Dr. John Rosemond - The Diseasing of Americas Children: Exposing the ADHD Fiasco and Empowering Parents to Take Back Control

Praise for The Diseasing of Americas Children

I havent met a four-year-old who doesnt have a short attention span and act hyper at times. With his commonsense approach, John Rosemond questions a culture that increasingly makes the leap from typical behavior to a diagnosed disease. He empowers parents to question whether children need to be controlled by medication or can be changed by more effective parenting.

E. D. Hill

Fox News Host and

Author, Im Not Your Friend, Im Your Parent

At last, a science-based compendium of rationales for a commonsense approach to child behavior. This excellent and well-referenced work should inform and guide every parent, educator, and health professional. For most children, helping them to mature mentally and emotionally while helping them to develop self-control is the key to producing a happy, healthy, and successful child. Psychotropic medications are often part of the problem, not the solution. John Rosemond and Dr. Ravenel are to be congratulated on a work that I will recommend to everyone.

Joseph R. Zanga, MD, FAAP, FCP

Joyner Distinguished Chair in Primary Care;

Past President, American Academy of Pediatrics; and

Past President, American College of Pediatricians,

Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University

Thoroughly researched and a great read, this book makes perfect sense. It will enlighten, liberate, and empower parents and professionals alike.

Dr. Kevin Leman

Author, Have a New Kid by Friday

In The Diseasing of Americas Children, John Rosemond and Dr. Bose Ravenel confront the historical and societal origins of the behavioral big three: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and early onset bipolar disorder (EOBD). In part 1, the authors reveal the pseudoscience behind the psychiatric labeling and drugging of Americas youth. In part 2, they provide fifteen commonsense solutions for difficulties arising from impaired self-control. Cowritten by two reformed professionals who boldly speak truth to power, this is a triumphant work that calls to mind the words of the late George Orwell: In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. May this book inspire other acts of a revolutionary nature in the effort to save the brains and souls of the nations children.

Grace E. Jackson, MD

Psychiatrist and Author, Rethinking Psychiatric Drugs

Rosemond and Ravenel offer insightful explanations for the exploding diagnosis of ADHD among American children. Their radically simple approach to correcting inattention and problem behavior makes this book a must-read for any parents persuaded to medicate their children.

Den A. Trumbull, MD

Vice President, American College of Pediatricians,

Gainesville, Florida

This book will be a bombshell in pediatrics and has dramatically revolutionized my approach to kids who present with the symptoms of ADHD.

C. Ellis Fisher, MD, FAAP

Pediatrician, Gastonia Childrens Clinic,

Gastonia, North Carolina

The Diseasing of Americas Children

2008 by John K. Rosemond and S. DuBose Ravenel

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rosemond, John K., 1947

The diseasing of Americas children : exposing the ADHD fiasco and empowering parents to take back control / John K. Rosemond and Bose Ravenel.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-7852-2886-8 (hardcover)

1. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder--United States. 2. Medical misconceptions. I. Ravenel, Bose.

II. Title.

RJ506.H9R666 2008

618.928589--dc22

2008023298

Printed in the United States of America

08 09 10 11 12 QW 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

John Rosemond dedicates this book to his son, Eric,
who got the ball rollin some thirty years ago.

Dr. Ravenel dedicates this book to the parents in his practice whohave trusted that there is a better way to correct learning and behaviorproblems than to rely on drugs, and whose feedback has been a sourceof continued learning, inspiration, and inestimable reward.

CONTENTS

JOHN ROSEMOND THANKS...

Steve Laube, the greatest literary agent a guy could ask for, for his support, encouragement, and Christian fellowship.

Pediatrician Dr. Ellis Fisher of Gastonia, North Carolina, for taking the time to review the manuscript and render invaluable suggestions, as well as for his inspiring Christian fellowship.

Dr. Bose, for taking so much time away from his private pediatrics practice to see this book through to completion, for his invaluable research, and for his uncanny ability to detect the absurd in what often passes for science.

Dr. Kevin Leman, for his friendship, support, and wonderful sense of humor.

My wife and best friend of forty years, Willie, with whom all things are possible.

DR. RAVENEL THANKS...

Dr. Edward B. Christopherson, psychologist and leading behavioral pediatrics expert, for igniting the spark during a 1991 mini fellowship.

Dr. Howie Glasser, who has further encouraged and inspired me through his Nurtured Heart approach to child behavior problems.

John Rosemond, for helping me discover the joys of being a rebel with a cause.

My understanding wife, Susan, for her support and encouragement, as well as her optimism and forbearance during the research and writing of this book.

TOGETHER, JOHN AND DR. BOSE THANK...

Dr. David B. (Dr. Dave) Stein, for his meticulous clinical research, his pioneering writing on the subject of ADHD, his inspiration, and his continued courage in the battle against psychological correctness.

Debbie Wickwire, Joey Paul, Jennifer Stair, and Jennifer Greenstein at Thomas Nelson for believing in our mission and for challenging us to write the best book possible.

WE PULL NO PUNCHES IN THIS BOOK. IN SOME CASES, WE NAME names. However, as much as we are critical of the statements and work of certain people, we truly believe that the individuals in question, named and unnamed, are convinced they are toiling in the best interest of Americas children. We are convinced that money is a driving force in the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) marketplace; however, it is not unethical to make money, and we are by no means accusing specific individuals of unethical professional conduct. But we do believe that certain individuals in what we call the ADHD Establishment are guilty of behavior that is not consistent with a scientific attitudespecifically, of making definitive statements based on flimsy evidence and even, in some cases, downright bad science.

Science depends on verifiable, objective evidence and experimental results that can be replicated by other scientists. Where ADHD is concerned, neither verifiable, objective evidence nor replicable experimental results exist to support the claims of the ADHD Establishment. We are convinced, therefore, that the science behind ADHD and the other child-hood behavior disorders it has birthed (primarily, oppositional defiant disorder and early onset bipolar disorder) is not science at all. At best, its very bad science, but we do not believe the people behind this bad science are bad people. Its important that the reader know this before beginning this book, because our pull-no-punches attitude could otherwise lead to wrong conclusions.