Lindsay Lohan’s mother Dina is reported to be worried about her daughter’s use of the medicine Adderall.

The Mail quotes Dina as saying she fears for her daughter, “because when she’s drunk or takes an Adderall with it, she will do something like Heath Ledger did in a second without thinking”.

Adderall is a mixture of two kinds of “speed”, the cortical stimulants amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. It is used in the US mainly as a treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, in children and adults, and also for narcolepsy (sudden attacks of drowsiness).

In the past amphetamine was the active ingredient in Benzedrine, one of the early stimulant medicines, and dextroamphetamine is still marketed, on its own, as Dexedrine here in Britain. Millions of prescriptions for Adderall are issued every year in the US and it’s given in instant release and sustained release (”XR”) form.

Amphetamines have always been popular among entertainers because they enable a performer to be “on” when needed. If it’s true that Lindsay Lohan takes Adderall, then she’s probably taking it for adult ADHD, for which it is indicated.

However, as the data sheet for Adderall warns in block letters at the top: “Amphetamines have a high potential for abuse.” They cause a rapid lift in mood and, in high doses, elation but also of course, racing heart and even palpitations. The depressive crash after a lengthy amphetamine spree can be devastating. Then with prolonged use can come the dreaded amphetamine psychosis, which can involve terrifying paranoia and is virtually indistinguishable from schizophrenia.

Incidentally, the practice of medicating children with such powerful drugs is not without controversy. Consider the symptoms that a child needs to merit a diagnosis of ADHD and treatment with Adderall or something similar.

For the “inattentive type” of ADHD a child must display at least six of the following for six months or more: lack of attention to details/careless mistakes; lack of sustained attention; poor listener; failure to follow through on tasks; poor organisation; avoids tasks requiring sustained mental effort; loses things; easily distracted; forgetful.

For the “hyperactive-impulsive” type the child needs to have six of the following persistently: fidgeting/squirming; leaving seat; inappropriate running/climbing; difficulty with quiet activities; “on the go”; excessive talking; blurting answers; can’t wait turn; intrusive.

Now I’m not one of those people who automatically mistrusts medicines and “taking pills” but even I find myself wondering – what child doesn’t have plenty of those symptoms at any one time?

The makers of Adderall, Shire, say themselves that the effectiveness of the drug “has not been systematically evaluated” beyond three weeks in children and four weeks in adults. But how many ADHD patients only take it for such a short period? I can’t help thinking: what is wrong or missing in so many children’s lives that they need to take strong, habit-forming psychotropic drugs for symptoms that by themselves are considered normal?

“Attention Deficit”

Sounds like: Kanye West’s “Late Registration”

As a much-hyped newcomer to the rap game, a la Kid Cudi or Drake, Wale has some lofty expectations to meet with “Attention Deficit.” As a native of the much-overlooked Washington, D.C., hip-hop scene, he must represent an entire region’s spirit and energy. Add these pressures to the fact he just finished touring with Jay-Z, and it’s clear Wale has a lot to live up to.

Fortunately, this is as solid a debut album as you’ll find. With 14 tracks of bouncing, head-nodding hip-hop, it’s rich and refreshing to the ears in the wake of Jay-Z’s recent opus “The Blueprint 3.” Featuring radio-friendly pop collaborations with the likes of Pharrell, Lady Gaga and Gucci Mane, Wale ensures his commercial appeal, while simultaneously showcasing tight flows and his personal goal of taking hip-hop in a new direction.

Let’s get on with the familiar parts of the album first. By now, mostly everyone has heard the Lady Gaga-assisted “Chillin,” which enjoyed some commercial success in the summer. It’s a solid lead single and one that prepares us for the other pop efforts on “Attention Deficit.” “Pretty Girls,” featuring Atlanta’s bling-bling king Gucci Mane, is decent, despite sounding like a throwaway from Kanye West’s “Graduation” album.

“World Tour” proves enjoyable to the ears, anchored by a catchy piano riff and interpolating the hook of A Tribe Called Quest’s classic, “Award Tour.” Wale raps about the ups and downs of touring on the road for months. The final single, “Let It Loose,” with the falsetto croons of Pharrell Williams on the hook, is catchy and Wale raps well here, but it sounds like any Neptunes-produced track found on a Jay-Z album.

Fortunately, the rest of the album’s less-pop driven songs are exceptionally strong. Most of the subject matter deals with being a striving up-and-coming MC, the dire state of hip-hop and clever boasts about his rapping prowess – all of which are fresh and funny when reinforced by Wale’s confident yet sincerely lighthearted rapping style.

In the wake of Ohio State’s Nittany Lion pride destroying 24-7 victory, all those with scarlet & gray blood pumping through their veins (of the non-hospital admitted variety) have basically been squealing like tweens at a Jonas Brothers concert for the better part of the last 3 days. With the basketball Bucks also opening their season in grandiose fashion, looking ahead to Saturday in many ways feels like an exercise futility at this moment in time.

