Death From Ritalin
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The Truth Behind ADHD
www.RitalinDeath.com
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I am here to warn parents of the risks involved in giving children psychotropic medications used to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). These behaviors are listed in the DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for ADHD.
Our fourteen-Year-old Son Matthew died on March 21, 2000. The cause was determined to be from the long-term (age 7-14) using of Methylphenidate a medication commonly known as Ritalin.
The Certificate of Death under due to, (or because of) reads Death caused from Long Term Use of Methylphenidate, (Ritalin). According to Dr. Ljuba Dragovic, The chief pathologist in Oakland County Michigan, upon autopsy, Matthew's heart showed clear signs of small vessel damage, the type caused by stimulant drugs like amphetamines.
The medical examiners told me that a full-grown man�s heart weighs about 350 grams and that Matthew's heart weight was about 402 grams.
Matthew did not have a preexisting heart disease or defect that we knew of. We, his parents never ignored his medical needs. The medical examiner said this type of heart damage is not easy to detect with the standard test necessary for prescription refills.
While visiting the doctor with the school�s diagnosis and the recommendation for Ritalin, he seemed very frustrated and asked us to let the school know, �I am not a pharmacy.� This leads me to believe that we were not the first parents sent to this doctor, with the schools diagnosis and recommendation for Ritalin.
No one ever informed us of other crucial tests (echo-cardiogram) that we could have had done that would have discovered the enlargement of the heart muscle, caused from scare tissue which these types of drugs cause. The standard test performed consists of blood work, listening to the heart, questions about school behaviors, sleeping and eating habits.
It all started for Matthew in the first grade the school social worker in Berkley, Michigan kept calling us in for meetings. One particular morning before an IEP meeting, the school social worker Monica, my wife and I, were waiting on the others to arrive.
Monica made us feel very threatened when she said that if we wouldn't consider getting Matt on Ritalin for their evaluation of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, that Social Services (Child Protective Services) could charge us for neglecting his educational and emotional needs. My wife and I were scared of the possibility of losing our children, if we did not comply.
I believe that some school teachers like having children medicated because, it makes frustrated students that are having a difficult time learning and understanding, easier to manage, regardless of the physical and psychological risks this practice poses to children.
Not all families can afford hundreds of dollars for a drug free, private evaluation, so they will not be cornered into medicating their child. I am hoping that Republicans and Democrats will work together and fight this horrific war against the forced drugging of our children.
Medical diagnosis should remain outside the realm of education and stay there. Pressure to seek specific medical treatment is not the job of the school system.
We did not want Matthew on any medications, even though the school social worker or the doctor never informed us about the dangers of Ritalin and other stimulant medications used for ADD and ADHD. We just didn't feel good about putting our son on drugs and we made it very clear to school officials.
�Informed Consent�, which states in part �A person�s agreement to allow something to happen [such as surgery] that is based on a full disclosure of the facts needed to make the decision intelligently; i.e. knowledge of risks involved, alternatives etc� and �the probable risks against the probable benefits.�
The violation of parent�s rights is when they are not told of the unscientific nature of so-called disorders such as ADHD or the risks of the treatments involving (drugs) and they certainly are not told of alternatives to their child�s behavior such as undiagnosed allergies or food sensitivities, which could manifest with the symptoms of what psychiatry calls ADHD.
If we were not pressured by the school system, Matt would still be alive today. I cannot go back and change things for us at this point. However, I hope to God my story and information will reach the hearts and minds, of many families, so they can make an educated decision with more than a little selective information, if any, paid for by psychology and drug companies.
I have created a website in hopes that parents will learn the health risks involved in using psychotropic medications on growing children.
I hope you will be spared all the suffering and heartbreak this whole ADHD issue has caused our family and many others.
Please do not be intimidated by family, school staff, doctors, or anyone into medicating your child for ADHD or ADD. These mental illnesses are scientifically unfounded with no scientific validity what so ever. The dopamine theory is nothing more than wishful thinking on the part of psychiatry and the pharmaceutical industry.
I truly believe this must have been my son�s purpose, to save the health and lives of many others.
