Do u believe in add medicine for kids?

Question

What are the long term effects of these medications? Why do people want their active kids to be like zombies? Parents need to quit lookin for a quick fix to kids problems . Drugs is not the answer. What gives and this I do care about.Some people dont want to put the time in to parent they are too busy with their carrers and schooling that they leave the raising up to the schools and the teachers cant deal wit it!!!Raise ya kids poeple

Answer 1

Not at all. There are probably real cases of ADHD and the like, but why is it a cultural phenomenon all of a sudden?

More soccer, gymnastics, and running; Less video games.

That's the solution for 99% of it.

Answer 2

You know, in some ways I agree with you. Some children are just out of control because parents just don't make them mind. I know a kid who is said to have ADD, and he is on medication. But yet, if this is truly his sickness, why is it that he is rude and unruly. He is constantly being sent home from school because they can't handle him. He spits in the teacher's face and everything!!! I don't think that it's his disorder, it the way he is raised!!! Then the pills turn him into a zombie that doesn't even SPEAK!!!
However, there are children I have also seen that really are hyper active and have problems paying attention in school, but are relatively well behaved. These kids too are diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, and medicated, but it ACTUALLY helps them.
Really, in my opinion the issue should be researched more before we start shoving pills down our kids throats. There must be a way to properly diagnose these disorders instead of medicating kids that just have been poorly disciplined.

Answer 3

I believe in this medication for children who really need it. If a child has a real problem with ADD or ADHD then it can make a real difference in their ability to pay attention to things and to learn and to listen when it's important. As a preschool teacher I have seen children with real, severe problems even at 4 or 5 years old. These children benefited from medication like you would not believe. Without it they would not be able to learn because their brains would be going in a thousand different directions at once.

Now, do I think medication is overused these days and given to children who may not really require it to function? Yes, I do. But
remember that all behavior problems cannot be attributed to parents just not wanting to put in time and that some children really do have problems that no amount of time from parents can help.

Answer 4

Well, first, I do believe that these drugs are used too much, and parents tend to do too little research before resorting to the drugs. I think diet, sleep and lack of exercise have a lot to do with many "ADHD" kids. BUT, having a child who is diagnosed as ADHD, I think you are being a bit harsh. My daughter is not on meds, and believe me, it has been an uphill battle. Every year we go through the same discussion with a new teacher. She NEEDS to be by herself, preferably at the front of the class. Once the teacher figures this out, and goes by my(and my daughters) wishes, things are OK. That is, until they decide to give them pop, excessive candy, or other junk food. Then I get the phone call. Your daughter needs medication, she is out of control, I've heard it all!

Yes, homeschooling would be easier, but these kids need to learn how to interact with other people. That is the biggest hurdle they face, and learning it while still young saves them alot of heartache, and possibly jail time, later. Hopefully, you will never have to deal with a truly ADHD child, but if you do, it may make you lighten up a bit!

Answer 5

Parents who don't believe in meds for ADD/ADHD are facing problems w/ their children's school(s) -- as the teachers and counselors see meds as the solution. You can try therapy and constant communication w/ school staff on progress and incentives ... they will continue to refer to medication. I even had teachers in a meeting speaking over my head comparing the 'disorder' to cancer; and how if their own child were diagnosed they would certainly get them all the help available. And various other times my concerns were denounced w/ their 'experienced' opinions. I think it's alot to do w/ the funding for special ed -- if they don't place the number of children they are qualified to get money for -- they lose some of that funding. They want all the kids w/ behavior problems diagnosed professionally so they can get them on an IEP (individual education plan) . Don't blame the parents who are browbeaten into getting their child this 'help'. They may have started out totally against it - then had their beliefs batterend down by "professionals" -- untill they simply caved.

Answer 6

I am a stay-at-home mom of a child with ADHD and he isn't on anything. He was diagnosed over a year ago. I agree that some people do jump to quick with medicine. My son has more of self control issues then anything. I have him in counseling. I have tried tried just about everything (except medication). This is the last thing left to do. .... So not everyone believes in medicating their children! I am a dedicated parent. I have a new born but still make time to volunteer in my kids classes.

Answer 7

While I agree that many kids are misdiagnosed I have worked with children who have ADD or ADHD.
One of the children was so out of control that if he had an idea in his head, regardless of how dumb the idea, he would try it...he jumped off the second story of his house using a jump rope as a bungee cord...he was old enough to know better but his brain was unable to process the danger. There were many of these instances along with many other indicators that this child was ADHD. Once put on the medication, he did not turn into a zombie, he was still as active as his peers but he was able to concentrate and wrap his mind around the concept of danger. He began doing better in school, got along better with peers and was able to communicate problems to his teachers.

I have had parents come to me and tell me that their children were ADD and ask me to write a letter to the physician so that they could get collaboration on their thoughts. Many times I have refused and told them that their children were not ADD, just normal children. ADD is often misdiagnosed because it is misunderstood, physicians only see what the children are like for 15 minutes...not all day like parents and teachers, if we had a better scale for diagnosing ADD and had better understanding of the problem we would have lower diagnosis rates and less children on life altering medication.

Answer 8

I feel the same way. Drug companies ESPECIALLY in America Push the docs to perscribe their medicine. THeres is so many other things that are not medication to help over active children. I believe the childrens first teacher is their parents. ANd I trully believe the rise of teen pregnancy is because the familys are never home.

I know many girls from my highschool who got pregnant either in school or right after school. ANd for a face the few I knew BARELY saw their parents MAYBE once a week.

Answer 9

Meds are only okay after every other option has been explored at great length. I do believe there are some children who need such medications; however, many parents just put their kids on meds to have an excuse for the way that they act (which is a direct result of the way they are raised)

Answer 10

Absolutely not! I think that medication is the answer for too many things these days. Parents are failing to discipline their children; their children get out of control, so they put them on drugs so they can get a handle on things. Was ADD or ADHD as big as it was 20 years ago? No! It’s because back then parents weren’t afraid to discipline their children.

I am a teacher and once had a very difficult 4 year old. This child was kicked out of several schools before coming to my classroom. It took a lot of work, but this child was behaving beautifully in a couple weeks. I adored this child! His mother was amazed how he acted in my classroom, but she couldn’t handle him at home. She took him to a doctor and, of course, he was diagnosed with ADHD. She asked my opinion on putting him on medication and I strongly advised her not to. She agreed. A few weeks later, the light was gone from his eyes. She, after some time, confessed that she decided to put him on medication for ADHD. It was so sad! This boy who was once cheerful, spirited, and best friend to everyone became limp and lifeless. The program I work in is a part time preschool. She decided to pull him out and put him in a daycare that was full time because she couldn’t handle him. It breaks my heart! How can you explain that this boy behaved great with me but not his mother? Because I set limits, followed through, was patient with him, and consistent. I disciplined him! If parents took the time to discipline we would have so many children on drugs!