Maryland’s children:
overmedicated and over diagnosed
Tens of thousands of
Maryland children are being forced to take psychotropic and mood enhancing drugs
for diagnoses that border on the edge of medical malpractice. Falsely labeled
with titles such as ADD, ADHD, Autism and its various equivalents, physicians
are shoveling these drugs to children at alarming rates. Misdiagnosis, over
diagnosis, diagnoses of convenience and other more egregious reasons to provide
children with these poisons are commonplace within the confines of Maryland and
beyond. From the elite institutions to the corner family physician each has
played a role in destroying the minds of these kids. Psychiatrists, family
physicians, internists and an entire spectrum of other physicians do not give a
second thought to providing these medications, never considering the short or
long term consequences to those most vulnerable. Those who are supposedly experts
in these psychiatric modes rapidly admit they do not know the causes of the
symptoms derived from these ailments. Justification for dispensing of these
drugs varies with behavior problems at the top of the list. Parents, educators,
social workers, juvenile counselors, judges and sundry others claim there is marked
improvement is grades, attitude and social compliance with daily aspects of
living when children are maintained on these neurological therapies never
exploring other reasons for these behaviors. Children who are disinterested in
school, keep to themselves, are introverted, are so called special kids and
other creative labels by the psych-pharmaceutical industry have had therapies
concocted to save these kids from their own worst behaviors. Many children are
being maintained on three or more of these drugs. Kids on medical assistance
and or living in foster homes are pumped full of these mind altering
medications with a higher frequency than those not represented in these two
groups. Even more alarming Autism rates are at incredible levels in Maryland compared
to the rest of America and even the World. Statistics on the World stage
indicate an incidence of 1 to 2 cases per thousand, in Maryland 1 per 80 is the
most recent numbers fresh from our friends in the government. Perhaps Maryland
has slipped into a quantum corridor existing outside the rest of humanity or
maybe our physicians are better at misdiagnosing than the rest of the world.
Drugs entrenched in the bloodstreams of our kids that are legally
overprescribed have familiar names: Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, Dexedrine and
other amphetamine derivatives combined with their psychotropic counterparts the
emphatic changes on children’s behavior is dramatic. Normal variants of
youthful behavior have been redefined by a society that bathes in drugs, legal
or otherwise. Media has reported that the panel that defines and refines
psychiatric diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental
Disorders has a profound involvement with pharmaceutical corporations. Claims
that nearly 100% of the 170 member group is attached in some manner to this industry
are unconfirmed, yet intriguing. Maryland’s Board of Pharmacy has not weighed
in on this subject. Worse, the Maryland Board of Physicians has remained
distant and detached on this subject. They have promulgated no rules,
regulatory structure or entertained studying this significant problem affecting
tens of thousands of children. Instead they chase physicians for paper
compliance issues or fabricate standards of care to sanction and even revoke
medical licenses. This is a tragedy in the making and should be addressed
immediately. Perhaps the Maryland State Legislature should act, because their own
administrative authorities have failed to take the lead, especially since the
state is paying to poison these children who have been left behind. Mark Davis
MD, President of Healthnets Review Services. platomd@gmail.com
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