The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) analyzes and publishes statistics for various conditions. A January 24, 2013 CDC research survey [“State-Based and Demographic Variation in Parent-Reported Medication Rates for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, 2007–2008”] reports that Missouri had the second-highest number of children in the nation who are prescribed ADHD drugs.
The actual statistic is that in 2007-2008 Missouri had the second highest rate, 78.3%, of children aged 4 to 17 years who had an ADHD diagnosis and were taking ADHD drugs. Only Mississippi with 79.0% was higher.
Of U.S. children aged 4 to 17 years, 4.1 million had a current ADHD diagnosis in 2007, and approximately 2.7 million were taking ADHD medication. The average rate by state was 66.3% of children having an ADHD diagnosis and taking ADHD drugs. Missouri comprised 6.7% of the national total of children diagnosed with ADHD and taking ADHD drugs.
Should we be worried that such a large percentage of children are being diagnosed and drugged for ADHD? You bet!
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on this survey February 4th, saying that the CDC is working with the Missouri Department of Mental Health to determine why this rate is so high. Email your concerns about psychiatric drugging of children to Patsy Carter (patsy.carter@dmh.mo.gov) in the Office of Children, Division of Comprehensive Psychiatric Services, Missouri Department of Mental Health. You might want to mention that ADHD is a fraudulent diagnosis, and that psychiatric drugs are harmful and addictive.
The ADHD diagnosis does not identify a genuine biological or psychological disorder. The diagnosis, from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, is simply a list of behaviors that may appear disruptive or inappropriate.
These are the spontaneous behaviors of normal children. When these behaviors become age-inappropriate, excessive or disruptive, the potential causes are limitless, including: boredom, poor teaching, illiteracy, inconsistent discipline at home, tiredness, malnutrition, and underlying physical illness. Children who are suffering from bullying, abuse or stress may also display these behaviors in excess. By making an ADHD diagnosis, we ignore and stop looking for what is really going on with the child. ADHD may also be Teacher Attention Disorder or Parent Attention Disorder. These children need the adults in their lives to give them improved attention.
Go here for more information about the fraudulent ADHD diagnosis.
Go here for more information about ADHD drug side effects.