December 9, 1998

    Re: "Brain scans give new hope for diagnosing ADHD," December 7, 1998 issue

Dear Editor:

Improving the diagnosis of ADHD with brain scans does not solve the dilemma that medicine has no cure for the disease. Ritalin treats the symptoms rather than the causes of ADD. Not only is a cure not possible; the untreated underlying disease can cause other problems. As an analogy, one can paint over a stain on the wall caused by a water leak as needed, but it will not cure the problem. The unfixed leak can also cause other damages.

Synthetic drugs are harmful, especially to children. A weakened body has greater propensity for sickness. True healing cannot be found in drugs, because Nature does not use drugs to heal.

Yee-Wing Tong, M.D.