Education: Alternatives to ‘Drugging’ Our Children
A few days ago, I posted a repeat of the horrendous statistics regarding how many children are being diagnosed (over-diagnosed?) with severe mental and behavioral disorders.
(See “Education & Bipolar Disorder Revisited” from December 13th, 2007.)
It appears that we have come to rely on drugs as the antidote for bad behaviour, and what may be perceived as bad behaviour even if it is normal childhood ‘acting out’.
It also appears that European countries are far more advanced in recognizing more natural treatments as being effective, without the terrible side effects we see with so many anti-psychotic and mood-altering drugs.
The number one solution for ‘Bad Behavior’ presented in the Lancet, Britain’s major medical journal, is to “remove additives from the child’s diet”.
And the journal European Child Adolescent Psychiatry published a report in 2006, calling for Bad Behavior to be treated with Pycnogenal (extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree), Omega-3 and Omega-6 supplements.
In the United States, we’ve known for years that food allergies can cause a child to exhibit hyperactivity and other unpleasant behaviors. We also know that the typical American diet contributes to obesity, lethargy and a wide range of health issues. So why do we continue to see drugs as the treatment of choice? Why don’t we look for healthier solutions to bad behavior.
It’s about time that Americans wake up to what we are doing to our children. We are shortchanging them in ways that can ruin their chances for success. Why label a young child as “bipolar”? This will affect everything that happens in his life in the future.
I know personally that information about the adverse effects of food additives has been available for over twenty years. I can even remember when every newspaper and magazine carried stories about the newly-discovered relationship between hyperactivity and red food dye (which was in just about every commercially prepared foodstuff at the time). Even though red food dye was banned after the discovery, I know there are still substances in our foods that are as dangerous, or worse.
Why are we, as a nation, so resistant to implementing safer and more natural, PROVEN antidotes to bad behavior? Why do we always look for the easy solution, no matter how damaging in the long run? Why don’t we insist on better solutions?
Another way we are shortchanging ALL of our children, hyperactive or not, is allowing our education system to continue to deteriorate. Once again, the Europeans are way ahead of us, as are the Asian countries and the rest of the world.
Our schools are failing, but we are ignoring the ‘red dye’ of failing schools. We either look for a ‘quick fix’, or we choose to ignore the matter entirely or claim it is someone else’s problem. Why refuse to look at a better solution?
“Set Our Teachers FREE! A Plan to Save Public Education”, by Don Kingsland offers safe and PROVEN solutions to the dismal conditions in our public schools. Don’t settle for a bureaucratic ‘quick fix’ or a political ‘cop-out’. Learn about The Kingsland Plan and how we can safely instill excellence in our public schools.
Brennan
