According to autopsy reports, 4-year-old Rebecca Riley died from an overdose of psychiatric drugs. At age 2, Rebecca was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). At 3, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression. By the time she died on Dec. 13, 2006, little Rebecca was taking Clonidine, as well as the anti-convulsant Depakote and the anti-psychotic Seroquel.
What were some of the symptoms that prompted such treatment plans? As her mother described it, Rebecca was "constantly getting into things, running around, not being able to settle down."
Health & Wellness
MIAMI - From "Scarface" to "Miami Vice," Florida's drug problem has been portrayed as the story of a single narcotic: cocaine. But for Floridians, prescription drugs are increasingly a far more lethal habit.
An analysis of autopsies in 2007 released this week by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission found that the rate of deaths caused by prescription drugs was three times the rate of deaths caused by all illicit drugs combined.
An analysis of autopsies in 2007 released this week by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission found that the rate of deaths caused by prescription drugs was three times the rate of deaths caused by all illicit drugs combined.
Powerful anti-psychotic drugs designed for adults are being used to treat children, including those with learning difficulties.
The number of powerful psychiatric drugs prescribed to England's children has risen by more than half in four years, government figures have revealed.
GPs in England are handing out prescriptions for anti-psychotic drugs for children as young as seven at the rate of 250 a day, according to figures obtained by The Independent on Sunday.
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| Many drugs have not been proved safe for use on children |
The number of powerful psychiatric drugs prescribed to England's children has risen by more than half in four years, government figures have revealed.
GPs in England are handing out prescriptions for anti-psychotic drugs for children as young as seven at the rate of 250 a day, according to figures obtained by The Independent on Sunday.
Portland, Oregon - With the never-ending rise of health care costs, comes a never-ending debate over how to pay for it.
In Oregon, voters will decide Measure 50 this fall, which raises tobacco taxes to pay for the Healthy Kids Program. And no matter how that measure is decided, it's clear that in Oregon, as elsewhere, the healthcare system as a whole is not well.
In Oregon, voters will decide Measure 50 this fall, which raises tobacco taxes to pay for the Healthy Kids Program. And no matter how that measure is decided, it's clear that in Oregon, as elsewhere, the healthcare system as a whole is not well.
Taiwan has barred children aged under five from going to public play areas in a bid to contain the spread of a highly contagious virus that has killed seven so far this year, officials said Sunday.
Egyptian members of Parliament passed a new law that bans female circumcision. The new bill also changed the legal minimum age for marriage to 18 years-old for both genders.
The laws passed on Sunday impose jail time and large fines if caught practicing female circumcision. A maximum jail term of two years or a fine between $200 and $1,000 can be handed down by a judge.
The only means allowed for the process is in cases of "medical necessity." International rights groups welcomed the decision, saying it is a step in the right direction for Egypt.
The laws passed on Sunday impose jail time and large fines if caught practicing female circumcision. A maximum jail term of two years or a fine between $200 and $1,000 can be handed down by a judge.
The only means allowed for the process is in cases of "medical necessity." International rights groups welcomed the decision, saying it is a step in the right direction for Egypt.
High school students with a delayed school start time are more likely to take advantage of the extra time in bed, and less likely to report daytime sleepiness, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Monday at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).
The study, authored by Zaw W. Htwe, MD, of Norwalk Hospital's Sleep Disorders Center in Norwalk, Conn., focused on 259 high school students who completed the condensed School Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Prior to the delay, students reported sleeping a mean of 422 minutes (7.03 hours) per school night, with a mean bed-time of 10:52 p.m. and a mean wake-up time as 6:12 a.m.
The study, authored by Zaw W. Htwe, MD, of Norwalk Hospital's Sleep Disorders Center in Norwalk, Conn., focused on 259 high school students who completed the condensed School Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Prior to the delay, students reported sleeping a mean of 422 minutes (7.03 hours) per school night, with a mean bed-time of 10:52 p.m. and a mean wake-up time as 6:12 a.m.
Cyprus has the lowest suicide rate in Europe, where overall one EU citizen takes his or her own life every nine minutes.
Around 60,000 EU citizens take their own life each year. An EU citizen is ten times as likely to die by suicide than to die of HIV/AIDS.
In the EU, at least one child under 14 dies by suicide every 48 hours.
In 2006, approximately 20 young adults aged 15-29 committed suicide every day; among those aged 30-59, approximately 87 people died every day by suicide; and 56 people aged over 60 took their own lives every day.
Around 60,000 EU citizens take their own life each year. An EU citizen is ten times as likely to die by suicide than to die of HIV/AIDS.
In the EU, at least one child under 14 dies by suicide every 48 hours.
In 2006, approximately 20 young adults aged 15-29 committed suicide every day; among those aged 30-59, approximately 87 people died every day by suicide; and 56 people aged over 60 took their own lives every day.
NBC commentator Tim Russert was taking prescription medications when he suffered a heart attack and died yesterday at the age of 58. The mainstream media is reporting that Russert died from a "heart attack," but no press outlet has yet bothered to ask: "What caused the heart attack?"
Nearly 100,000 Americans are killed each year by FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, according to the American Medical Association. Virtually none of those deaths are accurately reported as being caused by pharmaceuticals. Instead, the media simply reports that the victim died of whatever biological malfunction was most noticeable at the time of death.
That's why Tim Russert was said to have died of a "heart attack" -- his failing heart was the most obvious and sudden organ failure, even though the biological tipping point that brought him to that moment of heart failure could have been caused by the very pharmaceuticals he was taking in an effort to "control" coronary artery disease.
Nearly 100,000 Americans are killed each year by FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, according to the American Medical Association. Virtually none of those deaths are accurately reported as being caused by pharmaceuticals. Instead, the media simply reports that the victim died of whatever biological malfunction was most noticeable at the time of death.
That's why Tim Russert was said to have died of a "heart attack" -- his failing heart was the most obvious and sudden organ failure, even though the biological tipping point that brought him to that moment of heart failure could have been caused by the very pharmaceuticals he was taking in an effort to "control" coronary artery disease.
I thought I had resigned myself to the relentless onslaught of porn infecting every aspect of life, from the skank-wear on the streets, to gratuitous nudity in advertising, to the sitcoms where gags about handcuffs, anal sex, and blow jobs make me want to, well, gag.
I used to think porn culture's driving ethos -- that women have no purpose but to titillate men -- would fade as the sexist old guys died out. In short, I was an optimist. Right until I was hit with Dove's cynical Campaign for Real Beauty and some American election commentary all in the same sick-making hour.
I used to think porn culture's driving ethos -- that women have no purpose but to titillate men -- would fade as the sexist old guys died out. In short, I was an optimist. Right until I was hit with Dove's cynical Campaign for Real Beauty and some American election commentary all in the same sick-making hour.
