My sons father does not think that he needs his ADHD medication. (he is not a dr) I don't know where he gets this from since he has only been around for a year (my son is 7) and he has never been to a parent/teacher conference or dr visit. But he says that it's harming him.
My son is old enough to understand that his medication does work for him. His father refuses to give it to him on his weekends. The dr. said that he needs to take it everyday and that is how he prescribed it. I am wondering if this is grounds for me to take him back to court to get his visits supervised? I don't think it's his choice to make if our son needs his meds and it's not fair for my son because his meds really do help him alot. I don't want my son spending the night there if he is not going to give him his medication in the morning...can he be forced to give it to him or risk losing his overnights?
2007-04-12 06:06:57 · 13 answers · asked by gummi bear 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
Thanks for your responses, I would also like to say that my son is not on meds being normal. Before meds he could not sit still in school, hit other kids, got sent to the principles, got poor grades and even got suspended. Meds has not "cured" him but it makes his everyday life a little easier for him to handle. And his grades improved alot.
2007-04-12 06:27:24 · update #1
it is both if your child requires ADD meds then they need to take them regularly. these drugs take time to get into there systems and when you miss several doses you are only putting your child on an emotional roller coaster. tell dad to start giving child said meds or YOU will call DSS on him for neglect.
2007-04-12 06:19:30 · answer #1 · answered by babysister32 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
honestly i dont think this could be considered neglect only because the father thinks it is harming your son. there are a lot of people who dont believe in ADHD medication and I too agree that people are over medicating these days. I am not saying that this is the case for your son, as he may very well need to have some medicine. But think about the days before ADHD medicine, people did just fine. It wont kill your son or harm him if he doesnt take it. Now if his father failed to give him medication for a heart condition or something that could be considered neglect. I would try to talk with his father about why he is not giving the medicine and why you think he should have it. He may have a valid point.
2007-04-12 06:48:55 · answer #2 · answered by krystal 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
My son took ADHD meds for years, and we never gave it to him on weekends. Some drugs hang out in your system for a long time, and so you need a consistent level in your blood stream. ADHD meds are not like that. So your son isn't physically being harmed by not taking it on weekends.
This is more about a control issue between you and your ex. All I can say is pick your battles. You can take him to court and try to make an issue of it, but it will cost you both financially and emotionally.
Unless he is doing other things to undermine your parenting or that you think are hurting your son, the worst thing you could do is try to terminate his visits. Many mothers would kill for their children's fathers to take an interest in him.
So I say, is it possible you could just let this go? Let him win this one for the sake of peace. The stress from mom and dad's tug-of-war seems more harmful than missing the ADHD medicine .
2007-04-12 06:27:39 · answer #3 · answered by MaxitudesMamma 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That is too bad you have to deal with this. I have a friend in the same situation. Her ex won't give their son his ADHD meds. Some people still do not feel it is a real diagnosis or overused diagnosis. Maybe overused? Most doctors use tools to help them determine, plus any doctor would know a true adhd patient from a normal kid. Unfortunately she hasn't mentioned anything like the court sticking up for it. Check with an attorney or some type of legal aide and see what they say. Maybe each state is different? It is not a life sustaining medication in itself, but is proven to help kids make better life decisions for themselves. In other words helps them to be less impulsive and able to think and act clearer. Maybe there's grounds there?
2007-04-12 06:16:40 · answer #4 · answered by krispeds 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your husband has a point that ADHD is an overused term these days, and way too many doctors are prescribing drugs for kids who don't really need them. But, this is something you and he need to discuss. It's not good for your kid to be on the drug most days, then off for some days, and back on. That would really screw him up.
Talk it over with your husband, and if he still refuses, then yes, you would probably have grounds to get a court order or something.
Do you think your kid does a lot better when he's on the drugs? I just hate to see kids on drugs for being normal, curious, hyper, energetic little kids. If it's more than that, that's up to you.
2007-04-12 06:17:05 · answer #5 · answered by purplebinky 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's actually the reverse. Turning children into drug addicts, trying to solve a problem with a pill rather than a competent diagnosis, these are evidence of neglect. It's not an infection that needs antibiotic, or cough syrup. Psychotropic drugs have extremely detrimental effects, both short term and long term. Actually, there's never been a long-term study on them - but you see these effects in the news every time there's a mass shooting or high incidence of suicide amongst children.
2016-08-08 18:14:47 · answer #6 · answered by Steve 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the ADHD does not endanger his life, it may not be grounds enough to revoke his rights to visitation. You may want to let it continue for awhile, maybe even send him over for an extended visit. I know kids with ADHD can be a handful and his father can handle it, I don't know that its harmful for him to be off the meds, but perhaps if the father sees the "downside" to him being off his meds, he will change his tune? Discuss the ramifications of him being off the meds with your doctor first, and if he feels the child is being endangered, seek out legal counsel.
2007-04-12 06:27:44 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have a 7 year old son who is ADHD and is on meds,,, and i am in kind of the same boat you are,, I have asked my sons doc how it would affect him if he didn't take his meds for a day or skipped a dose,,, it doesn't hurt them because it is only affective for a couple hours at a time,,, however if he is bouncing off the walls when off it he def needs to be taking it.. mine is sort of ok without a dose or two at a time,,,... i would def find out what could be done,,, its not your x's call whether he should or should not give him his meds,, he needs to give them regardless of what he thinks,,, i love the way x's think they know better than the doctor !
2007-04-12 06:31:05 · answer #8 · answered by tinkerbell3648 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it were something like insulin I'd say yes, but ADD and ADHD is controversial to the point where many question if it exists. For many people they are told to NOT take meds for this on weekends or holidays. I don't think this scenario will hold up in court.
2007-04-12 09:46:45 · answer #9 · answered by Noota Oolah 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You defiantly need to talk to his father and tell him that he NEEDS his medication. Drug holidays on the weekend are not good. When he is at school he is a social and learning environment and needs to be able to concentrate. But have you considered the important life lessons that are taught outside of school. When you child is out of school he is still learning and practicing his basic skills. If he is reading, or learning a new game it is not fair to him if he can not concentrate.
Mental illness is still an illness and still needs to be treated AS PERSCRIBED
2007-04-12 09:21:31 · answer #10 · answered by lulubelle55555 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