TROUBLED KIDS

As the mother of a child who had many of the manifestations described in “Kids on the Couch” (by Lee Dembart, May 29) and whose trouble was corrected by the handling of allergies and nutritional factors, I am amazed that these alternatives are not mentioned. It breaks my heart to think that kids like these might be denied such simple, effective help and might instead be subjected to years of introverting psychiatric “therapy,” possibly including drugs such as the Ritalin, which causes a panorama of side effects ranging from inability to eat to suicide.

I would like the parents of kids for whom psychiatric “treatment” has been suggested to know that there are non-psychiatric alternatives--medical, nutritional, educational and environmental factors that you can correct without damaging your child. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights, based in Los Angeles, gives referrals for non-psychiatric sources of assistance for kids having trouble.

E.D. SHERMAN

VOLUNTEER, CITIZENS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Los Angeles