RITALIN PUTS SOME KIDS INTO ZOMBIE-LIKE STATE

Ritalin is the most-studied drug used on children in the world. But views
are poles apart when it comes to the safety and potency of the stimulant
used to treat millions of North American children with attention-deficit
disorders.

Canadian and American drug-control agencies place Ritalin and other forms
of methylphenidate in the same controlled drug category as its cousins,
cocaine and amphetamine.

"Methylphenidate is a central-nervous-system stimulant and shares many of
the pharmacological effects of amphetamine and cocaine," said a report by
the American Drug Enforcement Administration.

Other doctors say it¼s no more dangerous than Aspirin. Most medical
professionals believe 40 years of Ritalin use provers it is a safe drug.
"Ritalin is the first drug of choice because, compared to others, it is
more effective and has less side-effects." said Dr. Jean-Marie Ruel,
special medical advisor with the bureau of drug surveillance for Health
Canada. It¼s believed Ritalin increases the dopamine in the brain, which
helps nerve cells to communicate more quickly.

Common side-effects include appetite suppression, sleep disturbance,
anxiety, periodic, depression and, often in the initial introduction of the
drug, stomach aches and headaches. Growth suppression is still a subject of
debate.

Less common are tics, tongue thrusts, jaw-clenching, picking at skin, or
biting nails. In very rare cases, children experience hallucinations or
temporary psychosis.

An American National Institute of Mental Health study found 24 per cent of
parents reported 'dullness' in their children at the high range of safe
dosing levels.

The illegal use of the drug has become a serious concern for drug
enforcement agencies, primarily in the U.S. Ritalin is illegally used by
drug addicts in combination with other drugs.

Meanwhile, the stimulants long-term track record has not been tested.
Novartis, the manufacturer of Ritalin, admits there are no studies that
have followed a group of specific individuals for even two years while they
were taking the drug.

U.S. President Bill Clinton has placed Ritalin on a list of drugs that need
more testing to determine dose levels.

Anyone can identify the symptoms of attention-deficit disorders. But it
takes an expert to make an accurate diagnosis.

Key symptoms include inattention, disorganization, fidgeting and
restlessness and, in some cases, impulsive behaviour such as blurting out
answers to questions before they are asked or failing to wait turns in
groups.

But complicating the diagnosis is the fact that up to 50 per cent of
children with ADHD also have learning disabilities.

In addition, about 30 per cent of the children with the disorder will have
poor physical co-ordination and motor control. Gifted children may also
show signs of hyperactivity.

Children who are depressed, anxious or suffering from abuse may also show
the symptoms.