ADHD A Rebuttal

Dr. Jeanette's article on ADHD was published in Metamorphosis Newsletter published by Peter Shepherd author of Mind Development courses.

Attention Deficit & Hyperactivity Disorder - a Rebuttal

By Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby
I know letters to the editor and criticisms are not usual in Metamorphosis but I cannot help taking pen to paper and replying to the ADHD article by Dr. Doris Jeanette in the last issue. I think her emotionally-charged piece loses its objectivity and she mistakes opinions for fact. More importantly she is trying to deny a very real affliction and that does not do the children any good.

I have a far longer experience of this condition than Dr Jeanette (I was treating it in the late 1970s, early 80s) and can tell Metamorphosis readers that in the years before this medical condition was properly recognized, it was very tough on the kids. They were simply branded naughty, stupid or lazy and the consequences of that were far more destructive for the child than being "labeled" with a diagnosis.

Over 30 years of treating children (holistically) with this and similar disorders, I can tell you with certainty that over 95% of children with ADD or ADHD are physically sick. They need treatment. They do not have "healthy flowing energy", as Dr Jeanette proclaims, but hyper-excited brain tissue, which is measurable objectively. It has causes, which need to be treated, not glossed over with cuddles and nurture.

By far the biggest problem is food allergy, close followed by chemical sensitivity and heavy metal toxicity. Many also had disturbed metabolic pathways, like marginal phenylketonuria, or malabsorption, due to undiagnosed gluten-enteropathy, milk allergy or yeast overgrowth (typically after taking repeated doses of antibiotics).

It was with great relief we welcomed the fact that the medical community finally recognized this disorder for what it was, even though they considered it merely a Ritalin deficiency. At least it was finally recognized that the child was physically unwell, not suffering from a defective personality. The abuse stopped.

Now Dr Jeanette would like to turn the clock back and forget a sound footing was ever attached to this unfortunate disease of brain toxicity. To me her preaching seems to lack a scientific perspective and has more to do with a mother's vanity and emotional denial there could be anything "wrong" with her child. Dr Jeanette even suggests that if we cease using the word schizophrenia this condition will somehow go away. Perhaps we should stop considering it a health affliction at all and go back to whipping the psychotic and depersonalized cases simply because they are behaviourally disturbed. It would drop the statistics to zero overnight and we'd have a "breakthrough" cure!

Incidentally, Dr Jeanette also plays the race and gender cards inappropriately, since ADHD and ADD affect male children far more than females and whites far more than blacks!

Keith Scott-Mumby MB ChB, MD, PhD
Professor of Nutrition OIUCM
Alternative-Doctor.com