How old will people live after taking these types of drugs as a child? Every time I hear about a child or young adult that has died from heart failure, I always wonder if they were ever on a psychotropic medication used for ADHD or depression.
If I would have known about all the children that have died from these psychiatric medications, I would have never given Matt the first pill.
Did you know that children that are diagnosed as having ADHD or ADD and take medication, the school labels them as learning disabled, and the schools receives additional state and federal funding per-child, per-semester.
I wonder if that is one of the reasons why school administrators are so adamant about medication, and the other would be to control their behavior, in their drug free school zone.
One of the hardest things for me to deal with is the fact that, Matthew never wanted his medication.
How many more children will have to die before someone puts a stop to the biggest health care fraud ever? How many times will school psychology and drug companies get away with this?
In 1998 at the National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference on ADHD the NIH issued the following statement regarding ADHD:
�We do not have an independent, valid test for ADHD, and there is no data to indicate that ADHD is due to a brain malfunction.�
Children, do not need to be made into little robots with medication. I feel that good parenting, structure, diets, and teaching methods can make all the difference in the world. Different children develop in different ways; you cannot put children all into one box.
Did you know that the ADHD diagnosis checklist of behaviors is almost the same as the list of behaviors for gifted children (visit The National Foundation for Gifted and Creative Children at http://www.nfgcc.org
The DEA has classified Ritalin as a schedule two drug, comparable to Cocaine. Ritalin is also one of the top ten abused prescription drugs on the streets today.
From the research that I have done when these types of drugs are used all the veins and arteries constrict and get very small which makes it hard for the heart to pump blood throughout the body. The extra force it takes to circulate blood causes damage to the heart.
There are many other drugs that are given to children for ADHD with different names; Adderall, Concreta, Metadate, Ritalin, the list goes on and on, most if not all are stimulant drugs, amphetamines-speed�
We are coming to a point in our history where children have been taking these drugs for some time. Now the truth is starting to come out.
Between the years of 1990-2000 over 569 children were hospitalized, 38 of them were life threatening hospitalizations, and 186 died from these drugs. Our children are being used as guinea pigs. Death is a very sad why for parents to learn the long-term side effects.
Now that history has revealed the dangers and deaths of so many children caused from psychostimulant drugs used for ADD, attention deficit disorder and ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Eli Lilly and Company has developed a drug known as Strattera.
Eli Lilly and Company is cramming the idea of adult ADD into the minds of normal American people with their television advertisements.
In a round about way Eli Lilly and Company is asking people to ask their doctor about getting a prescription for Strattera.
Is it because they care about you or is because they want your money?
Eli Lilly and Company is a drug maker; it�s your money they are after.
Now we have a drug maker not only targeting children but adults as well.
ADD and ADHD are bogus disorders without a scientific leg to stand on.
If ADD and ADHD was a real medical issue you could go to the doctor and get a blood test to determine its validity.
Even though there has been no long term research done on Strattera the FDA has approved it, therefore when people start dying from Strattera I feel the FDA should be held accountable.
In my state MI, the first and only, the law states that if the drug has been approved by the FDA and you die from the drug, the drug company is not held accountable.
A coalition needs to be formed the people against the FDA.
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Strattera
(atomoxetine HCl)
On December 17th 2004, Lilly added a warning to the Strattera label, advising patients to stop taking Strattera if they develop jaundice or liver injury. This warning comes after 2 million people have taken Strattera.
Brand Name: Strattera� Active Ingredient: atomoxetine Strengths: 5 mg, 10 mg, 18 mg, 25 mg, 40 mg, and 60 mg Dosage Forms: Capsule Company Name: Prescription only Availability: Prescription only *Date Approved by FDA: November 26, 2002 Average Cost: About $3.00 per capsule What is Strattera being used for?
Strattera is used to treat Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents, and adults. Strattera has not been studied in children under 6 years old.
Mechanism of Action
STRATTERA (atomoxetine HCl) is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Atomoxetine HCl is the R (-) isomer as determined by x-ray diffraction. The chemical designation is (-)-Nmethyl-3-phenyl-3-(o-tolyloxy)-propylamine hydrochloride.
