I may repeat this message on a couple of different relevant boards. The recent decision by the FDA, to allow kids as young as 8 yrs old to be given the anti-depressant drug PROZAC, has me wondering what has happened to our common sense! We will now be seeing pediatricians prescribing the drug for kids, just because the parents ask, and without any psychiatric evaluation or diagnosis. What the heck is happening to us? Why is it so difficult for we as parents or the medical profession to see and understand that 90% of depressed (as well as a.d.d.) patients would be helped tremendously, if they'd just begin eating better, pursue more productive daily activities and create healthier environment/surroundings?
I have a 5 year old nephew who is a holy terror. His parents allow him to eat anything he wants. Over 50% of his daily intake is either candy, popcycles, cookies, chips and icecream bars. Another 30% is apples and oranges (which makes his parents think he's eating so well). The remaining 20% is chicken nuggets and french fries (also thought to be healthy choices by his misinformed parents). The kid is happy one minute and throwing a tantrum the next. They never get him to sleep before midnight. And I am sure that in another 3 years, he will be on PROZAC or some similar drug.

I have two nieces (from a different family member), who also have no dietary structure at all. They are both young teens; and have both recently been prescribed PROZAC, because "they are always so moody". Their free time is spent fighting over whose turn it is to play around in the internet chat rooms.
There are three grown adults in their little 3-bedroom house, who are all 3-pack a day cigarette smokers. Wake up people!! Put these kids on a proper diet; get the smoke out of the house; and give them something constructive to do...and you won't need the damn PROZAC!!!

Sorry...but I just had to vent. Curious as to other's opinions on the subject.

It has been known for a while now, that simple carbohydrates dramatically exacerbate AD/HD symptoms. Although, that will 'rarely' be an only/adequate treatment for an individual. That is unless the person has a very mild case of the disorder. Treating AD/HD correctly is 'multi-sided'. It all ranges from first, the correct evaluation/diagnosis, to diet, the correct medication for ones' biochemistry, biofeedback, and exercise.

It is amazing that the same doctors or parents wouldn't dream of giving a child coffee because of the over-stimulating effects on the brain and heart, health wise, yet a pure amphetamine like Adderall, or something as over-stimulating as prozac gets the thumbs up! And amphetamines are illegal, but Adderall isn't.

"I'm not crazy because I take the right pill everyday"- JimmyEatWorld

The reason for a constant 'thumbs up' is obviously economics, but then again it doesn't mean that the scientists aren't 'just in it for the money'. In fact, most are there to help and are driven probably due to personal reasons and/or scientific recognition.

Meth amphetamines are illegal on the sense that it's not scientifically or purely manufactored, and they aren't manufactored in sterile and controlled environments. They also are synthesized with the main goal of 'getting high' and not for a correct homeostatsis of stimulation.

Money and scientific recognition is still not jusfication. But hey, at least the children are getting the purest from their doctor. Nothing like pure speed, right?

Getting high or not, the mental/physical health of children will be compromised sooner or later. There is also the threat of abuse...CNN had a special and they talked to high school kids that said everyone they knew who had Ritalin presciptions were snorting it and some kids were selling some to others. Snorting it gives the high. So, this is going to become a growing problem with the legal availability of amphetamines. So maybe little Johnny isn't abusing yet, but......

Thanks alot, corporate america and the FDA. Now I have to worry about me and my family out for a drive wondering if the teens on the road have had their daily Ritalin snort. Maybe they'll start snorting Prozac too. Easy to get. It's all good.

[This message has been edited by Jennita (edited 01-10-2003).]

Kids who have the Ritalin don't snort it, it's their non AD/HD friends. For a true AD/HD er, the stimulant doesn't make them high.

Thanks rebecarooni. Perhaps if some of these folks saw the night & day difference - from failing school, no friends, in trouble with the law (unmedicated) to medicated - passing law school, well-adjusted, they wouldn't be so radical. I am guessing that insulin is the root of all evil for diabetics as well. Let the disease wreak havoc with their lives as well........

The kid on CNN said yes, the kids on Ritalin also snort it. Insulin evil? No, diabetes is confirmed through blood tests. ADD has no biological tests to diagnois. Let's not mix apples and oranges.

Jennita

Thanks for the infomation. The awareness of nutritional values along with the understanding of sugar levels, aspartamine, MSG's would go a long way in solving the health issues. Don't you think? ..Your posts have insight and your free expression of issues is worth reading.

I am flattered. Thankyou for the compliment! Yes, I think we don't stop and think of the harm some things can cause, especially for kids. Processed foods are save time, but some un-processed dishes can be made simple and quick too, if one will throw out pre-conceived notions of what a meal "should be", with all the "courses". Sometimes I'll have an egg sandwich (quick, easy, protein rich) for dinner! Depends how busy I am. Of course, the traditional meal with meat, vegetables and bread is good when you have time. The main thing is commercial, fast-food from a box or drive thru should only be a luxury, not a way of life, especially for growing children who need all their neurotransmitters!

Jennita

Some interesting things about sugar is that eating white sugar can paralyze white blood cells for about 5 hours starting 1/2 hour after consumption and also causes abnornal insulin production resulting in diabetes and hypoglycmia and distroys B vitamins, magnesium, zinc,copper, chromium and has it's thumb print on obesity, coronary, periodontal disease and depression. When you considers that a soda has 7 teaspoons of sugar and that all beverages containing sugar added to the diet of a child including the amount the kids drink at the soda machines at school along with poor nutritional lunches served and then the diet habits at home to which you were talking about..Is there any wonder that kids have problems. I think the Omega3 and other fatty acids are important to keep kids away from the pharmecutical products too. Maybe a little twisting of the Federal laws on Disability that allow school districts to receive monies for children placed on these so called ADD/ADHD /OCD programs would put a stop to the problems also.
Something else that I find strange is that many parents have reported on this and other medical boards that the use of the psychtropic drugs would increase the intelligence of their child. I hope these parents are not foolish to fall for this selling point that their child would be "the most intelligent" child in the world at the cost of their health today or tomorrow or their precious childhood.

Yes, as stimulants increase mental performance, this is a big selling point, unfortuately. Stimulants also increase physical performance. But this creates an atmosphere of unfairness; luckily, most professional sports competitions try to ban the use of drugs by periodical testing. Olympians have lost medals because of discovered drug use. Those who get into the best schools because of their grades on stimulants, I would think create the same atmosphere of unfairness for others trying to compete for acceptance. Too bad universities wouldn't take the same incentives of fair competition and say if one takes stimulants, they cannot enter the programs, huh? Anyway, the cost can be high for the brain and body for good grades these days.