ADHD drugs can give kids nightmarish hallucinations Well, they've found another side effect to ADHD treatments: "rare" cases of hallucinations. And of course, since children are by far the largest segment of the population being treated for so-called attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, it's kids that are suffering from these side effects. This latest FDA study was prompted by the fact that there'd been growing concern about psychiatric side effects from ADHD medications like Strattera, Ritalin, and Concerta. The researchers discovered that these hallucinations occur in one or two children out of every 100 "person years." There's no doubt that it was the ADHD drugs that were to blame for this. The study reported that the placebo group experienced no psychosis or mania episodes. These hallucinations are by no means pleasant diversions. "We might hear about a child with tactile hallucinations, where kids feel like they have bugs on them," according to Dr. Roy Boorady, director of the pharmacology service at the NYU Child Study Center. "It's usually really young kids who are on medications, and once they back off or stop the medications, the sensation is gone." But it's not just a feeling of bugs - it's also visual. The kids experiencing the hallucinations can feel or even see bugs, worms or snakes crawling all over their bodies. As if it's some kind of comfort, Boorady adds that "these reactions are very rare" - so much so that he doesn't think parents should even be concerned about these kinds of psychiatric reactions. That's easy for him to say, but I'm sure the memory of these hallucinations is anything but rare for the poor kids who've lived through them. Regardless of how rare these reactions are, it's important to factor in that 4.5 million kids are currently prescribed these ADHD medications - that's eight percent of all the kids in the U.S.! So this means that could be hundreds, if not thousands of kids who are suffering from these hallucinations. It's amazing that a number that large can be so easily shrugged off by a doctor. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised that an FDA-backed study would be unfazed by such a discovery. After all, I recently told you about data complied by the CDC that linked ADHD treatments to other even more threatening side effects like stroke, cardiac issues, high blood pressure … so what's a few hallucinations about snakes? Since you're reading this, I know you're savvier about the ins and outs of the health care world than the average Joe. So you're well aware that all hospitals are not created equal. Now there are numbers in to back that up. Pay close attention: these numbers could save your life. A new study released by the independent healthcare ratings organization HealthGrades says that the country's top hospitals have a death rate more than 27% lower than other hospitals. These hospitals weren't just successful at saving lives. Patents who had vascular, prostate, orthopedic, gall bladder, and neurosurgeries performed at these institutions were eight percent less likely to experience post-surgical complications. That's an impressive statistic. "Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence comprise a group of hospitals that excel across the board, not just one or two specialties," said Dr. Rick May, a HealthGrades consultant and the author of the study. "They should be commended for their relentless commitment to exceptional patient care." The study speculates that that from 2005 to 2007, these hospitals may have saved as many as 152,666 lives and avoided up to 11,772 major complications. Click here to see a list of American's 50 Best Hospitals. | 
