prescriptions for ` chemical cosh ' drugs to treat hyperactivity have risen almost nine-fold , with claims that children as young as three are taking them . the number of drugs prescriptions to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has leapt from 92,100 in 1997 to 786,400 last year , say nhs figures . it is feared that youngsters are being given them instead of more expensive counselling and other treatments . some parents are also believed to be pressurising gps for drugs to help boost performance at school . epidemic : ritalin is now being prescribed to young children as parents worry about their behaviour in school . psychologists yesterday demanded tougher regulations and a significant reduction in the prescription of psychotropic drugs , including ritalin . a handwritten note delivered to the pilots by a plane passenger thanking them for ` taking her home safely ' has gone viral , just a week after the germanwings tragedy that claimed 150 lives . a screenshot of the letter was shared on twitter , and in a matter of minutes amassed more than 2,000 shares . the heartfelt message was posted by airline pilot jai dillon , who was shown the a4 by a colleague in the industry . a heartfelt letter left by passenger ` bethanie ' to the pilot who ` got her home safely , ' has been shared on twitter . he wrote on twitter : ' a letter given to a colleague from a passenger onboard his aircraft . . providing proof that we 're all in this together , ' alongside the touching note . -lrb- rollingstone.com -rrb- -- patti smith won the 2010 national book award in the nonfiction category for her memoir `` just kids . '' `` i dreamed of having a book of my own , of writing one that i could put on a shelf , '' the singer said when accepting the award in new york wednesday night . `` please , no matter how we advance technologically , please do n't abandon the book . there is nothing in our material world more beautiful than the book . '' the rolling stone interview : patti smith , 1996 . in it , a passenger known only as ` bethanie ' writes how , in light of the recent alps plane crash , she feels the need to ` reach out ' and ` extend a compassionate hand . ' the woman thanks the pilot and the airline , which is not mentioned , for ` allowing her ' to live her life in spain , while splitting the time with family in england too . there was an outpouring of emotion on twitter after the letter was posted by pilot jai dillon . the terrible scene of the germanwings plane crash in the french alps , where pilot andreas lubitz deliberately crashed the plane . she writes that she hopes the letter can create ' a ripple effect and spread some compassion and understanding , ' among those who have such responsibilities . she signs off by saying : ` you 're making a massive difference and you 're the reason i can smile tonight . ` take care and spread love . ' the photo currently has over 3,700 shares and has been favourited almost 3,000 times . health guidelines say they should not be given to children under six . symptoms of adhd include an inability to concentrate and restless or impulsive behaviour . experts claim that cuts in funding for recommended treatment , including counselling , are leading to increased prescriptions . the british psychological society 's division of educational and child psychology yesterday held a one-day summit in manchester to discuss rising concerns about the ` medicalisation of childhood ' . ritalin -- or methylphenidate hydrochloride -- is among a number of so-called ` chemical coshes ' used to treat adhd . it can cause nausea , fatigue and mood swings and has been linked to suicides . medication : there are fears that doctors are prescribing drugs because they are easier than other treatments . `` just kids '' recounts smith 's relationship with the late photographer robert mapplethorpe in the late sixties and early seventies , and includes retellings of her encounters with jimi hendrix , janis joplin , william burroughs , the andy warhol crowd and other luminaries of the era . smith and mapplethorpe met in 1967 , when both were 20 , and lived together for five years , first as lovers and later platonically . during these years , the two spurred each other to new adventures in their respective fields : he as a photographer , she as a poet and later as a songwriter and musician . national guidelines in england and wales say children with adhd should receive ` comprehensive ' treatment , including psychological , behavioural and educational help . but vivian hill , chairman of the bps 's medicalisation of childhood working group , said that this did not always happen . ` budgets have been cut and psychiatrists feel they ca n't follow the official guidelines , which recommend therapy before drugs . photos : random notes . `` just kids , '' smith 's first memoir -lrb- she has issued several books of poetry , -rrb- received rapturous reviews upon its release in january . national book award winners get a check for $ 10,000 and a bronze statue , but more importantly , prestige -lrb- and a sales boost -rrb- . past winners include william faulkner , saul bellow , wallace stevens , ralph ellison , w.h. auden , joan didion , gore vidal and philip roth . the other finalists in the non-fiction category this year : barbara demick , with `` nothing to envy : ordinary lives in north korea '' ; john w. dower , `` cultures of war : pearl harbor , hiroshima , 9-11 , iraq '' ; justin spring , `` secret historian : the life and times of samuel steward '' ; and megan k. stack , `` every man in this village is a liar : an education in war . '' ` often , the first response now is to issue drugs , not offer therapeutic help . ' sbe estimates ` hundreds ' of children under six , some as young as three , are being given drugs , which might have little impact without other therapy . a study last year by the association of educational psychologists found more than 100 children under six on ritalin in the west midlands -- a trend ` reaffirmed ' nationwide . a spokesman for the national institute for health and care excellence , which advises the nhs on treatment , said drugs have a role to play , but psychotherapy is central to managing adhd . he added : ` these drugs are not recommended as first-line treatments for young people with mild or moderate adhd . they are recommended as first-line therapy for school-age children and young people with severe adhd . ' barbara sahakian , a professor of clinical neuropsychology at cambridge university , said last night : ` i have had psychiatrists tell me that sometimes they do n't feel that the child is sufficiently severe -lsb- enough -rsb- for requiring a drug treatment and they think psychological treatment might be sufficient . ` but the parents are quite keen they should have a drug . parents know these drugs are cognitive enhancing , so i guess they 're trying to get an advantage for the child . ' patti smith wins national book award for memoir -lsb- new york times -rsb- . copyright © 2011 rolling stone . mr dillon did take to twitter to say that he was not able to reveal the airline or flight number due to security reasons . the role of the pilot was praised by many on twitter following the letter being posted . cheshire-based mr dillon said he happy to share the ` positive message , ' according to the evening standard . investigations are continuing in the events of that fateful day last week over the french alps . german prosecutors said andreas lubitz , 27 , who they believe deliberately caused the crash , had therapy for suicidal tendencies some time before getting his pilot 's licence . the sharing of the letter led to thousands of shares and ` favourites ' on twitter . and he was being treated by a psychotherapist , dusseldorf prosecutor 's office spokesman christoph kumpa said . cockpit voice recorder evidence has indicated that lubitz deliberately put the airbus a320 into a descent after locking out the captain . all 150 people on board , including three britons , were killed in the crash last tuesday .
nearly 800,000 children were given adhd medication last year , says the nhs . doctors are prescribing drugs instead of more expensive treatments .
prescriptions for ` chemical cosh ' drugs to treat hyperactivity have risen almost nine-fold , with claims that children as young as three are taking them . the number of drugs prescriptions to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has leapt from 92,100 in 1997 to 786,400 last year , say nhs figures . it is feared that youngsters are being given them instead of more expensive counselling and other treatments . some parents are also believed to be pressurising gps for drugs to help boost performance at school . epidemic : ritalin is now being prescribed to young children as parents worry about their behaviour in school . psychologists yesterday demanded tougher regulations and a significant reduction in the prescription of psychotropic drugs , including ritalin . a handwritten note delivered to the pilots by a plane passenger thanking them for ` taking her home safely ' has gone viral , just a week after the germanwings tragedy that claimed 150 lives . a screenshot of the letter was shared on twitter , and in a matter of minutes amassed more than 2,000 shares . the heartfelt message was posted by airline pilot jai dillon , who was shown the a4 by a colleague in the industry . a heartfelt letter left by passenger ` bethanie ' to the pilot who ` got her home safely , ' has been shared on twitter . he wrote on twitter : ' a letter given to a colleague from a passenger onboard his aircraft . . providing proof