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RITALIN: A SOCIETY THAT DRUG

THEIR CHILDREN

JANUARY 3, 2013 6:01 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY , EDUCATION .





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In just one year the number of children diagnosed with ADHD went from 7940-28095. It was not if
labeling children with ADHD increases school grant of $ 51,138 to $ 141,746. We immerse ourselves in
a rare disorder that arises after the laboratories invented the drug: Ritalin (today
Methylphenidate), amphetamine derivative that is being given to children in kindergarten at
various colleges or in doses that exceed one hundred pills a month.
The pills are there. In the case that the director keeps in the third drawer of his desk. Children enter one by
one and the drug before it must be taken. Open Mouth - tells the wayward. As a communion every
morning. But there is this ritual prayers, worshipers or less a holy spirit.The wafer is calculated in
milligrams. After communion each returns to his room to sit still in the chair to follow careful instructions
given by the teacher.
The restless children of yore, which stated that "had pidulle" now would be 'carriers' of an alleged Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In Chile affect 5% of the population between 4 and 18
years old, most of whom are treated with Methylphenidate (MFD), a derivative of amphetamine. Professor
diagnosed, parents (if they can) pay consultation, prescription neurologist, psychologist confirms and
inspectors say "take the cure". As the rods were yesterday, and today the MFD is an educational tool and
parents, health educators and end up putting in the mouth of a child a drug that works on the brain in a
similar way to cocaine.
The Office Karol Wojtyla of Puente Alto between January 2011 and August 2012 was 455 children
diagnosed with ADHD. MFD average each child are given 30 to 60 doses per month. A 7 year old boy make it
take 80 doses (2 tablets daily) and another 10 year old in 3 divided doses 60 pills each day. Some children do
not respond to treatment without further analysis neurologists or psychiatrists increase the dose. It is the
case of an 8 year old girl who has to take 4 pills from Monday to Friday, ie, 120 per month.
By 2013 the Cenabast purchase 5,647,200 bid dose of 10 MG. MFD . Compared with buying Ibuprofen
(25,652,267 doses), it is estimated that the MFD is required over a fifth of the remedy used in offices and
posts. And that just happens by Cenabast 47% of hospital supplies.
The MFD Importing Chile went from 24.2 in 2000 to 297.4 kilos Kl. in 2011. During 2012 to 28,095
students diagnosed with ADHD. If the year 2012 133.430 boxes of 30 tablets were purchased,
spending $ 196,142,100; were 174,536 cases in 2011 at a cost of $ 413,650,320.
The diagnosis of ADHD is mostly done by teachers only from the observation of the child's behaviour. The
most widespread is the diagnostic test Conner , that many teachers apply to your abbreviated version of a
page with ambiguous categories such as if the child wanders in the room or not pay attention for long
periods. With the Dr ecree 170 ADHD can diagnose a teacher or a doctor. A condition for the diagnosis of
ADHD is that symptoms occurring either in school or at home. Despite this, raw perception made in the
school environment.
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WHAT IS FIRST: THE REMEDY OR DISEASE?

Unlike common diseases or disorders, in the case of ADHD medication, MFD came first, then the nosology
of the disease was made. Inti Vega , physician Medical Bioethics Program Usach says that "the
application of drug produces diagnostic criteria and validating the idea of a disorder from the effect of the
MFD. The remedy works in health and disease. If I take it for a month will have a different functionality, like
children diagnosed with ADHD. "
The neurologist Ximena Carrasco defines ADHD as "a complex neuropsychiatric box, which manifests in
the area of behavior, the behavior of the subject, and that generates disadvantage or mismatch at different
levels (individual, family, school, work, social) . It is a disorder in the mood; Nor is a lack of general
intelligence and is a disturbance in reality testing. It affects behavior " .
Francisco Aboitiz , neurobiologist and director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Neuroscience PUC argues
that underlies the disorder "a disturbance in the mechanisms of cognitive and behavioral control".
In contrast to Andrs Garrido , Bachelor of Medicine and Internal Usach, "take children with behavioral
problems and transform them into objects for psychiatry is the result of an escalation that passes the
Minimal Brain Dysfunction, and every little behavior change will it escalate to DSM III and later. Still no
clarity in its organic origin. "
Aboitiz argues that ADHD arises from a dysfunction of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which noradrenaline
and dopamine operate [ , which are associated with behavior and cognition, motivation, attention, and
learning, among several other features. To Aboitiz "one of the primary functions of catecholamines has to do
with the regulation of goal-oriented behavior, which is the ability to respond to stimuli that predict the
occurrence of an event, and the subsequent behavior guidance regarding to the event " .
Marcela Henrquez , Department of Psychiatry and Center for Medical Research of the PUC argues that
evidence has been found only in the association between ADHD and 6 genes related to synaptic
transmission and neurotransmitter metabolism of catecholamines, one being the gene coding for the
dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) .
Aboitiz Carrasco and argue that in most cases of ADHD is an inherited disorder (heritability 0.76, according
to some studies) and agree that "ADHD can also help us to understand the processes controlling the
behavior in the general population " .


