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Medication or NeuroFeedback Therapy?
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FDA Warnings on
Stimulant Medication for ADHD
Recent reports about adverse reactions to
stimulant medications is to be taken seriously. This prompted the Food
and Drug Administration to order “black box warnings” on all these
medications. Sudden death and cardiac problems have been observed in a
very small percentage of patients. The FDA is not withdrawing the
medications from the market place but ordering further study and
strongly recommending that only patients with an accurate ADD or ADHD
diagnosis be given this medication. We think this is a prudent response.
The Attention Learning Center also recommends:
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Only professionals
specializing in this area should be attempting this diagnosis. The
diagnosis of ADD and ADHD is complex. We are finding 30% of children and
50% of adults mis-diagnosed! The diagnosis must be teased-out from poor
self-discipline, unsuccessful parenting, depression, anxiety, and more.
Preferably the diagnostic protocol should use one of the only two known
objective brain imaging diagnostic tools, the QEEG Brain Map or SPECT
Scans. |
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Medication should only be used for the
short term or when the patient is not a candidate for Neurofeedback
Therapy. Other wise, Neurofeedback Therapy is the treatment of choice.
Short term medication usage is recommended when the patient’s situation
is in crisis mode. For example, the child is having major behavior
problems at school /home, or significant problems with parental
authority /boundaries, then the fast acting qualities of medication can
help to quickly stabilize the situation. Once the crisis is resolved
Neurofeedback Therapy begins, providing our testing shows it has a good
chance to produce the desired outcome. In this short term scenario the
benefits of prudent use of medication out weigh the risk. |
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Patients taking stimulant medication
treatment need to be followed by an experienced psychiatrist who has in
hand the best diagnostics available. The psychiatrist should use an
objective continuous performance tests (CPT), like the IVA, to determine
the minimal therapeutic dosage of stimulant. Furthermore, the patient
needs to be regularly followed and observed while on medication.
Standards of Care and liability concerns are rendering all of the above
a growing reality. The Attention Learning Center has carefully
selected staff psychiatrists who provide conservative medication
services integrated with the overall diagnostic and treatment plan. |
Below are links to
information concerning adverse reactions to stimulant medications.
Warnings advised on ADHD drugs - USA Today
FDA
Issues Suicide Warning on ADHD Drug - ConsumerReports.com
Pediatric Drug Warnings - About.com
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