A few days ago you received two mail pieces of the same theme but different headings.

That was a mistake by my e-mail service.

Not only did the software mess up the mail out schedule, it also mixed together two different messages. I know it's kind of confusing.

I sincerely apologize for that.

Here now, is that piece about ADHD.

It may concern your children, or maybe even you.
But whatever the case, we all need to educate ourselves about this ailment, the diagnosis of which some consider arbitrary, at best, and bogus at worst.

The brain is capable of tremendous abilities. So, before you let the "experts" medicate your children or maybe even you, you might want to find out more about options.

And one of the options-maybe the best-in my opinion, is an effective brain training program

Johnny may not be as dumb, or distracted as his school says he is. In fact, it is possible Johnny is just bored because he's not being challenged enough by a school system that relies on tests to gauge students. Tests are NOT necessarily the best gauge of "smart."

ADHD,

Now the authorities say Ritalin and other ADHD drugs used to treat ADHD are safe.

They don't deny that the these medications cause high blood pressure. They don't deny that they increase heart rate either.

What they claim is that these medications are safe for adults, and the reports of these side effects could be dismissed Well, let's see how safe these meds are.

Some of the results of high blood pressure include:

• kidney damage
• Erectile dysfunction
• Brain impairment
• Heart problem
• Dizziness/loss of balance

And, an increased heart rate can lead to heart attack /stroke But these medications are safe!

But what is ADHD anyway? How do we know some one has it?

Would you believe that there is no standard test for this "disease"?

Some experts think that a lot of kids diagnosed for this "disease" are just being kids-hyperactive, and what kid is not, unless s/he is not normal?

Isn't it possible that we are too quick to label kids as attention deficient, when we could have channelled their energies towards their natural talents?

What are the implications of drugging children this early in life? Could it pre-dispose these children to addictive behavior as adults-namely drug use?

Has anyone seriously tried to find answers to these questions? Is ADHD-if it is a condition-a result of unbalanced brain chemistry?

If it is, is it possible to balance it with good nutrition, rather than external chemical interventions? And if it is not, why the medications?

Some of the children diagnosed with ADHD have their symptoms persist into adulthood, which is not surprising. If as children, their energies are not channelled into their fields of natural talents, it is safe to assume that the frustrations and lack of adequate outlets would also persist.

It's just common sense.

You don't need a degree in psychiatry to infer that. Now, not only do children take ADHD drugs, so do adults, even those in their 60s!.

We know children can be hyperactive, and may not be able to to engage in one activity for long periods , but any parent will tell you there is nothing unusual about that.

Is it possible that what is diagnosed as adult ADHD may be a symptom of some other ailments?

Of the adults taking ADHD drugs, how many of them took them as children? And why the sudden rise in adult ADHD diagnoses in the last few years?

And of those children "diagnosed" with ADHD not taking any medication, how have they fared over the years?

That would be the ultimate control group, won't it?

Remember there are millions of children and adults diagnosed with, and taking ADHD drugs.

We would like to think that profit is not one of the motives