such responsibilities . she signs off by saying : ` you 're making a massive difference and you 're the reason i can smile tonight . ` take care and spread love . ' the photo currently has over 3,700 shares and has been favourited almost 3,000 times . health guidelines say they should not be given to children under six . symptoms of adhd include an inability to concentrate and restless or impulsive behaviour . experts claim that cuts in funding for recommended treatment , including counselling , are leading to increased prescriptions . the british psychological society 's division of educational and child psychology yesterday held a one-day summit in manchester to discuss rising concerns about the ` medicalisation of childhood ' . ritalin -- or methylphenidate hydrochloride -- is among a number of so-called ` chemical coshes ' used to treat adhd . it can cause nausea , fatigue and mood swings and has been linked to suicides . medication : there are fears that doctors are prescribing drugs because they are easier than other treatments . `` just kids '' recounts smith 's relationship with the late photographer robert mapplethorpe in the late sixties and early seventies , and includes retellings of her encounters with jimi hendrix , janis joplin , william burroughs , the andy warhol crowd and other luminaries of the era . smith and mapplethorpe met in 1967 , when both were 20 , and lived together for five years , first as lovers and later platonically . during these years , the two spurred each other to new adventures in their respective fields : he as a photographer , she as a poet and later as a songwriter and musician . national guidelines in england and wales say children with adhd should receive ` comprehensive ' treatment , including psychological , behavioural and educational help . but vivian hill , chairman of the bps 's medicalisation of childhood working group , said that this did not always happen . ` budgets have been cut and psychiatrists feel they ca n't follow the official guidelines , which recommend therapy before drugs . photos : random notes . `` just kids , '' smith 's first memoir -lrb- she has issued several books of poetry , -rrb- received rapturous reviews upon its release in january . national book award winners get a check for $ 10,000 and a bronze statue , but more importantly , prestige -lrb- and a sales boost -rrb- . past winners include william faulkner , saul bellow , wallace stevens , ralph ellison , w.h. auden , joan didion , gore vidal and philip roth . the other finalists in the non-fiction category this year : barbara demick , with `` nothing to envy : ordinary lives in north korea '' ; john w. dower , `` cultures of war : pearl harbor , hiroshima , 9-11 , iraq '' ; justin spring , `` secret historian : the life and times of samuel steward '' ; and megan k. stack , `` every man in this village is a liar : an education in war . '' ` often , the first response now is to issue drugs , not offer therapeutic help . ' sbe estimates ` hundreds ' of children under six , some as young as three , are being given drugs , which might have little impact without other therapy . a study last year by the association of educational psychologists found more than 100 children under six on ritalin in the west midlands -- a trend ` reaffirmed ' nationwide . a spokesman for the national institute for health and care excellence , which advises the nhs on treatment , said drugs have a role to play , but psychotherapy is central to managing adhd . he added : ` these drugs are not recommended as first-line treatments for young people with mild or moderate adhd . they are recommended as first-line therapy for school-age children and young people with severe adhd . ' barbara sahakian , a professor of clinical neuropsychology at cambridge university , said last night : ` i have had psychiatrists tell me that sometimes they do n't feel that the child is sufficiently severe -lsb- enough -rsb- for requiring a drug treatment and they think psychological treatment might be sufficient . ` but the parents are quite keen they should have a drug . parents know these drugs are cognitive enhancing , so i guess they 're trying to get an advantage for the child . '
