Medicating Children to control their behavior....
- Thread starter jtee
- Start date
I think children are over-medicated. My son is one of the sweetest, calmest kids you could ever meet but he was diagnosed as ADHD in kindergarten. (He was never put on meds) He did great in 1st grade, but in 2nd grade it got tough. His teacher told me he wasn't doing good in school, he wasn't paying attention and suggested we put him on meds. We tossed it around but decided against it. When the teacher sent home 27 worksheets to get done in 2 days I decided to switch schools. The 27 wkshts were the last 3 weeks of work they had done in class that he didn't get done, they had to be done over the weekend or he would get Zero's on them and fail the 2nd grade. He got them done by Tuesday, the next monday he started at a different school.I think she was making it to hard for him to work, it was obvious she didn't want to be a teacher anymore. He is now doing great and loves school again.
Wow I kind of got off track...What I am saying is kids are overmedicated and sometimes all it takes is a pro-active parent and a school system that is willing to work together.
Wow I kind of got off track...What I am saying is kids are overmedicated and sometimes all it takes is a pro-active parent and a school system that is willing to work together.
I think we also need to figure out what is causing these problems in the first place, because I don't remember there being any of these kids when I was in school (except my brother, who was very premature and had some birth trauma). Something's changed in our world. and I tend to think it's a combination of many factors that are leading to this problem... which then means it's harder to pinpoint..[/quote]
I have been doing some research on this the last week or so, and I foundsomething I think is pretty interesting. We have been having some difficult times with our three year old son, so on a whim I googled food allergies and childrens behavior. Symptoms that may be helped by the Feingold Diet Program
This is what caught my attention most. The symptoms fit to a T...it just makes me wonder...Why are so many young kids on some kind of med? Why are so many adults on some kind of depression, anxiety etc... med?
Overview of Feingold Program-
I have been doing some research on this the last week or so, and I foundsomething I think is pretty interesting. We have been having some difficult times with our three year old son, so on a whim I googled food allergies and childrens behavior. Symptoms that may be helped by the Feingold Diet Program
This is what caught my attention most. The symptoms fit to a T...it just makes me wonder...Why are so many young kids on some kind of med? Why are so many adults on some kind of depression, anxiety etc... med?
Overview of Feingold Program-
I wouldn't go so far as to say that. When I was younger, doctors changed my diet, exercize, had me attending therapy and anger managment as well as keeping journals, daily acounts of what had happened. I tried natrual remedies, I went to several different school for kids with specail needs because I "posed a threat," and finally they tried medication. It took a few tries, but they found the right dosage/ medication to keep me under control. I'm happy to say that I graduated sophmore, junoir, and soon senior years with a happy 3.8-4.0, and before my grades were, Ds, Fs, mainly, I was getting in fights, getting suspended, I attended an alternative school for the first half of my freshman year. So really, in some situations, medicatin really is the solution.Lissa said:
However, I agree that it's a last resort. Meds have high dependancy rates and they should be avoided it that's possible. And doctors/ psychiatrists are quick to wave a patient away with a bottle of ritalin or prozac, in the present day. Parents should just be informed/ careful about these things, but don't automatically assume that all medication is wrong and all set backs can be solved with natural remedies; this is not always the case.
I would only consider medication, if every possible option and every other thing I could think of was exausted.
My brother's son is medicated for his Aspergers, I guess it helps a bit but the weight gain I've been noticing is simply unbelievable, and very upsetting. If it continues his health will be at great risk I guarantee it.
My brother's son is medicated for his Aspergers, I guess it helps a bit but the weight gain I've been noticing is simply unbelievable, and very upsetting. If it continues his health will be at great risk I guarantee it.
Medication always comes with side effects. So to avoid it, we parents always have to put in a great effort to resolve behavior problems. That's never easy, so its great to have a forum like this for support. It also helps a long way to engage a professional child psychologist if things get out of hand. However, medication can be an effective tool for a child with underlying medical conditions triggering unwanted behavior. Keyword:TOOL not Cure.
Thank you JTee for posting this link. When I can find some time I am going to watch this. If I can get my ADHD child to sleep! It is very confusing. I feel that my almost 6 year old son is in imminent danger if he does not get some sort of help. He is so unpredictable and WILD. I see in his eyes that he actually CAN'T control his actions at times. He has seen counselors, we have tried herbal alternatives, diet changes, completely cutting out sugar for 3 months at one time. I have to make a decision about whether or not he needs medication in order to live a safe and normal life. He is already being left back in Kindergarten. He has hurt his friends, brothers and classmates with his lack of impulse control. Very confusing to know the right thing to do. He is already getting a bad reputation in school and I know some of the other Moms have requested that their child not be in the same class as my son next year (moot since he is repeating).
Any comments or suggestions are so truly appreciated everyone!
Any comments or suggestions are so truly appreciated everyone!
It is very unfair, Lissa, so make such a judgement. Until you have walked 10 miles in someone else's shoes, it is ignorant and unkind to say such a thing. I would rather see a child who truly needs to be medicated get the help of medication, rather than wind up badly hurt or dead because his parents were to small-minded to be open to the idea of helping their child through medication. If the child had a heart condition and needed medication, would you deny him that?
And, musicmom, a child with severe adhd can indeed die without it. A child who is truly out of control is unpredictable and capable of doing many many things that put themselves in danger. Even the most closely supervised child will find the opportunity to do something dangerous to themselves or someone else. You can't tie them up.
Shame on anyone who makes these judgements against parents who want to help their child in any way they can.
And, musicmom, a child with severe adhd can indeed die without it. A child who is truly out of control is unpredictable and capable of doing many many things that put themselves in danger. Even the most closely supervised child will find the opportunity to do something dangerous to themselves or someone else. You can't tie them up.
Shame on anyone who makes these judgements against parents who want to help their child in any way they can.