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ORGANIC NO EVIDENCE

For decades American psychiatrist Peter Breggin maintains that it can not relate to a child with a behavioral
problem with an alteration in the brain that would be the basis of their behavior. "There is no evidence that
any of the psychological or psychiatric disorders, have a genetic or biological component. Nor is there
evidence that mental illnesses like ADHD exist "- holds.
Supports the neurologist Fred Baughman , for whom the millions of children who are medicated for
hyperactivity are normal. "The country has been led to believe that each upset emotion is a mental illness,
and those who lead the American Psychiatric Association are well aware that being promoted as the disease
when there is no scientific information to confirm any mental illness" .
Carlos Perez , who has just published his book Antipsychiatry, says "ADHD is part of the gradual integration
of the medical model and the clinical gaze in educational institutions in order to address educational
problems." Perez notes that "Ritalin has a role in the therapeutic scaling, frame is precursor of more serious
behaviors and medication."


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Garrido adds that the use of the drug "ignores the particularities of the subjective complaint: The subjective process of a
child's entry into language, to be part of a family, a community. What is expected of a child and if it meets the
expectations can not be categorized the child is sick. When the outputs are drugs, no efforts to elucidate behind this
symptom. "
Juan Gonzales , professor at the University of Chile and researcher at the Centre for Education Policy (Opech) warns that
diagnose ADHD "hurts the relationships the child has with its environment and makes you feel disabled. That will affect
the development, because the burden of constructing the personality from a pathology. "
Solving social problems with drugs it is accepted that the problem is not of individuals and society. Carlos Perez accused
that "the unrest subjectivizes, echndosele blame individuals for problems that are social. Thus, an education system in
crisis is not the result of few educational resources and teaching techniques anachronism, but children. Thus
ensombrecemos one precarious and segregated educational school context. Thus appears that the child is only actor in the
process of learning. "
Perez goes further and argues that "children who are not medicate with MFD quieter and have better performance but
which causes a placebo effect. Teachers who lose patience with a boy goat, relax when given drugs and stigmatizing
abandon their position. So the child and the teacher is relieved. It is an effect of the relationship after the medication. Not
that the Ritalin like pill do something good, but it creates a context in which those involved see the world differently. "

ACTS AS METHYLPHENIDATE

Ranked psychoanaleptics group of (stimulant drugs), the MFD has a similar molecular structure to amphetamine and
acts on the brain in the same way as does cocaine, according to research by Nora Volkow, director of the National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), U.S.
Garrido explains that "the drug activates the inhibitory centers of behavior, so the guy runs quieter. It is a stimulant that
raises the level of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, similar to a cocaine operation. There is no clarity or certainty
about their long-term effects. "
Not yet known exactly how the MFD is involved in neuronal synapses. Aboitiz noted that "the exact mechanism of action
is not known MFD.It is known that works by blocking a molecule that is a dopamine transporter, a potent regulator of
behavior, and norepinephrine reuptake.This is called cross-reactivity. Thus the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine
into the cell is maintained. " Some studies indicate that a dose of Ritalin 0.5 MG. / K. It is sufficient to block 70% of the
dopamine transporter.
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Ritalin tablets bottle comericalizadas in England between 1954 and 1970
The MFD frontal lobe acts on the load increasing dopamine. According to Aboitiz "to activate the frontal
lobe, executive functions are given and the subject improves his conduct; hence improving their attentional
focus and simultaneously reduces impulsivity and hyperactivity, improves your ability to persevere and
concrete tasks " [7] .
The drug does not improve the course disorder, causing its pharmacological effect "behavior more self-
controlled by the patient; and the end effect, the subject is again the same " [8] .
Matthias took Ritalin from Kindergarten through 7th free. From one day a teacher told his mother that "it
was a problem child," he went of taking the pill, then and then 10 MG. Monday to Friday. "I felt bad, it
hurt the batt, I was self-absorbed, I felt that people did not understand me. I thought I was the Cuatic, the
stranger. I did not like doing the same things as other people. With pills you concentrate, but being in
recess, to social relations, sat and watched what he did the rest, I was not understood. He was reluctant to
love. "

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THE BUSINESS OF DIAGNOSIS ADHD

