"We Would Like Our Attention Back, PLEASE!"

ATTENTION - Moms and Dads!!!

Look at these ALARMING figures from The Center for Disease Control on ADHD!

1. Approximately 11% of children 4-17 years of age (6.4 million) have been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2011 and it continues to increase annually.
2. The percentage of children with an ADHD diagnosis continues to increase, from 7.8% in 2003 to 9.5% in 2007 and to 11.0% in 2011.
3. The average age of ADHD diagnosis was 7 years of age.
4. Prevalence of ADHD diagnosis varied substantially by state, from a low of 5.6% in Nevada to a high of 18.7% in Kentucky, Nebraska is 9.1 - 11.0%.
5. Parents of children with a history of ADHD report almost 3 times as many peer problems as those without a history of ADHD (21.1% vs. 7.3%).
6. Parents report that children with a history of ADHD are almost 10 times as likely to have difficulties that interfere with friendships (20.6% vs. 2.0%).
7. The annual societal ''cost of illness'' for ADHD is estimated to be between $36 and $52 billion in 2005 and has grown annually.
8. It is estimated to be between $12,005 and $17,458 annually per individual.
9. The total excess cost of ADHD in the US in 2000 was $31.6 billion. Of this total, $1.6 billion was for the treatment of patients, $12.1 billion was for all other health care costs of persons with ADHD, $14.2 billion was for all other health care costs of family members with ADHD, and $3.7 billion was for the work loss cost of adults with ADHD and adult family members of persons with ADHD.
10. Across 10 countries, there was a projected 143.8 million lost days of productivity each year due to ADHD. 

Conclusions:

• What we are doing is not working at all if the numbers continue to increase.
• Families are spending lots of money on things that are not working.
• Medications that are being used are not actually treating ADHD, they are just providing temporary relief from symptoms.

Example:

Vyvanse, along with other medications, is currently used in the above treatment statistics.  Vyvanse is an amphetamine and has these potential side effects:  insomnia, agitation, anxiety, psychotic symptoms (seeing or hearing things that are not real and believing things that are not real, including paranoia, severely mistrusting others), loss of appetite, headaches, infected skin, high blood pressure, urinary tract infection, liver damage, and speed crashes after the medications wear off that cause nausea, irritability, depression, and ADDICTION.

It's a gamble to take Vyvanse on a long-term basis considering the potential side effects.

So Mr. Carlson, what is a knowledgeable informed caring parent like me supposed to do?

• Neurofeedback was given the highest rating by the American Academy of Pediatricians as a TREATMENT for attention deficit symptoms two years ago!!!
• Neurofeedback significantly reduces attention problems and hyperactivity in school children and the changes are permanent.
• Neurofeedback has NO crazy adverse physiological, psychological, or emotional side effects like the Vyvanse I reported on above - this is not gambling with your child at all!!
• Neurofeedback is done playing brain games and watching movies, so your child won't hate this!
• Three high school students have just completed the neurofeedback program at Alternatives, and their tear-filled eyed parents reported it as changing their lives!
• Dr. Meylor has seen positive results in neurofeedback treatment for his own ADHD at Alternatives - read his testimonial here!

As a former school Counselor, former school Principal, and 26 year mental health professional - I can tell you this is the real deal!  Please call us at 402-827-9450 to schedule a free initial consultation about neurofeedback for ADHD.


- Scott Carlson, LMHP, CTS