An interesting article popped up on the CP website over the weekend.
According to the report, 446 of the 529 children on the Isle of Wight with Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD) are being prescribed psycho-stimulant drugs such as Ritalin.
Although drugs such as Ritalin are stimulants, with ADHD patients they have a calming effect. This is due to the drug inhibiting hyperactivity resulting in the children becoming more attentive.
The CP report goes on to say that the Island has a high rate for prescribing drugs to children with ADHD, claiming twice as many prescriptions as the national average were issued in 2008 by the IW PCT.
In addition, they say the rate of prescriptions between July and September 2010 (668) was significantly higher than similar sized North Somerset PCT, who only issued 135 prescriptions, but well below Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT who handed out 1,777 prescriptions for psycho-stimulant drugs to children.
Should we be concerned that such high numbers of Island children are being prescribed this drug, or is it a good thing?
Read CP article in full.
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