New Clinical Guidelines for ADHD Treatement Raises Concerns Among Mental Health Advocates

Nov. 19, 2011 - PRLog -- Las Cruces, NM:  The International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry (ISEPP) today issued a response to the new clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that have been adopted by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


The AAP has taken the dangerous and ill-advised step of expanding the age-range of children who will be diagnosed, evaluated and treated for ADHD to as young as four years old.  This means that thousands of very young children will be administered stimulant drugs (amphetamines) such as Ritalin and Adderall that will stunt their growth, retard their development of executive functioning and increase the risk of damage to their hearts and cardiovascular systems.


This act by the AAP will decrease the likelihood that children who are diagnosed with ADHD will be treated by non-drug therapy such as helping parents use behavioral approaches which are more effective and less damaging than the stimulant drugs.


The response by ISEPP can be found at:

http://psychintegrity.org/announcements/2011/11/18/respon...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8ReARNiAHI



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ISEPP is a non-profit 501 (c3) research and education network focusing on the critical study of the mental health movement. We are primarily a network of professionals and individuals concerned with the impact of mental health theories upon public policy, therapeutic practices, individual well-being, and personal freedom. Our varied membership includes psychiatrists, psychologists, professional clinical counselors, academic researchers, educators, lawyers, psychiatric survivors, concerned family members, other mental health professionals, and advocates.