Title:  ADHD and Heart Problems
Producer: Emily Halevy
Feed: CWKN #385, May 14, 2008
Time: 1:39
SUGGESTED LEAD:  TWO POINT FIVE MILLION AMERICAN CHILDREN ARE ON STIMULANT MEDICATION FOR ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER … MEDICATION THAT ACCORDING TO THE
F-D-A COULD POTENTIALLY TRIGGER HEART PROBLEMS.  THAT’S WHY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION HAS A NEW RECOMMENDATION.  MORE ON TODAY’S CONNECT WITH KIDS REPORT.
<<PKG>>

NARR:  DEVIN TAKES ADDERALL BECAUSE SHE HAS ADHD.

SHE ALSO HAS A DEFECTIVE VALVE IN HER HEART. (:08)

SUPER: Devin Baird, 17 years old (:08)
“I don’t know if my heart condition is going to change, is it gonna get more serious.”

NARR:  HER MOTHER HAS THE SAME FEAR. (:02)

SUPER: Colleen Baird, Devin’s Mother (:15)
“I’ve lived with this all the time… wondering secretly what this medication was really doing to my child.” 

NARR: RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT CHILDREN ON STIMULANT MEDICATION ARE 20 PERCENT MORE LIKELY TO VISIT THE E-R FOR HEART-RELATED PROBLEMS THAN KIDS NOT ON THESE MEDICATIONS.

THAT’S WHY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION IS NOW RECOMMENDING EVERY CHILD HAVE AN E-K-G PRIOR TO TAKING STIMULANTS. (:17)

SUPER: Richard Winer, M.D., Psychiatrist (:39)
“The concern that there is the possibility of sudden cardiac death, although it’s not well established whether it’s related to the medication or not, but certainly those children who have a history of structural cardiac abnormalities should not be taking this medication.”

NARR:  EXPERTS ALSO SAY NOT ALL ADHD KIDS SHOULD BE TAKING MEDICINE. (:04)

SOT: Richard Winer, M.D., Psychiatrist (1:01)
“A child might be able to function at a decent level using non-pharmacologic approaches … but the odds are certainly much greater in favor of a child who actually does utilize medication as long as they’re physically able to do so.”

NARR:  DEVIN’S MOM SAYS IT’S A PAINFUL DILEMMA: THE MEDICINE HELPS HER DAUGHTER’S GRADES IN SCHOOL … BUT IT MAY ALSO BE DAMAGING HER HEART …

ON THE OTHER HAND … (:09)

SOT: Colleen Baird, Devin’s Mother (1:27)
“If she wasn’t on her medication, I’d also live with the other fears, the impulsivity – driving in a car, getting in an accident … doing something that is just as dangerous for her.

NARR: I’M COLLIN SIEDOR, FOR CONNECT WITH KIDS. (:03)

SUGGESTED TAG:  EXPERTS SAY, ANY CHILD ON STIMULANT MEDICATION SHOULD BE CAREFULLY MONITORED BY THEIR PEDIATRICIAN.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ADHD LOG ONTO WWW.CONNECTWITHKIDS.COM.