ADHD Meds May Hike Kids' Heart Risks

New York, (CBS)

Dr. Jennifer Ashton Discusses New Research Linking Stimulant Drugs and Sudden Death

Research released Monday by The American Journal of Psychiatry gives more support to the claim that stimulant drugs usually prescribed for ADHD could increase the risk of sudden unexplained death in children.

On The Early Show Monday, CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton what the study might mean for the 2.5 million children taking medication for the disorder.

The study found the rate of stimulant use in children and adolescents who died suddenly or from cardiac dysrhythmia was 1.8 percent, compared to 0.4 percent for youth who died as passengers in motor vehicle accidents.

Ashton said all the drugs commonly prescribed to children with ADHD are amphetamines. While amphetamines have been shown to give children the ability to keep focus and attention, Ashton said they can increase heart rate and blood pressure.

“(Amphetamines) do have very potent effects on the body,” she said.

Ashton told Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen there is still a questionable increased risk of sudden death with amphetamine drugs, and this study is the latest to show the association between these drugs and sudden death.

Ashton said there are certain children who are more susceptible to sudden cardiac arrest and death. She suggested that, before children go on these medications, their doctors should look at family history of the child, including cardiac death, fainting spells or cardiac problems in rhythm or heart rate. Ashton said, in some cases, further studies, such as an electrocardiogram or EKG, should be conducted.

Ashton said you shouldn’t stop any of your child’s medications until you speak with his or her pediatrician about the risks. She said if an EKG is done, make sure it’s monitored by a pediatric cardiologist “because there can be a wide range of normal.”

Ashton said alternative therapies, such as chiropractic care or dietary changes, are also available for children with ADHD. She said they can be used as a replacement or compliment to their current treatment.

As with all drugs, Ashton suggested you should “explore your options (with ADHD medications) and weigh the risks versus the benefits.”

Source:  CBS News, June 15, 2009  Are ADHD medications safe for children?



Every second parent I meet asks me the same question, “My child has Attention Deficit, what can I do?” Many have horror stories of what drugs such as Ritalin have done to their children. Mother Nature has the answers and we have the formulas.

Print this out and stick to your refrigerator door and refer to it constantly.

My Top-10 (or 11) ways to defeat ADD and ADHD without Drugs

1. The brain is where we have to go to defeat ADHD. The brain is 74% fatty acids and a small deficiency dehydrates the brain, slowing it down. Start taking the Omega 3/6/9 formula, a perfect balance of all the Omega’s the brain needs. Take six a day.

2. Amazing results come very quickly with the Mind Power formula that dramatically boosts oxygen flow to the brain, so it works clearer and faster. It also contains the miracle herb from India called “Bacopa” that in tests was proven to increase intelligence in young students at a monastery by a staggering 60% in just 3 months. (I take this too.)

3. All thought is an electrical function and a lack of minerals creates a “deficit”, slowing down the electrical connections.   Everyone, regardless of age or whether you have ADD/ADHD, should be taking the Life Transfusion Liquid Minerals. These minerals are ionic so they conduct electricity through the cells and the body, particularly the brain. Two teaspoons daily in V8 or freshly squeezed carrot  juice is best.

4. Get our Liquid L-Carnitine formula. The amino acid Carnitine is a fabulous brain “candy” and also a heart nutrient. And then, it also pumps fat into the cells to create energy so it fights obesity. Two tablespoons a day, wonderful citrus flavor.

5. Our Kid’s Mins formula is a total powerhouse of all the vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants the body needs on a daily basis. In two yummy flavors, Orange Splash and Berry Blast that children actually like.  Ages 1-3, 1 tablet/day.  Ages 4+ 2 tablets/day.  Adults can take 3-4/day.

6. Eliminate dairy – this includes milk, cheese, all pizzas with melted cheese, ice cream and butter. Dairy is very poisonous to the body. Visit www.notmilk.com to read the horrifying facts about this so-called “Perfect Food”. Substitute soy, nut or the new hemp milks instead.

7. Eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup – read the labels carefully on all fruit drinks, as many are loaded with it.  Sodas like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, 7-Up, Sprite, Mountain Dew, etc. are obviously are giant no-no too.  The massive sugar content totally “wires” the brain. If you like the carbonation and crave the “sweetness” in a drink, make your own with seltzer water and a couple drops of stevia along with fresh or frozen fruit.

8. Also No Diet Soda – these contain a very dangerous chemical “Aspartame” or NutraSweet. This clouds the brain in formaldehyde. Not good.  Read my article, What Really Causes Lupus and MS, to learn more about what this chemical does to the brain and nervous system.

9. Get off junk food and limit the number of times you eat at fast-food restaurants. When you do need food quickly on the go, visit restaurants like Chipotle, Jamba Juice or Noodles with healthier meal options than burgers and fries.

10. Exercise is a must. Kids today are couch potatoes.  Sign them up for activities, whether it be swimming, soccer, volleyball or dance.  It doesn’t matter what sport or activity – find something they enjoy and let them move and burn off energy.  Exercise is arguably the best therapy for the body and the brain.

11. Get to bed earlier. Until children reach their late teens, they need 10 or more hours of sleep every night to support their rapidly growing bodies. Children in grade school need up to 13 hours of sleep.  As a parent, you will notice a difference almost immediately in their personality and behavior when your kids get enough sleep. And you can tell when they need extra rest, because they will be cranky, clingy or irritable. As a parent, the benefit for you is an extra hour or two of peace and quiet to wind down after a long day.

Conclusion
Like most new-fangled, modern-day epidemics, ADD/ADHD is caused by lousy nutrition and lack of exercise. You now have a very easy to implement, 11-step plan to reverse all that. Please keep a diary of how your child goes and let us know so we can publish it for all to see and be encouraged by.

DR G.

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