8% OF MLB PLAYERS USING ADHD MEDS

What do you mean by “otherwise banned”?

Has struggled with ADHD his whole career. I remember hearing about how sometimes at the plate or at first base his mind just starts to wander and he misses plays because he can’t pay attention.

For players who really do have this condition, they actually need their medication in order to play.

LInky

I can confess that I would be afraid for the lives of others on the road if I didn’t take my medication.

The fact that ADHD is showing up in professional athletes is no surprise.

did a very interesting story on Scott Eyre a couple of years ago. Part of the story was Scott being diagnosed with ADD and how the medication has helped him to overcome his illness to be a successful MLB pitcher.

… i take issue with this all.

First, let me start by not casting any opinion pro or anti meds, the supposed over diagnosis of ADD/HD, and the myriad of societal issues surrounding all of this.

I know a thing or two about kids and ADD/HD. I’ve spent the better part of the last two decades working with kids and I know rather intimately about this situation.

My first question is the statistic

that 3-5% of children are believed to suffer from ADHD

. First issue is the use of the term ADHD. Is this also including ADD. ADD and ADHD are different diagnosis. ADD = Attention Deficit Disorder. ADHD = Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. When referring to both diagnosis at the same time, ADD/HD is used. So is the belief that 3-5% suffer from ADHD or ADDHD? The two are different however both often call for the use of similar meds.

Second issue is the “believed to suffer” part. Is this the number who are diagnosed or is this extrapolated to represent the country as a whole. Individuals in higher socioeconomic classes have greater access to health care and due to other factors are much more likely have their ADD/HD diagnosed. I’d certainly say that baseball players are in this socioeconomic and certainly have the access to health care.

Along with this, you need to consider a very important factor… males vs females. Again, I take issue with the 3-5% and clarification is needed. However, whatever the percentage is of youth with ADD/HD, the vast majority of that 3-5% are males. Yes, males and females both have ADD/HD. Females with ADD/HD are far less likely to have their ADD/HD diagnosed because their ADD/HD takes a very different form. Females tend to display internal behavior issues while males display external issues. These external issues are far more disruptive to those around them (family, friends, classroom). This is not to say that there aren’t as many females with ADD/HD as there are males. It is to say that males w/ ADD/HD are much more likely to have their ADD/HD diagnosed. Last time I checked MLB is still without female players.

As I said, I work with kids and I do so in a residential setting, therefor we see the number of meds coming in. Far more than 3-5% of the population we deal with come with ADD/HD meds (and many are taken off their meds during their time with us).

I read this article yesterday and the lack of research and real knowledge behind it was disturbing to me.

I know people who have faked it to get prescribed adderall for better focus and better performance.

I’ve heard that 3-5% for kids (mine fall into that category) and with that I was tested, twice. Guess what? Me too. But back in the 60’s a kid that wouldn’t sit still like me just got a paddling.

I’ve tried numerous things with my kids in an effort to not take meds. I didn’t want to drug my kids; me??? That’s fine, them no, however…. They’ve tried all kinds of things, we’ve had brain scans, tested them for sleep apnia and allergies even went through therapy at the family level. Nothing works except for the meds. And the only meds we use now are Focalin XR. We never tried Ritalin given all the stories. Adderal, Strattera, Concerta… they all had profound affects on their appetites and other behavioural episodes.

Now my kids and me all take Focalin XR. And the difference is utterly amazing.

My older kid and me have ADHD, my younger ADD. So at least for our family the difference between the “H” and without the “H” isn’t all that much.

I can only wish I had this stuff when I was in school. This explains a very lot to me and what I remember about my youth 30-40 years ago.

about studying for finals that he recently took. A floor mate of his gave him some Adderal. Once he took it, he studied for a little bit and tried to go to sleep. He couldn’t. He layed there for 15 minutes wide awake. So he studied some more. For many hours without stop. Then he played Tetris. For 4 hours straight. He said time flew by and he doesn’t remember all of it. He said he was zoned in the entire time. I can definitely see how that can be beneficial to a baseball player.

Oh and he didn’t sleep. Went all the way throught the night studying and playing Tetris.

As a teacher, I can see clearly as night and day within minutes if certain students of mine are “OTM” (off the meds). One of my students with ADD told me this joke:

Q: How many kids with ADD does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A: “…Let’s go ride bikes!”

Hypothetical: What if a player suffered from a pituitary gland disorder and a doctor prescribed HGH to treat it. Same exclusion?