanisms. Children are much calmer and have a longer attention span after a good cry (with someone's loving attention).

10. Slow down and try to relax. Remember that your child is a wonderful, unique human being. Get all the help and support you need. Parenting is a tough job.

Recommended books:

Tears and Tantrums: What to do when babies and children cry, by Aletha Solter, Ph.D. (Shining Star Press, Goleta, CA 1998.)

Raising Drug-Free Kids: 100 Tips for Parents, by Aletha Solter, Ph.D. (Da Capo Press, New York, NY 2006. )

The Myth of the A.D.D. Child: Fifty ways to improve your child's behavior and attention span without labels, drugs, or coercion., by Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D. (Plume, 1997.)

The Wildest Colts Make the Best Horses: The truth about Ritalin, ADHD and other disruptive behavior disorders, by John Breeding, Ph.D. (George Weir, Austin, TX, 2003.)

The Ritalin Fact Book: What your doctor won't tell you about ADHD and Stimulant Drugs, by Peter R. Breggin, M.D. (Da Capo Press, New York, 2002.)

Ritalin Nation: Rapid-fire culture and the transformation of human consciousness, by Richard DeGrandpre, Ph.D. (W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., 2000.)

About the author:

Aletha Solter, PhD, is a developmental psychologist, international speaker, consultant, and founder of the Aware Parenting Institute (www.awareparenting.com). Her four books, The Aware Baby, Helping Young Children Flourish, Tears and Tantrums, and Raising Drug-Free Kids, have been translated into many languages, and she is recognized internationally as an expert on attachment, trauma, and non-punitive discipline. She lives in California, and has two grown children and one grandchild.

Aware Parenting is a philosophy of child-rearing that has the potential to change the world. Based on cutting-edge research and insights in child development, Aware Parenting questions most traditional assumptions about raising children, and proposes a new approach that can profoundly shift a parent's relationship with his or her child. Parents who follow this approach raise children who are bright, compassionate, competent, non-violent, and drug free.

This page was created on February 20, 1998. Last updated on April 15, 2009. Copyright © 1998 by Aletha Solter. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical (including copying to other web sites, and including translations), without written permission from Aletha Solter.

Warning/Disclaimer: The information in this article is not intended to be used as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. When children display emotional, behavioral, or medical problems of any kind, parents are strongly advised to seek competent medical advice and treatment. Aletha Solter, The Aware Parenting Institute, and Shining Star Press shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the information contained in this article.