BY DR. SHAWN MORRIS, ND, 
11 MARCH, 2020

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an increasingly common diagnosis for school-age children. While the number of children identified as having ADHD has skyrocketed since the 1990s, with estimates ranging from three to five percent in the US, and six percent in Canada, pinning down the exact number is challenging as physicians are not required to report diagnoses to a central health agency. With Ritalin production seeing a dramatic 700 percent increase since the 1990s, researchers are still uncovering why ADHD diagnoses are on the rise and are looking at possible causes such as toxins in food, water, and the environment. In addition, overburdened school systems that are unable to accommodate highly active kids may be contributing to the rise in diagnoses, even if the child doesn’t truly have the condition.

While the exact cause of ADHD is still being studied, what we do know for certain is that ADHD is complex and driven by a constellation of factors including genetics, nutrition, lifestyle, underlying conditions, and natural variations in learning style, meaning that a homogenized pharmaceutical approach will have limited benefit. Taking the complexity of driving factors into account with a holistic, individualized treatment plan, along with lifestyle counseling and mind-body care, including beneficial herbal medicines is the ideal way to support those with ADHD and propel them to optimum wellness.

ABCS OF ADHD

To be diagnosed with ADHD, children must exhibit a trinity of symptoms: difficulty with self-control, short attention span, and hyperactivity. Associated behaviours might include excessive fidgeting, impulsivity, failure to complete homework, daydreaming, disrespectful attitude, or feeling easily hurt. It is worth noting that children with ADHD are likely to display high creative function. Boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed than girls.

RITALIN BULLETIN

Ritalin, or methylphenidate, is a stimulant medication and the first line treatment for ADHD. Though the exact mechanism for ADHD is unclear, it appears that Ritalin blocks the re-uptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, while increasing activity in the prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain involved in planning and focus. Although Ritalin effectively calms, or as some would describe, “numbs”, the child, there are a range of adverse effects, including stomach upset, anxiety, insomnia, and agitation.