prescriptions for ` chemical cosh ' drugs to treat hyperactivity have risen almost nine-fold , with claims that children as young as three are taking them . the number of drugs prescriptions to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has leapt from 92,100 in 1997 to 786,400 last year , say nhs figures . it is feared that youngsters are being given them instead of more expensive counselling and other treatments . some parents are also believed to be pressurising gps for drugs to help boost performance at school . epidemic : ritalin is now being prescribed to young children as parents worry about their behaviour in school . psychologists yesterday demanded tougher regulations and a significant reduction in the prescription of psychotropic drugs , including ritalin . a handwritten note delivered to the pilots by a plane passenger thanking them for ` taking her home safely ' has gone viral , just a week after the germanwings tragedy that claimed 150 lives . a screenshot of the letter was shared on twitter , and in a matter of minutes amassed more than 2,000 shares . the heartfelt message was posted by airline pilot jai dillon , who was shown the a4 by a colleague in the industry . a heartfelt letter left by passenger ` bethanie ' to the pilot who ` got her home safely , ' has been shared on twitter . he wrote on twitter : ' a letter given to a colleague from a passenger onboard his aircraft . . providing proof such responsibilities . she signs off by saying : ` you 're making a massive difference and you 're the reason i can smile tonight . ` take care and spread love . ' the photo currently has over 3,700 shares and has been favourited almost 3,000 times . health guidelines say they should not be given to children under six . symptoms of adhd include an inability to concentrate and restless or impulsive behaviour . experts claim that cuts in funding for recommended treatment , including counselling , are leading to increased prescriptions . the british psychological society 's division of educational and child psychology yesterday held a one-day summit in manchester to discuss rising concerns about the ` medicalisation of childhood ' . ritalin -- or methylphenidate hydrochloride -- is among a number of so-called ` chemical coshes ' used to treat adhd . it can cause nausea , fatigue and mood swings and has been linked to suicides . medication : there are fears that doctors are prescribing drugs because they are easier than other treatments . `` just kids '' recounts smith 's relationship with the late photographer robert mapplethorpe in the late sixties and early seventies , and includes retellings of her encounters with jimi hendrix , janis joplin , william burroughs , the andy warhol crowd and other luminaries of the era . smith and mapplethorpe met in 1967 , when both were 20 , and lived together for five years , first as lovers and later platonically . during these years , the two spurred each other to new adventures in their respective fields : he as a photographer , she as a poet and later as a songwriter and musician . national guidelines in england and wales say children with adhd should receive ` comprehensive ' treatment , including psychological , behavioural and educational help . but vivian hill , chairman of the bps 's medicalisation of childhood working group , said that this did not always happen . ` budgets have been cut and psychiatrists feel they ca n't follow the official guidelines , which recommend therapy before drugs . photos : random notes . `` just kids , '' smith 's first memoir -lrb- she has issued several books of poetry , -rrb- received `` every man in this village is a liar : an education in war . '' ` often , the first response now is to issue drugs , not offer therapeutic help . ' sbe estimates ` hundreds ' of children under six , some as young as three , are being given drugs , which might have little impact without other therapy . a study last year by the association of educational psychologists found more than 100 children under six on ritalin in the west midlands -- a trend ` reaffirmed ' nationwide . a spokesman for the national institute for health and care excellence , which advises the nhs on treatment , said drugs have a role to play , but psychotherapy is central to managing adhd . he added : ` these drugs are not recommended as first-line treatments for young people with mild or moderate adhd . they are recommended as first-line therapy for school-age children and young people with severe adhd . ' barbara sahakian , a professor of clinical neuropsychology at cambridge university , said last night : ` i have had psychiatrists tell me that sometimes they do n't feel that the child is sufficiently severe -lsb- enough -rsb- for requiring a drug treatment and they think psychological treatment might be sufficient . ` but the parents are quite keen they should have a drug . parents know these drugs are cognitive enhancing , so i guess they 're trying to get an advantage for the child . ' . the sharing of the letter led to thousands of shares and ` favourites ' on twitter . and he was being treated by a psychotherapist , dusseldorf prosecutor 's office spokesman christoph kumpa said . cockpit voice recorder evidence has indicated that lubitz deliberately put the airbus a320 into a descent after locking out the captain . all 150 people on board , including three britons , were killed in the crash last tuesday .