When Gloria Carrillo said he would withdraw his son, Matthias, the School Jos Joaqun Prieto , of
Germiston, administered by the Society of Primary Instruction, school bent over backwards to not take the
child. "I was a proxy problem, distributing leaflets among the agents showing over diagnosis and the harmful
effects of Ritalin, interrupted the board meeting and said that my child was a problem, but they would not
let me go" - Gloria account.
When Matthew was in kindergarten, with only 6 years, began to medicate. "He was restless, but never
complained garden" - Gloria detailing. "Within days of entering classes send me to see a neurologist after
Conner give the abbreviated test. As was so small, professional requested the support of a psychologist, who
sent him back to the neurologist and he did an EEG. The 2nd semester I was taking 10 MG. of Aradix (MFD)
daily. In the grade I went up to 1 tablet in the next course after 2 and 20 MG. daily.
One day Gloria wanted to test what effect the pill made him his son and gave a Saturday. "I wanted to know
what effect did you see me and died of grief. He remained in limbo, stuck. Whenever I saw him running,
jumping and this time went to watch TV and stood biting his nails sticking up out blood. He did not speak
nor eat and why you eat everything "- account.
Since taking the drug, with the collation Matthias came back to the house and did not participate in
extracurricular activities or acts danced. His mother noted that in 3rd was free so sleepy that his companions
were bullying. Doubt made part of a workshop organized by the opech in his neighbourhood, where he
learned the effects of Aradix. "It took me over a year to make the decision. Is the pressure of the school
psychologist was strong. I always questioned whether the tablet was taken. Family suffer as the pressure is
strong mom How do you do? ".
"Do not mourn dominating theme and school manipulated the situation. I took him to the psychologist
information about the drug, told them that the problem had to do with the educational methods that do not
adapt to the times and to the advancement of children. The psychologist had no idea of the damage that can
cause the MFD and never questioned medicating children. I said she taught him to treat children with the
drug "- he has Gloria.
One day he decided not to give more Aradix and replaced it with sweets. The boy remained the same and
even became more sociable. Just 10 years extraprogramtic participate in any activity and this year is going to
another school. Gloria still why so much interest from school asks for Matas stay.
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Since it came into force in 2010 DL 170, ADHD became Special Educational Needs (SEN), which involved
moving from a grant of $ 51,138 given by a normal student of $ 141,746. So, almost three times more money for
the school Holder. In the course of Matthias, 2011 of 43 students, 20 were medicated.
Today there are 2,175 establishments who choose the PIE program (Project School Integration), which
provides resources to hire skilled professionals to serve children diagnosed with ADHD.
Carolina Correa Braun , director of the School Jos Joaqun Prieto of Germiston, argues that there is no child
in the school that educates 1,582 in receipt of Special Educational Need grant (NEE) and resolve on their own
cases of Attention Deficit Disorder Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
If 2011 in the metropolitan area were 2723 students from public and subsidized schools diagnosed
with ADHD in 2012 rose to 8,339.In the VIII the Region went from 1492-6001. The national total went
from 7940-28095.
Gonzales says that "because of the system of financing by the vouchers and increased grant NEE, diagnosing
children with ADHD has become a business. Schools provided subsidy up are making the diagnosis ton, ton .
Gloria says that "you are convinced that your child is a problem child, a chub. And you say that is super
strong, so for many parents is taboo. The parents believe the medical model. They believe that their child is
sick and you need to medicate, when that school teachers still make a whole class writing everything on the
board and my problems because I did not write. One day I told the teachers' you who do not innovate in
teaching methods. Using a blackboard and notebook at the time the play station. '"
When Mary Pucheu, a child and adolescent psychologist Cesfam in Puente Alto, tried to convince teachers of
the risks of over-medicalization, they told him they "had 40 more in class and sitting forward and repeated
the instruction, but you can not let the other kids interrupt. Teachers are the stumbling block of this system,
as required statistics Simce or PSU, which measure very little. "
The Opech has received complaints that parents are pressured by schools to medicate their children, even
conditioning their retention in schools. Gisett, professor at the College of Australia Germiston, that is
common in the schools told parents: "Your son is not controlled in the room, take him to the doctor. At the
doctor will give you pills. "
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Advertising Ritalin family oriented. Says: Much easier for parenting

Pucheu also has noted: "It tells parents that if their children medicalizan, these will be future criminals or will have
mental disorders. A dad who has no training in health and accepted the medicalization ".
For many teachers and educational communities children medicalize drug has been trivialized. Gisett usually hear
colleagues words like "this guy is unbearable because the pills are not taken"; students or say "aunt then give the
pill"; or a child says to another: "You have not taken the pill."
Once a 2 th grade went to ask pills and another 11 years taking 3 a day at a school where there is an average of 40
children per room and include 2 data with the bad cable and 2 notebook without charger for classes. "With fewer
students and more teaching resources can handle it. In a class of 40, a student may speak only once in class "-
highlights. The law allows up to 45 students per classroom, being able to fit more if permission is sought.

