Dr. Phil is rerunning his absurd show about ADD/ADHD. (there is a number of posts further up in this thread about this).
Here is what these guys are doing. Frank Lawlis has a new book, and is offering treatments for ADD/ADHD using EEG and biofeedback. These treatments cost about $2,000-$6,000.
So Dr. Phil is promoting his 30 years business partner unscientific business on his show.
Here is the kicker.
Dr Phil was sent a LETTER by the leading ADHD group pointing out many of his errors. (see below)
DR. PHIL HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE THE SCIENCE, AND HAS RERUN THIS SHOW, as it is promoting the career, and business of Dr Phil's BUSINESS PARTNER Frank Lawlis.
Dr. Phil is deliberately, and self-righteously flaunting science, in the name of personal profit.
I just saw the part where this Lawlis does the "muscle testing" with the child. its obvious that he is blatantly conning the child. The guy is a con-artist.
This tells you so much about Dr Phil.
Its all about HIM.
He is abusing the trust and ignorance of his viewers, for personal profit, and the profit of his 30 year business partner.
What a scam.
Please read the letter excerpt below.
Coz
------------
[
www.chadd.org]
(excerpts)
Last week, on his new program "Family First," Dr. Phil McGraw (best known as "Dr. Phil"), devoted an hour to the topic of AD/HD. CHADD watched the program and responded to Dr. Phil with concern about many of his non-scientific recommendations. CHADD also acknowledged when and where Dr. Phil "got it right."
CHADD advocates treatment of AD/HD in children through a multimodal approach and relies on the published science on multimodal treatment as developed by the National Institute of Mental Health, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Below please find CHADD's analysis of the program in our letter to Dr. Phil.
October 4, 2004
....
HOWEVER, YOU ALSO GOT IT WRONG IN MANY KEY PLACES. CONSIDER A FEW OF YOUR BLUNDERS:
· You used a sensational, misleading and unfair way to grab viewer attention: "Pills as Parenting."
CHADD's Position: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder frequently makes headlines--often for good reasons, but more often than not for sensational purposes. Considered as today's diagnosis du jour, AD/HD is often depicted as something that simply doesn't exist. But for the individuals and families dealing with the disorder, AD/HD is a difficult reality. Why is there such controversy around AD/HD? In part, the controversy reflects a societal reluctance to identify children as having a mental disorder. In part, the controversy reflects our ambivalent feelings about medication, particularly because our idealized view of childhood does not include the use of "pills" to help a child better manage his or her mood and behavior. And finally, the controversy reflects our concerns--legitimate concerns--that medication might be improperly prescribed. [9] Your headline plays upon people's fear, and further perpetuates the stigma that too often accompanies a mental disorder.
· You stated that a diet high in sugar or food additives could trigger AD/HD.
CHADD's Position: Dietary interventions (as contrasted with dietary supplements) are based on the concept of elimination, that one or more foods are eliminated from one's diet. The most publicized of these diet elimination approaches is the Feingold Diet. [10] This diet is based on the theory that many children are sensitive to dietary salicylates and artificially added colors, flavors and preservatives, and that eliminating the offending substances from the diet could improve learning and behavioral problems, including AD/HD. Despite a few positive studies, most controlled studies do not support this hypothesis. [11] At least eight controlled studies since 1982, the latest being 1997, have found validity to elimination diets in only a small subset of children "with sensitivity to foods." [11] While the proportion of children with AD/HD who have food sensitivities has not been empirically established, experts believe that the percentage is small. [11,12,13] Parents who are concerned about diet sensitivity should have their children examined by a medical doctor for food allergies. Research has also shown that the simple elimination of sugar or candy does not affect AD/HD symptoms, despite a few encouraging reports. [11,14,15]
· You unfairly implied that the mother's parenting style (as opposed to the father's) was the primary source of the problem.