prescriptions ` chemical cosh ' drugs to hyperactivity have risen almost nine, with claims children as. the number drugs prescriptions to treat has leapt 92,100 1997 786,400, say nhs figures. it feared youngsters given them instead more expensive counselling other treatments. some parents also believed pressurising gps drugs help boost performance at. epidemic : ritalin now being parents worry their behaviour. psychologists yesterday demanded tougher regulations and a significant reduction the prescription, including a handwritten note delivered the pilots by a plane passenger thanking ` taking her home safely ' has gone, just the germanwings tragedy that claimed a screenshot the letter was shared twitter, in a matter amassed the heartfelt message was posted airline pilot jai dillon, shown the a4 by a colleague the industry. a heartfelt letter left passenger ` bethanie ' the pilot ` got her home, ' has shared twitter. he wrote on twitter : ' a letter given a colleague a passenger onboard his aircraft. . providing proof we 're all, ' alongside the touching note. -lrb- rollingstone.com -- patti smith won the 2010 national book award in `` just kids. '' `` i dreamed having a book, of writing one that i put, the singer when accepting new york wednesday. `` please, no matter we advance technologically please n't abandon the book. there our material world more beautiful the book. '' the rolling stone interview : patti smith, 1996. in it, a passenger known ` bethanie writes how, light the recent alps plane crash feels ` reach extend a compassionate hand. ' the woman thanks the pilot the airline, which not mentioned, ` allowing ' live spain while splitting with family england too there an outpouring emotion twitter after the letter pilot jai dillon. the terrible scene the germanwings plane crash the french alps, pilot andreas lubitz deliberately. she writes hopes the letter can create ' a ripple effect and spread some compassion, among such responsibilities she signs by : ` you 're making a massive difference and the reason i can smile tonight. ` take care and spread love. ' the photo currently favourited almost. health guidelines say they given. symptoms adhd include concentrate restless or. experts claim cuts funding recommended treatment, including counselling leading increased prescriptions. the british psychological society 's division educational and child psychology yesterday held manchester rising concerns the ` medicalisation childhood ' ritalin -- or methylphenidate among so-called ` chemical coshes used adhd. it can cause nausea, fatigue mood swings and has suicides medication : there fears doctors prescribing because easier than. `` just kids '' recounts smith 's relationship the late photographer robert mapplethorpe in, includes retellings her encounters jimi hendrix janis joplin william burroughs the andy warhol crowd smith and met 1967, when both 20, lived, first lovers platonically during these years, two spurred each new adventures : he as a photographer later and musician national guidelines in england and wales say children with adhd should receive ` comprehensive ' treatment, including psychological, behavioural and educational help but vivian hill, chairman the bps 's medicalisation of childhood working group this did always. ` budgets have and psychiatrists feel ca n't follow the official guidelines, which recommend therapy before drugs. photos : random notes. `` just kids, '' smith 's first memoir -lrb- she has issued of, -rrb- received upon january. national book award winners get a check 10,000 and a bronze statue, but more, prestige -lrb- and a sales boost. past winners include william faulkner, saul bellow wallace stevens ralph ellison w.h. auden joan didion gore vidal philip roth the other finalists this : barbara demick with `` nothing envy : ordinary lives north korea '' ; john w. dower, `` cultures war : pearl harbor hiroshima 9 iraq '' ; justin spring secret historian : the life samuel steward '' megan k. stack, `` every man in this village : an education in war. '' ` often, the first response now issue drugs, not offer therapeutic help ' sbe estimates ` hundreds ' children under, some as given drugs, which might little impact without other therapy a study last the association educational psychologists found more than 100 children under on ritalin in the west midlands -- a trend ` reaffirmed ' nationwide. a spokesman the national institute health and care excellence, advises the nhs on treatment, drugs have, psychotherapy central managing adhd. he added : ` these drugs recommended young people mild or moderate adhd. they recommended first-line therapy severe adhd. ' barbara sahakian, a professor cambridge university last : ` i had psychiatrists sometimes n't feel the child sufficiently severe -lsb- enough for requiring a drug treatment think psychological treatment sufficient. ` but the parents quite keen they a drug. parents know these drugs cognitive enhancing, so i 're trying an advantage for. ' patti smith wins national book award memoir -lsb- new york times -rsb-. copyright © 2011 rolling stone. mr dillon did take to able reveal the airline or due. the role the pilot was praised many on twitter following the letter being posted. cheshire-based mr dillon said happy share the ` positive message, according the evening standard. investigations are the events last over the french alps. german prosecutors andreas lubitz, 27 they deliberately caused had therapy suicidal tendencies some getting his pilot 's licence the sharing the letter led thousands shares ` favourites twitter. and he being treated, dusseldorf prosecutor 's office spokesman christoph kumpa. cockpit voice recorder evidence has indicated lubitz deliberately put the airbus a320 a descent after locking out the captain. all 150 people, three britons last tuesday
