Why do soooo many parents medicate their children for ADD/ADHD?

Question

when there are so many articles like this "The medications under the microscope are amphetamines like Dexedrine and Adderall, and methylphenidates like Concerta, Focalin, Metadate, Methylin and Ritalin.

The FDA will decide if patients need to be warned about an association with heart problems such as heart attacks, and psychiatric problems such as hallucinations, psychosis or mania in children. Black box warnings are serious markers of possible risk. The ADHD drug Strattera already carries a warning stating that it can increase suicidal thinking in teens"

Is it really worth these possible side effects?

Answer 1

The parents choose to medicate their children, or even the doctors tell the parents that they have to. Sometimes it works for them, sometimes it don't. My husband is a great example..the doctors wanted him medicated for ADHD when he was a little kid. His mother did what the doctors told her to, he developed reactions and almost died..several times. He is not on any medication now and does just fine.
I have a nephew that has ADHD too and is on medication. He is even more hyper now then he was before hand..my SIL is wanting to take him off that medication for that very reason. As a matter of fact..it was Ritalin in both cases.

Answer 2

Under extreme circumstances medication for a short time might be helpful. In general people want a magic pill or a quick fix for a problem that is going to take a lot of effort to get under control. Kids are smart and they know how to manipulate to get what they want and they will do what ever they can get away with . People go to therapy and don't immediately get results or they don't follow through on the advise that they receive so they want a quick fix. Some kids genuinely have some sort of issue but alot of them are more BRAT than ADHD. there are alternatives to medication for most if the parents and the school will work together. Kids need to learn to cope without the meds because they can't be on them forever.

Answer 3

I know that in most cases, medication is a last resort. There are many ways to deal with ADD/ADHD before resorting to meds. In our case, we found that a change in diet (less carbs, more protein) and a soda every morning before school seem to do the trick. The caffeine in the soda works much like some medications in that it helps her focus and get her work done, but w/out all the side effects. We're still in the process of getting her tested and such, but just since we started the caffeine, her work ethic at school has dramatically improved. She went from never getting her work done during the day (5 days a week) to getting it done on time everyday.

Trust me...if you don't have a child with this problem, you have no idea how stressful it can be. And, again, in most cases, medication is a last resort. But if the caffeine didn't work, I wouldn't hesitate to medicate if we needed to...I'd just makes sure I did my research before doing so.

Answer 4

Good question! The diagnosis for these conditions is often assumed or rushed. I know a family with a child that has been "diagnosed" and is being medicated. He is 8 and he has no bedtime or specific dinnertime. There are some days those kids are up till 2:00 in the morning on a school night!! No wonder he is doing badly in school. I can't beleive that the parents and the doctors are so quick to medicate kids! Drugs should not be our answer for everything.

Answer 5

I think for some children who honestly need the medication, there isn't much other choice. In those cases the parents and the child's doctor need to closely monitor the child for side effects and the medical research society will hopefully devote some effort to perfecting a safer medication.

However, I think a lot of children are misdiagnosed. I think the real problem is a lack of effective parenting and the lack of a developed attention span. Personally, I feel that video games and television are robbing our children of an attention span. They are getting so used to new rapid images, commercials, etc flashing across the screen every two seconds that there brain is incapable of slowing down long enough to read a book, or draw a picture, or listen to a teacher giving a lesson in class.

There was actually a study done on the brain development of children who are allowed to play video games from a young age and they found that the frontal lobe of their brain actually doesn't develop!!

A lot of people argue that video games teach hand-eye-coordination...so does playing catch. And as an added bonus, playing outside also keeps our kids from becoming obese!!

I think a lot of parents rely on the television as a babysitter, and then wonder what is wrong with their child!

Answer 6

Although I do agree that more kids than necessary are being medicated, some kids require medical help in order to have a normal childhood.
No medicine is without side effects, not even vitamin tablets, but to use no medication ever for fear of side effects would be impractical, whether the problem is ADHD or another medical problem.
My daughter is incapable of sitting still for a minute without medical help. I have tried all the alternatives, but without the medicine, attempts to be still physically hurts her! It actually itches and aches at her muscles to move. She is also embarrassed of her actions when she is like that.
It was after a great deal if thought and arguing that I gave in to medicate her. I do not recommend that all parents medicate their ADHD kids, but sometimes, the desired effect does outweigh the side effects. In my case, I believe that I have chosen the lesser of two evils.
Now that my daughter has the help to control herself and have a normal and happy childhood, and she has had no side effects so far, we will deal with the future side effects if they ever happen.

Answer 7

Often times, medication is a last resort. We went through years of trying different options with our son, from counseling to tutoring to dietary changes to classroom interventions... We didn't make the decision to try medication lightly, and did carefully consider all side effects. Our son is currently taking a low dose of Strattera. He is monitored by his physician for health issues, including growth patterns, and is seen regularly by a social worker and counselor for continual monitoring. What we are seeing is he is feeling much more successful in school, and reminds us he needs to take his medication. His ability to work to his potential has increased significantly, and when he brought home his first report card with A's and comments about working to potential, he cried tears of happiness. Medication is not the answer for every child, but it can be right for some.

Answer 8

Yeah, the government gets these kids taking ritalin then they have to take ritalout! =)
It's ridiculous to me. I would never medicate my child for anything other than a fever or infection. Parents need to learn how to be more involved with their kids' lives. Teach the child how to focus, set more time aside to help and find ways that they learn. I'm more of a hands on learner so if someone is reading me something really boring I'm going to squirm too. I think it's completely irresponsible and lazy of parents to turn to medication unless there is a medical problem that requires it and I don't think this is one.

Answer 9

My son has ADD (not hyperactive) and his pediatrician advised us to give him Ritalin. I said no, thank you. I know from first-hand experience that psychopharmica can have some really ugly side effects. That's the way society is nowadays - just a pop a pill and everything is hunky-dory. I'd rather not risk my son's health. There are other ways to deal with ADD or ADHD withouth taking chemicals.

Answer 10

I think many of you are assuming that when a child is put on meds it is for the benefit of the parent.You are assuming the parents want a quick fix. My grandson takes a low dose of meds to help him concentrate on his school work. He plays in league soccer, road hockey, and is active in the boy scout program. He enjoys playing outdoors with his friends..He has routines at home, does chores and does his homework.He has expectations and consequences that are consistently applied.Before he took meds he struggled with all his subjects.His own words were "My head is going too fast". He could not focus long enough to process the information.His report cards have reflected dramatic improvement. He has had to work hard to bring his grades up where they should be. These meds are for YOUR CHILD to live their life to their fullest potential. Somethings in life do not cease just because we wish it away or ignore it. NOTHING in life is 100% safe, even natural herbal remedies can cause medical risks so where do you suggest we draw the line? You have to weigh the risks and the benifits of any medication even aspirin.Do not base your decision solely on the people who are against meds ,make yours an informed decision based on your child's needs. No one advocates overmedicating a child