As if that wasn’t enough, Iowa didn’t exactly live up to their part of the bargain last weekend – no thanks to Ricky Stanzi’s ankle ligament. In a span of 72 hours, we’ve gone from talking about Iowa as potentially the 4th horse in the national title race, to taking Stanzi back behind the stables to see him off to the big track in the sky (and don’t think for a moment it isn’t getting awfully crowded in horsey heaven).

Rest assured, Saturday’s contest is still very much a de facto Big Ten Championship Game with an accompanying Rose Bowl bid up for grabs. And while certainly The Vest has never lost to a Kirk Ferentz coached team in the Shoe, there couldn’t be a worse time to take a visiting opponent for granted. The Buckeyes’ have yet to smell the sweetness that is the Rose Bowl in the Tressel era, and handing Iowa their second loss in as many weeks would make this a reality. Without further adieu, shifting Iowa week from 2nd gear on up to 3rd, we eyeball and discuss Ohio State’s projected starters for the contest.

In week’s past when joking about the relative uniformity of the purported depth charts to those from previous week’s, no matter what, there’d always be at least a single change or two of consequence/note. The Iowa depth chart wins the season award, depending on how you look at it, as either Jim Tressel’s most tactful, or his laziest of the ‘09 season. There’s not a SINGLE change in the November 9th depth chart from that of November 2nd. Not one. Given the way performance in Happy Valley, I’m not entirely complaining, but… Given the lack of material to work with, let’s at the very least put forth a little educated guess work towards what to expect from each of the units.

Against the Nittany Lions, the Monday depth chart would have us to expect Jim Cordle manning the left tackle, though after J.B. Shugarts went down, we saw an awful lot of Cordle on the right side with Andrew Miller back in at left tackle. None the less, given the depth chart, it’s expected Cordle will remain the guy as against the Hawkeyes. Even with Shugarts’ listing as starter seeming to ease some reservations about the health of his ankle, seeing some Miller and Marcus Hall in the mix too isn’t out of the question at all. The Ohio State o-line had arguably their best, most consistent performance of the season against PSU, even as the aforementioned injuries necessitated some on the fly shifting. Should the Bucks get 50% of the effort and execution they did from this group Saturday, Terrelle Pryor should have plenty of times to arm punt his way into DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher’s waiting arms repeatedly. And certainly one notable offensive lineman seems to have his head in the right place going into this one.

Behind that steadfast line, the Ohio State running game quietly shredded a previously held in high regards defense to tune of 4.7 yards a carry (admittedly with a half dozen Pryor scrambles and wide out end arounds in the mix). Boom and Zoom were both solid but unspectacular, while Jordan Hall made his case on limited carries. The one really enjoyable stat from Saturday to keep in mind going into this weekend: every Buckeye that received the ball on a hand off or lateral had a minimum longest gain on the afternoon of 12 yards or longer, sans Dane Sanzenbacher. With Saine, Herron, and Hall all having the full confidence of the staff, expect them to get their fair share of touches against Iowa. Though it probably bears keeping a close eye on things given the sudden unpredictability of the offensive staff towards getting others in the mix, Ray Small or Flash Thomas seeing their names called on end arounds is probably well within the realm of possibilities as well.

With no Jewel Hampton and no reliable signal caller under center, Ohio State’s vaunted defensive line has to be licking their chops, even with a worthy advisory just on the horizon. Iowa’s offensive line of Bryan Bulaga, Riley Reiff, Rafael Eubanks, Julian Vandervelde, and Kyle Calloway will be the best the Bucks have encountered since the SC game. Though on the flip side, it’s equally likely that this will be the most talented (and deepest) d-line that unit will have run into all season. After playing but a flew fleeting snaps as he continued recovering from injury against the Nittany Lions (and not being listed on last week’s depth chart either), it seems probable that Dexter Larimore will continue to be ushered along slowly with a potential target on the Michigan game for a full return to action.

On the subject of returns, despite dropping two from memory probable INTs, Anderson Russell put together a praiseworthy afternoon of football, while Jermale Hines continued to see plenty of action anyways back in the “Star” linebacker/d-back combination position he’d operated in primarily prior to jumping Anderson in the pecking chart. Having both playing good football this time of the year is about as much as one could act for his team’s free safeties. Extra credit goes to Chimdi Chekwa as well, for a gritty, physical performance against the Lions all afternoon. It felt like Chekwa was all over on both sides of the field all day, and even in instances where his man got the better of him, #5 managed to show great off the ball recovery speed and often found himself in on the tackle or in the mix for a potential hit.