prescriptions for ` chemical cosh ' drugs to treat hyperactivity have risen almost nine-fold , with claims that children as young as three are taking them . the number of drugs prescriptions to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has leapt from 92,100 in 1997 to 786,400 last year , say nhs figures . it is feared that youngsters are being given them instead of more expensive counselling and other treatments . some parents are also believed to be pressurising gps for drugs to help boost performance at school . epidemic : ritalin is now being prescribed to young children as parents worry about their behaviour in school . psychologists yesterday demanded tougher regulations and a significant reduction in the prescription of psychotropic drugs , including ritalin . a handwritten note delivered to the pilots by a plane passenger thanking them for ` taking her home safely ' has gone viral , just a week after the germanwings tragedy that claimed 150 lives . a screenshot of the letter was shared on twitter , and in a matter of minutes amassed more than 2,000 shares . the heartfelt message was posted by airline pilot jai dillon , who was shown the a4 by a colleague in the industry . a heartfelt letter left by passenger ` bethanie ' to the pilot who ` got her home safely , ' has been shared on twitter . he wrote on twitter : ' a letter given to a colleague from a passenger onboard his aircraft . . providing proof such responsibilities . she signs off by saying : ` you 're making a massive difference and you 're the reason i can smile tonight . ` take care and spread love . ' the photo currently has over 3,700 shares and has been favourited almost 3,000 times . health guidelines say they should not be given to children under six . symptoms of adhd include an inability to concentrate and restless or impulsive behaviour . experts claim that cuts in funding for recommended treatment , including counselling , are leading to increased prescriptions . the british psychological society 's division of educational and child psychology yesterday held a one-day summit in manchester to discuss rising concerns about the ` medicalisation of childhood ' . ritalin -- or methylphenidate hydrochloride -- is among a number of so-called ` chemical coshes ' used to treat adhd . it can cause nausea , fatigue and mood swings and has been linked to suicides . medication : there are fears that doctors are prescribing drugs because they are easier than other treatments . `` just kids '' recounts smith 's relationship with the late photographer robert mapplethorpe in the late sixties and early seventies , and includes retellings of her encounters with jimi hendrix , janis joplin , william burroughs , the andy warhol crowd and other luminaries of the era . smith and mapplethorpe met in 1967 , when both were 20 , and lived together for five years , first as lovers and later platonically . during these years , the two spurred each other to new adventures in their respective fields : he as a photographer , she as a poet and later as a songwriter and musician . national guidelines in england and wales say children with adhd should receive ` comprehensive ' treatment , including psychological , behavioural and educational help . but vivian hill , chairman of the bps 's medicalisation of childhood working group , said that this did not always happen . ` budgets have been cut and psychiatrists feel they ca n't follow the official guidelines , which recommend therapy before drugs . photos : random notes . `` just kids , '' smith 's first memoir -lrb- she has issued several books of poetry , -rrb- received rapturous reviews upon its release in january . national book award winners get a check for $ 10,000 and a bronze statue , but more importantly , prestige -lrb- and a sales boost -rrb- . past winners include william faulkner , saul bellow , wallace stevens , ralph ellison , w.h. auden , joan didion , gore vidal and philip roth . the other finalists in the non-fiction category this year : barbara demick , with `` nothing to envy : ordinary lives in north korea '' ; john w. dower , `` cultures of war : pearl harbor , hiroshima , 9-11 , iraq '' ; justin spring , `` secret historian : the life and times of samuel steward '' ; and megan k. stack ,
 The text discusses the rising trend of prescriptions for chemical cosh drugs to treat hyperactivity in children. It highlights concerns about the over-prescription of these drugs, particularly Ritalin, and the potential risks associated with their use. Experts argue that these drugs should be used as a last resort and that alternative treatments, such as counseling and behavioral therapy, should be explored first. Additionally, the text touches upon the issue of doctors being pressured by parents to prescribe these drugs, even when they may not be necessary. Overall, the article emphasizes the need for caution and careful consideration when prescribing powerful medications to children.