The precise mechanism by which atomoxetine produces its therapeutic effects in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is unknown, but is thought to be related to selective inhibition of the pre-synaptic norepinephrine transporter, as determined in ex vivo uptake and neurotransmitter depletion studies.
Side Effects - Children and Adolescents
The most common side effects in medical studies Upset Stomach Decreased Appetite Nausea and Vomiting Dizziness Tiredness Mood Swings
Side Effects � Adults
The most common side effects in medical studies Constipation Decreased
Appetite Dizziness Dry Mouth Menstrual Cramps Nausea or Vomiting Problems
Sleeping Problems Urinating Sexual Side Effects
The following are rare, but have been reported.
Strattera (atomoxetine) can cause potentially serious allergic reactions
Strattera (atomoxetine) can increase heart rate and blood pressure
Strattera (atomoxetine) can also worsen the conditions of high blood pressure and heart disease.
You should not take Strattera if:
You are allergic to atomoxetine or any other ingredients in Strattera
You are taking a medicine called a MAO Inhibitor (MAOI). Do not take Strattera for at least 2 weeks after you stop taking a MAOI. Do not take a MAOI for at least 2 weeks after you stop taking Strattera.
General Precautions with Strattera:
Strattera may make it difficult to urinate.
Some people may lose weight while taking Strattera. It is not known if growth will be slowed in children who use Strattera for a long time. Height and weight will be watched in children who are taking Strattera.
Use caution when driving a care or operating heavy machinery until you know how Strattera affects you.
You should tell your health care provider if you:
Have or had liver problems. You may need a lower dose
Have high blood pressure. Strattera can increase blood pressure
Have problems with your heart or an irregular heartbeat.
Strattera can increase heart rate (pulse)
Have low blood pressure. Strattera can cause dizziness or fainting in people with low blood pressure.
Are trying to become pregnant, are already pregnant, or are breast-feeding.
Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your health care provider if you take:
Albutero, Paxil (paroxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Prozac or Sarafem (fluoxetine), Quinidine, MAOIs (Nardil, Parnate) or Medicines that may increase blood pressure
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Articles, essays, and other information pertaining to the fraud of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)--Compiled by Dr. Fred Baughman
Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD has been an adult & child neurologist, in private practice, for 35 years. Making "disease" (real diseases--epilepsy, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, etc.) or "no disease" (emotional, psychological, psychiatric) diagnoses daily, he has discovered and described real, bona fide diseases.
It is this particular medical and scientific background that has led him to view the "epidemic" of one particular "disease"--Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)--with increasing alarm. Dr. Baughman describes this himself. Referring to psychiatry, he says:
"They made a list of the most common symptoms of emotional discomfiture of children; those which bother teachers and parents most, and in a stroke that could not be more devoid of science or Hippocratic motive--termed them a 'disease.' Twenty five years of research, not deserving of the term 'research.,' has failed to validate ADD/ADHD as a disease. Tragically--the "epidemic" having grown from 500 thousand in 1985 to between 5 and 7 million today--this remains the state of the 'science' of ADHD."
In addition to scientific articles that have appeared in leading national and international medical journals, Dr. Baughman has testified for victimized parents and children in ADHD/Ritalin legal cases, writes for the print media and appears on talk radio shows, always making the point that ADHD is fraudulent--a creation of the psychiatric-pharmaceutical cartel, without which they would have nothing to prescribe their dangerous, addictive, Schedule II, stimulants for--namely, Ritalin (methylphenindate), Dexedrine (dextro-amphetamine), Adderall (mixed dextro- and levo-amphetamine) and, Gradumet, and Desoxyn (both of which are methamphetamine, 'speed,' 'ice').
The entire country, including all 5-7 million with the ADHD diagnosis today, have been deceived and victimized; deprived of their informed consent rights and drugged--for profit! It must be stopped. Now!
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If you are being harassed to medicate your child for a ADHD?
Tell Them Where To Go! www.ritalindeath.com
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