Last but not least, Devin Barclay managed to fill the Aaron Pettrey gap in the best humanly way possible: by making us all not even particularly notice the difference at all. Barclay was true from 37 on his only field goal attempt of the afternoon, and also netted 3 extra points and several respectable kickoffs during the course of the game. Jon Thoma was steady, though far from stellar yet again. I can’t say I’ve felt as though Ohio State’s significantly suffered from Thoma’s work all season, though a sub-38 yard per kick average is definitely not what we’d become accustomed to with A.J. Trapasso and Kyle Turano prior. Thoma has two more regular season games as a Buckeye; here’s hoping he makes them count.

About 2 million children in the United States have Attention Deficit Disorder. For many kids, a diagnosis leads to prescription meds, but how much is too much?

Rebecca Lopez seems like a happy, active kid, but even she knows her energy level can get out of hand.

Two years ago, Rebecca’s teachers told her mom they suspected A.D.D.

“I thought maybe she would grow out of it. It was a stage, anything but that,” says Christina Lopez, Rebecca’s mom.

Medication that was supposed to help did just the opposite.

“She was so medicated for so long she went from one extreme to another,” says Christina.

Child psychiatrist Martin Irwin of the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans says at least a quarter of the kids he sees are over-medicated.

“We see kids on four to five medicines with four or five different diagnoses or labels,” he says.

His mission is to get kids off unnecessary drugs. A.D.D. medications can have side effects like tremors, headaches, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart palpitations and more.

Eight-year-old Nigel Wilson’s meds were causing panic attacks and weight loss.

“He was on a medicine that’s closely related to Ritalin at 40 milligrams. Now, he’s on Ritalin at 2 and a half milligrams, twice a day,” says Dr. Irwin.

After one month, there were big changes.

“I don’t get out of my seat anymore,” says Nigel.

Dr. Irwin says many kids can reduce the amount and number of meds they take. Natural remedies like a healthy diet, exercise and therapy sessions can help keep them calm.

Dr. Irwin cut Rebecca’s A.D.D. meds by more than 70%. Now, she’s happy and energetic…

Dr. Irwin believes his “Get Kids Off Medications” clinic in New Orleans may be the first program of its kind in the U.S. It’s dedicated to tapering off or discontinuing drugs for kids on three or more psychiatric medications.

GETTING KIDS OFF MEDS REPORT #1623 ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER: ADD is a neurological disorder causing problems with attention span, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors. ADD affects between 8 and 12 percent of children and 4 percent of adults globally, according to a 2009 article published on Web MD. Often times, it is first diagnosed in children and stays with them through their adult years. There is no cure for ADD, but medications, therapy and counseling may significantly improve a patient’s symptoms. Although initial diagnosis is often scary, parents should not stress out. Most children with ADD are very capable of growing into successful, social and active adults. There is no one known cause for ADD. Brain scans reveal a different brain structure in these patients. According to the Mayo Clinic, patients typically have less activity in the area of the brain which controls attention and activity. Heredity does play a partial role; 25 percent of children with ADD also have a relative with the disorder. Mothers-to-be who smoke or use drugs increase their baby’s odds of developing ADD. Young children exposed to toxins are also at a higher risk. Signs and symptoms may vary upon severity. Two key characteristics of the disorder are inability to pay attention and hyperactive behavior. Patients tend to lean towards one trait more than the other, but often possess both. Signals of inattentive behavior include not paying attention to details, having trouble staying focused, having a hard time listening in a conversation, difficulty following instructions, limited organization and a forgetful memory. Characteristics signaling hyperactive behavior include fidgeting, an inability to stay seated, playing loudly, talking a lot, interrupting others and being very anxious, according to the Mayo Clinic. ADD MEDICATIONS: The most common drugs used to treat ADD are methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Daytrana), dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall), and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), according to the Mayo Clinic. In an article published by Web MD, a study suggests that adolescents treated with Ritalin have increased their odds for sudden cardiac death. According to the article, the FDA does not want to change the way the drugs are used, claiming the study had major limitations. Some medicines are short-term, lasting around four hours, while others last between six and 12. Stimulant medications have side effects including decreased appetite, weight loss, sleeping problems, and irritability as the medicine wears off. ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES: Behavioral therapy can improve a child’s schoolwork and social skills. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer parenting tips for kids with the disorder. They say make a schedule with set wake-up and bedtimes. Be organized and create specific spots for key things such as backpacks. During homework time, get rid of distractions like the television or radio. Limit choices to two options. This prevents overwhelming decisions between foods, clothes, restaurants, stores, etc. The Mayo Clinic also recommends showing children plenty of affection, being patient and keeping others’ feelings in perspective. For More Information, Contact: Leslie Capo Director of Information Services LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, LA Lcapo@lsuhsc.edu