CHADD's Position: Parenting a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or any disability, can be overwhelming at times. All parents sometimes feel anger, fear, grief, frustration and fatigue while struggling to help their child. However, parents needn't waste limited emotional energy on self-blame. AD/HD is a hereditary disorder and is not caused by poor parenting or a chaotic environment. How a child with AD/HD will do in adulthood is best predicted by three things--(1) whether his or her parents use effective parenting skills, (2) how he or she gets along with other children, and (3) his or her success in school. [16] Psychosocial treatments are effective in treating these important domains. Second, behavioral treatments teach skills to parents and teachers that help them deal with children with AD/HD. They also teach skills to children with AD/HD that will help them overcome their impairments. Learning these skills is especially important because AD/HD is a chronic condition and these skills will be useful throughout the children's lives [17,18]. Additional recommendations can be found at: [
www.chadd.org] . [19]
· You stated that medication (you called it drugs) is effective in only 50 percent of children and that efficacy diminishes as soon as a child begins taking medication.
CHADD's Position: Approximately 70 to 80 percent [20] of children with AD/HD respond positively to psychostimulant medications. Significant academic improvement is shown by students who take these medications: increased attention and concentration, compliance and effort on tasks, amount and accuracy of schoolwork produced as well as decreased activity levels, impulsivity, negative behaviors in social interactions, and physical and verbal hostility. [21] There is no scientific evidence to support a reduction in efficacy.
· You failed to mention, discuss or describe multimodal treatment--the treatment approach endorsed and used by the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
CHADD's Position: Treating AD/HD in children often involves medical, educational and behavioral interventions. This comprehensive approach to treatment is called multimodal and consists of parent and child education about diagnosis and treatment, specific behavior management techniques, medication, and appropriate school programming and supports. The severity and type of AD/HD may be factors in deciding which components are necessary. Treatment should be tailored to the unique needs of each child and family. Psychosocial treatment is a critical part of treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. The scientific literature, the National Institute of Mental Health and many professional organizations agree that behaviorally oriented psychosocial treatments--also called behavior therapy or behavior modification--and medication have a solid base of scientific evidence demonstrating their effectiveness. Behavior modification is the only nonmedical treatment for AD/HD with a large scientific evidence base. [18]
· You stated that the ONLY way to diagnose AD/HD is with an EEG or a Spectagram.
CHADD's Position: The science does not support this statement. There is no single test to diagnose AD/HD. Consequently, a comprehensive evaluation is necessary to establish a diagnosis, rule out other causes, and determine the presence or absence of co-existing conditions. Such an evaluation should include a clinical assessment of the individuals academic, social and emotional functioning and developmental level. A careful history should be taken from the parents, teachers and--when appropriate--the child. Checklists for rating AD/HD symptoms and ruling out other disabilities are often used by clinicians. [1]
· You also stated that neurofeedback (biofeedback) is an alternative to medication.
CHADD's Position: Complementary interventions are not alternatives to multimodal treatment, but have been found by some families to improve the treatment of AD/HD symptoms or related symptoms. Recent research suggests that the theory underlying EEG biofeedback treatment is consistent with what is known about differences in brain activity between individuals with and without AD/HD. [22,23,24] This treatment has been used for over 25 years [25] and there are many parents who report that it has been extremely helpful for their child. There have also been several published studies of neurofeedback treatment that have reported encouraging results. [26,27, 28, 29] It is important to emphasize, however, that although several studies of neurofeedback have yielded promising results, this treatment has not yet been tested in the rigorous manner that is required to make a clear conclusion about its effectiveness for AD/HD. [30] "The aforementioned studies can not be considered to have produced persuasive scientific evidence concerning the effectiveness of EEG biofeedback for AD/HD." [25] Controlled randomized trials are required before conclusions can be reached. [31]
For your consideration, I have included the link to our Web site(s) where a wealth of information on AD/HD can be found: [
www.chadd.org] or [
www.help4.adhd.org].
I also have attached our fact sheet on assessing complementary and controversial interventions [
www.chadd.org] and our document entitled AD/HD: Fact vs. Fiction. [
www.chadd.org]
Dr. Phil, you undoubtedly will continue receiving inquiries from families concerned about AD/HD. When you do, please refer them to CHADD. We have a toll free number (1-800-233-4050) where trained information specialists can respond to specific inquiries.
You have a responsibility to tell your viewers the truth. Unfortunately, you missed a key teaching opportunity. Next time, please do your homework. Respectfully submitted, E. Clarke Ross, D.P.A. Chief Executive Officer CHADD 8181 Professional Place, Suite 150 Landover, MD 20785 301-306-7070, extension 111
clarke_ross@chadd.org