RSS
Home
Autism and ADHD on the rise in children
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
The subject of Autism and ADHD is one that is rarely covered because of its enigma. Parents who have children with these disorders are baffled and consequently feel alone in their struggle. There is a growing awareness that Autism and Attention Deficient Hypertension Disorder (ADHD) is continuing to rise in children. To add to the unfortunate news, the approaches to diagnosis, treatment and care are likely not to be the most effective in meeting their needs.
Autism is classified as a neurodevelopment disorder that manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests and patterns of behavior. By definition, autism must manifest delays in social interaction, language as used in social communication, or symbolic in imaginative play with onset prior to age 3 years.
Prior to 1938, Autism, commonly referred to as Childhood Schizophrenia, was relatively a rare problem. And equally rare, ADHD was not a major problem. For children growing up in the 1700s or the early 1800s, as late as 1950, there was only one child in each classroom with ADHD. Today, it is more like five or six diagnosed.
Parents are increasingly concerned about their children’s learning difficulties. The easy way out for schools with children with these deficiencies is to treat the symptoms. Certainly, this allows the child to sometimes function in the school environment; but at whose expense? Addictive ‘brain drugs’ and tedious control measures have been shown to lead to teenagers and adults who do not function well in our society!
According to the Autism Society of America, it is estimated that Autism occurs in as many as 1 in 160 individuals. Those with Autism may engage in repetitive activities, stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and have difficulties with social interactions, verbal communications and sensory experiences. It can result in challenges in language, communication, emotion, cognition, behavior, fine and gross motor skills and social interaction. But what if the child demonstrates some of these symptoms and may not be Autistic or have ADHD?
Adam, an African-American child was diagnosed with ADHD with tendencies of Autistic behavior at the age of two. According to his parents, their son displayed many of the symptoms associated with Autism and ADHD—significant speech delays, severe temper tantrums, and harming himself and other children. Adam was prescribed the popular drug called Ritalin, to temper his aggressive behavior. To his parents’ dismay, after one year of taking the drug, his behavior worsened. He was then prescribed a newer combination of drugs—Ritalin and Dexedrine—called Adderall. With escalating behavioral problems at the age of four, Adam was prescribed an additional drug called Risperdal, an anti-psychotic drug.
Even with these drugs, relatives reported that Adam’s behavior became increasingly alarming. “Adam began to speak in voices other than his own,” his mother said. “He was repeating words, sentences, paragraphs and even entire children’s books strictly from memory.” He was caught in a cycle of repeated unusual behavior. Terrified, his parents admitted him for a two-week clinical observation, only to be prescribed a stronger dose of Adderall and Risperdal.
This case and others similar certainly hold stinging disappointments and astonishing turnarounds that suggest a serious lack of research to discover the root cause of the illnesses of Autism and ADHD. What is more alarming is that studies suggest that Autism and ADHD may have possible links to pre-existing allergies, dysfunctional home environment, environmental toxins and perhaps simply nutritional deficiencies. Adam’s mother began to investigate and urges all parents to take the initiative and look into the cause of their child’s illness, rather than accept the diagnosis.
Stephen B. Edelson, M.D., founding director of the Edelson Center in Atlanta, who specializes in the treatment of Autism in children, penned a book, entitled Conquering Autism: Reclaiming Your Child Through Natural Therapies (Kensington). Edelson believes autism can be effectively overcome through a number of natural remedies.
The answer to Autism and other problematic disorders in children is not more band-aid drugs, like Ritalin and/or intense psychotherapy; it’s finding the root cause of the problem. The use of any form of medication with people with autism remains a contentious issue. On one hand, there are those who argue that any form of medication for people unable to give informed consent is totally unjustifiable. The other extreme suggests that any medicine provided by a doctor must be beneficial. As usual, the truth lies somewhere in between, but research is an absolute. Autism and ADHD are not single entities, but a spectrum of causes. There is overwhelming evidence that the behavioral syndrome of Autism and ADHD may just represent a final expression of merely toxic etiology.
For more information on Autism, visit The Center for the Study of Autism at www.autism.com.
You may also enjoy by Dolores Bundy: Do you suffer from Bipolar? New research offers hope
Related Articles:
Comments
.jpg)
