A NUMBER of local parents of children taking the drug Ritalin for hyperactivity are concerned that a new North Shore group lobbying against the use of the drug will put treatment of the problem ‘‘back in the Dark Ages.”’ “It’s a wonder drug. Bul we had to fight to get our son on it 10 years ago,’’ says Cassie Flanagan, whose 17-year-old son is now off Ritalin and doing well. Flanagan and Leslie O'Neil, a nurse, whose 10-year-old daughter also takes Ritalin, are taking issue with SCREAM (Support Children’s Recovery From En- forced Addictive Medications), which has formed 4 watchdog committee to lobby against use of the drug. Pat Eskola, who took her son off Ritalin some years ago, is the leader of the watchdog commit- tee, which was formed by the Church of Scientology’s Citizens’ Commission on Human Rights. Eskola_ believes that Ritalin stunted her son’s growth, disrupted his sleep patterns and had an addictive effect on him. She says a program involving a By MAUREEN CURTIS Contributing Writer modified diet and increased physi- cal activity has helped the 11 year old boy. Neither Flanagan nor O'Neil feel that diet and physical activity, alone, could help their children through hyperactivity, which is now known as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Most hyperactive children are boys, who often grow out of the condition when their bodies start to produce enough Ritalin on their own. O'Neil can’t be certain whether the same will be true of her daughter, whose hyperactivity has been linked to oxygen defi- ciency at birth juxtaposed with an extremely high J.Q. “We moved to the North Shore because it has the best learning ti assistance program in §.C.,’* said O'Neil. Each child) goes through a lengthy testing and assessment precess before Ritalin is ever prescribed, O’Neil’s daughter has been tested and put through various programs since she was 18 months old, “It took a psychologist, secing her every week for a year, to fi- nally decide that my daughter should take Ritalin,’’ O'Neil add- ed. The children who use Ritalin on- ly take it when they are attending school or being exposed to high environmental stiniulus, such as a children’s party or a downtown shopping trip. Neither parent has noticed any effect on their children’s growth, although Flanagan was warned that stunting may occur in some Ritalin cases. “And what’s an inch or two comparcd to a chance to fit in better and not always be labelled disruptive?”’ queried Flanagan. Hyperactive children are frustrated and angry, says O'Neil, THE THREE North Shore municipalities will be repre- sented in submissions to the Aug. 15 Canadian Radio- television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regional hearing set for Vancouver to address proposed B.C. Tel servicing and rate changes. North Vancouver District assis- tant municipal manager Fred Sigurjonsson said North Van- couver City and District will be making a joint presentation asking for‘ simiJar extended toll-free coverage enjoyed by Vancouver City. West Vancouver will be supporting a Union of B.C. Municipalities submission. Said West Vancouver Mayor Don Lanskaik: ‘We would like to see a more flexible system, but there’s a cost involved. A univer- sal toll-free extension would mean higher monthly bills. The majority who do not require extended-area By MICHAEL BECKER News Reporter service (EAS) could continue at the lower rate, while those who would want extended service could have it and pay the higher rates. The computer technology is in place to allow this flexibility.” Sigurjonsson said the three North Shore mayers wrote to the B.C. Tel chairman of the board Oct. 5, asking for an examination of ex- tended toll-free service and feed- back on projected rate increases for service similar to Vancouver's. iy pe NEWS photo Neil Lucente 3 - Sundas, Augast 7, LORS They can't sit sei! for any length of time, don't sleep more than a few hours a night and can throw tantrum after tantrum. “They're going 150 miles an hour and they can’t understand why they can't keep up,’’ O'Neil said. In the past, hyperactive children have been repeatedly expelled from the classroom, they have become dropouts and often ended up as juvenile delinquents, O’Neil says. ‘“‘But they’re not delin- quents. They’re often very in- telligent children and we’re trying to deal with them the best way we can.’’ Ritalin is only part of the treat- ment hyperactive children may receive, which also includes behavior modification and assistance in controlling im- pulsiveness and in improving self-esteem. O'Neil has been waiting three years to get her daughter into the Learning Assistance Program's in- tensive DC1 class, which teaches children with problems how to learn. KACIE WALLACE, 19 months, cools off with the help of Miwa Takase (left) and Jahanna Gunn at Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver. The weatherman says sunny skies and warm temperatures are to con- tinue until at least Tues- day. North Shore News Flanagan is certain that her son, now employed and doing well in school, would have been out on the streets if he hadn’t taken Ritalin and been able to continue his education. “Suicide is not uncommon among hyperactive children. Sometimes the parents are not be- ing the child’s advocate and don’t get the child the help he needs," O'Neil said. Hyperactivity is a symptom of other problems and, according to Asad Qureshi, psychologist with the North Shore Health Depart- ment’s mental health clinic, can be linked to prenatal care, birth, he- redity and allergies. For some, changes in diet can help. Ritalin does not work for every child. According to 1987 health department statistics, only about 28 of the 20,000 school children on the North Shore take the drug. This figure did not include private practice prescriptions. “But for those it works on, it makes a lot of difference,’’ Qureshi added. -- 18 Business .. Classified Ads... Boug Collins.. Comics... Editorial Page... Fashion Bob Hunter..... lifestyles............. Mailbox....... What's Going On........30 WEATHER Sunday through Tuesday, mostly sunny. Highs near 20-23°C. toll-free phone service B.C. Tel has proposed four EAS-related plans. The first in- valves extension of the existing one-way, toll-free plan. New communities obtaining one-way EAS links would face local rate increases. For example a new EAS link from Bowen Island to Van- couver and = North Vancouver would up Bowen Island's residen- tial rates from the current $6.25 to $12.65. The second plan involves the provision of two-way EAS to allow expanded toll-free calling between exchanges in metropolitan areas. According to B.C. Tel’s proposal, subscribers in these ex- changes would be required to share and pay the full costs of EAS through a monthly surcharge on their /ocal rates. The third plan, an optional EAS, would allow individual residential customers, particularly those in the Lower Mainland, the option of reducing their toll-free calling area in return for lower monthly rates, In North Vancouver, rates would drop from = the current $12.05 per month for an individu- al residential line to $9.15. In West Vancouver the rate would drop from $12.05 to $9.75. A fourth plan, called the nearby calling plan, has been proposed for individual business and_ resi- dential subscribers. This plan is designed for customers with high calling volumes to exchanges with which EAS is not available. The plan allows customers a minimum of 60 minutes in direct distance calling to locations within either 25 os 50 miles for a flat monthly charge and up to another four hours per month at discounted per minute rates. A #&.C. Tel spokesperson said telephone users logging 50 calling minutes per month would benefit. The commission will also be con- sidering two sets of long distance, telephone-rate reductions. The first includes reductions averaging 19 per cent for calls within B.C. Tel territory, which were approved by the CRTC on an interim basis. The second would see reductions for calls to destinations within B.C. averaging seven per cent, 16 per cent to Alberta, I! per cent east of Alberta, and nine per cent to the continental United States. Individuals wishing to participate in the regional hearing should notify the commission orally or in writing, before 4:30 p.m. Aug. 12. The telephone number for the Vancouver office of the CRTC is 666-2111.