ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, December 16, 1996 TAG: 9612160106
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURIE T. ZIRKLE
I AM NOT sure what you were trying to accomplish by publishing the article titled "Evidence shows controversial Ritalin may be overprescribed" (Dec. 3 Extra section). As a stepmother of two children who have been diagnosed with severe Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, I was very unhappy with the headline and the tone of the article.
Two unnamed school nurses are paraphrased, and a recent article on Ritalin and the military were mentioned. This is "evidence" that Ritalin may be overprescribed? If these nurses aren't willing to be quoted, how do we know their expertise is in AD(H)D? We all know the military lives in its own universe - just look at their previous denials of sexual harassment or their "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding homosexuals. What evidence? I don't see anything in this article that backs up the tabloid-like headline.
In the fourth paragraph, a list of ADD symptoms is given which is followed by, and I quote, "Unfortunately, all of these symptoms are also evident at one time or another in every child so the line between which children are ADD and which are normally acting out can be very thin." Is anything said about the diagnostic criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition? Or that the symptoms must have persisted for at least six months and be "to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with the developmental level?'' Without these qualifications, one is led to believe that many parents "drug" their kids as a convenience rather than because of a neurological deficiency.
There was some decent advice in the article, but it was overshadowed by the sensationalism surrounding Ritalin use and possible abuse. I'm not saying there isn't overdiagnosis of AD(H)D or there isn't abuse or misuse of Ritalin. Medical professionals shouldn't write prescriptions for a Class II substance, nor should parents or teachers push for their child to be on a Class II substance without a verifiable family history of AD(H)D or thorough testing to rule out any other possible problems.
Was the local chapter of Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder, any certified psychological tester for AD(H)D, any physician who's knowledgeable in treating AD(H)D contacted to see if they had any information that would be beneficial (or detrimental) to this article? Where are their quotes? Where is their information?
In addition to the alternative treatments mentioned, behavior modification and alternative medications should also have been listed. And what about where parents could turn for more information? Support groups? Nothing.
By the time I reached the end of this article, the appeal for success stories seemed more like an afterthought rather than a genuine request. I am disappointed that your newspaper published this article. It's quite clear to me that no research went into this controversial subject. I am alarmed that a health column of this nature could be written with no factual basis to give it credence. The attempt to gloss over the day-to-day ups and downs of living with AD(H)D and to trivialize Ritalin as a "trendy treatment" is a grave disservice to all who must deal with AD(H)D.
Laurie T. Zirkle of Blacksburg is a computer-systems engineer for the Computer Science Department at Virginia Tech and the stepmother of two AD(H)D children.
LENGTH: Medium: 62 linesby CNB