Harbinger
SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW P. 30
SMEHARBINGER.NET
ISSUE 12 | SHAWNEE MISSION EAST | PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS | MARCH 5, 2012
A MENTAL MISTAKE Debate over the misdiagnoses of ADD and ADHD amongst physicians affects patients more than they may know written by Alex Stonebarger East sophomore Lane Jacobson*, then nine, sat impatiently in his desk tapping his pencil against the metal armrest and ignoring a lecture over uppercase cursive letters. Two weeks later, due to this lack of interest in school, his teacher recommended he visit an ADHD Clinc. There, after interviews, he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and prescribed a low dose of Ritalin, a common drug used to increase stimulants in the brain.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
p. 5
news
SME to host districtwide StuCo Ball
p. 8
opinion
Over time, with no signs of improvement, a higher dose of Ritalin was prescribed and Jacobson’s grades and ability to pay attention dropped immensely. Six months after being diagnosed with ADHD, Lane was back in the clinic for reevaluation. He scored within the normal range on the Test of Variables of Attention test. Jacobson’s behavior, his parents were told, was a result of boredom and excess energy, not ADHD. “It was just hard to grasp,” Lane said. “First
Staffer explains his plan to live at home forever
they told me I had this disorder then they tell me it’s something I can control. For a 9-year-old, that’s tough.” The Center for Disease Control’s national survey of Children’s Health reported an 830 percent increase in children diagnosed with ADD or ADHD from 1985 to 2011. Children’s Mercy Officials say this extreme increase is debated to be a result of misdiagnoses.
p. 20 Review of Ward Parkway’s p. 29
a&e
new Marble Top Café
sports
continued on p. 12
A preview of Sporting KC’s upcoming season
p. 32
photo essay
Photos from last week’s baseball tryouts