Medicalization
Matas one day decided not to take more pills and he told his mom. Was in 7 Basic and wore eight years taking
Ritalin. "When you grow up you start thinking for yourself and I realized I did not want to take pills" - account. His trial
started when he took it really felt bad taking Ritalin, then questioning the why did you take them?
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Matas account that leaving the drug "I started to go well. I returned to painting and drawing, which is what I did as a kid.
" Today studying Pedagogy and "not recommend giving pills to children. A pill that affects the brain cognitively not going
to pedagogical ethics. Educating is not just concentrate and get good grades "- highlights.
Gonzales points out that learning disabilities "are educational, not psychological. Today the focus is to find some
individual harm in people who do not learn. Education for over a century is understood as a collective process, science
education is much broader than the psychological science of learning. It is essential meanings to the problem of SEN,
as an educational, social and political problem, not a psychological or neurological problem. "
Like all drugs acting on the nervous system with the MFD can not stop using it abruptly. Discontinuation should be
gradual and with the agreement of the treating physician. If a child is restless and actually fails to achieve their tasks, it
is recommended to choose a therapy that medication as a last resort (not the first) and participate in various health
workers and to take into account the child's emotional and social context.
Francisca Espinoza , Psicoymed psychologist recommends a psychotherapeutic treatment that considers the various
dimensions of a child's life. The made in Psicoymed last at least 3 months and are complemented with art workshops,
Bach flower child and Reiki. "The family is incorporated into treatment to develop parenting skills, so that they know to
intervene from the house and we deliver tools for the work your child hyperactivity, that it can control impulsivity" -
highlights.
Besides Opech workshops, several other groups have focused on ground dispute overmedication of children. The
Center for the Study of Contraphicologa already designed a manual approach and other groups have developed local
jobs. In one of these experiences involved Pablo Soto, a student of IVth of Sociology at UAH in 2011. Were treated
Workshop on Population Exequiel Gonzlez Corts, involving 15 parents with their children, of whom 10 were
diagnosed with ADHD . "After about the risks of the MFD, seek alternatives such as Bach flowers, involve parents in
their children's education, they put more attention and the accompanying" - highlights.
Gonzles ensures that "learning problems in school should be addressed first in the sense that they have for these
children, time management, the number of students per room and didactic learning. None of these areas is being
addressed today and ends only seeing the problem from the child. We must involve more stakeholders in learning
disabilities, beyond the psychologist, teachers and family. "
In its educational proposal in December 2011, the Coordinator of Secondary Students (Aces) Meeting the requirement
of medication to children is integrated.
Gloria Carrillo advised other parents that "when a teacher or doctor gives you a diagnosis, it is not only important to
contrast with the opinion of another professional, but you should also look for the information yourself. His son, Matthew,
is now at a school in Germiston with 27 companions in his course, goes to school clothes just 2 days a week and do not
take drugs. "At school Matte did not like going to school, is now delighted to go every day. The school is one that has to
adapt. A child who is not happy in the room will not learn anything. And the technology is "- he says.
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As large amounts of anxiolytics are prescribed to adults in the drawers of the directors of many colleges hundreds of
pills designed to keep minors. By accustoming children to take drugs to perform as standards imposed by a society
obsessed with measuring devices, subjects are trained to know how to adapt to the competition regimes. Drugs
promoted not encourage autonomy and less creativity, but to accept the authority and know how to solve tasks assigned
to him in a classroom whose structure has not changed in depth over the past three centuries.
The goal of some scientists is to expand the diagnosis of adult ADHD, apply the MFD in juvenile offenders and child
inattention, especially women. Vega notes that the MFD is coming now as laboratories enhancer and promote it to
study. "
Today the most bizarre part of the Educational Museum is a rod educational mantra reminds us of other times: The rod
and spoil. The pharmaceutical industry has done more infinitesimal control the fluctuations of consciousness and
attention of many anxious students: now occurs at the atomic space where retaining catecholamine neurotransmitters
act. So subtle and effective, the memory of the pedagogy of our time displayed on the future with an innocent rod and
small white pill.















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BIBLIOGRAPHY


In 'Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: frontiers and challenges', compilation and Ximena Carrasco
Francisco Aboitiz. PUC Editions, 2009.
The dopamine and norepinephrine with epinephrine (adrenaline call before) are catecholamines, or will be,
hormones produced by the adrenal glands and released into the blood during times of physical or emotional
stress.
Francisco Aboitiz; Thomas Ossandn; Pablo Francisco Zamorano and Billeke: Balance on a tightrope: the
neurobiology of attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity. Medical Journal of Clinica Las Condes, 2012.
In 'Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: frontiers and challenges', compilation and Ximena Carrasco
Francisco Aboitiz. PUC Editions, 2009.
Ibd.
In Insight Magazine, June, 1999.
Francisco Aboitiz; Thomas Ossandn; Pablo Francisco Zamorano and Billeke: Balance on a tightrope: the
neurobiology of attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity. Medical Journal of Clinica Las Condes, 2012.
Ibd.