too many kids are on meds for ADHD. yes some truly have ADHD but the vast majority of kids given meds are kids whose parents are never or seldom around. the kids act as they do all day and then the parents come home and wonder why the kids don't act the way they want them to act, so they put them on meds and claim their kids have ADHD. these parents need to spend more time with their kids, teaching them how to behave, demonstrating to them how to behave. Instead the parents come home after a long days work and expect peace and quiet. They get their P's and Q's by giving unnecessary meds. Parents need to be better parents!
2007-07-26 06:45:36 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Mental Health
I agree. Only after full investigation by specialists and then some more specialists should a child be medicated for this condition. My son was diagnosed with ADHD i put him on meds and hated what it done to him. Took him off all meds and became a 100% hands on parent. I gave up working and took care of my 2 children. I played with my children the yard they both took part in sport and I kept them both busy with outside activities and any other interested that they showed.Today my child that was diagnosed with ADHD is a 4th university student and passed his grade 12 with honours. It was worth every cent and his and my daughters achievements are greater to me than any pay packet.
2007-07-26 06:59:08 · answer #1 · answered by chersgaz 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I was misdiagnosed with ADHD when I was 9 years old. I still suffer from the effects of Ritalin to this day. I am sure some kids absolutely need the meds. The problem for me is that chemical intervention is a reflexive action these days. I can't agree with you more that parents need to be better parents. Society is becoming so accustomed to instant chemical gratification. It is a dangerous precedent. It is disturbing that while the scientific community admits to knowing very little about the brain, more and more chemicals are being dumped into it.
2007-07-26 14:10:40 · answer #2 · answered by pure_genius 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
While this may be the case with some parents and their kids, it is not true in all cases. My son was diagnosed with ADHD about 3 years ago. He was very disruptive in class, i.e. always talking, getting up out of his seat, etc. He was constantly "tapping" things, like pencils on the table, or his feet on the floor. He could not pay attention in class and his grades were suffering because of it. We put him on meds and after a couple of weeks things started improving. His grades came up and he had fewer disciplinary reports. He does not take his meds during the summer, on the weekends, or during long school breaks like Christmas or Spring Break . I do not feel that I am harming my son or "drugging" my son because I cannot tolerate his behavior. He is a very intelligent kid with a great sense of humor and he has the potential to be anything he wants to be.....but as his mother, I have to do what I have to do, and at this point I believe the thing to do is continue with his medication during the school year.
Unless you are the parent of the child, a family member or a teacher, you really don't know the extent of this disorder. To all of you naysayers who are not dealing with this on a daily basis, please try not to label these kids or their parents!
2007-07-26 14:06:10 · answer #3 · answered by andieangel2003 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Doctors are eager to prescribe medication .... However, some children benefit from them and need them otherwise they will get into serious trouble, and not do well in their lives.
ADHD is not a parents fault.... It has something to do with the child's brain.
many kids will outgrow ADHD once they learn how to control themselves. It is very easy to make judgments about other people and children without ever having experienced any of it on your own or dealt with a child who is hyperactive and out of control.
By the way, medication only helps these children to a certain extent.... It is not a cure all.
2007-07-27 01:12:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not all children with ADHD need medication, but many are helped by it. It is up to the parents, upon recommendation of the physician, to make that decision. Behavior modification is still recommended, with or without medication.
I think a bigger problem is parents that are pressured by the schools into having their children diagnosed and medicated.
All the parents I know who have been faced with the decision have found it heart-breaking. They know they will be criticized for their decision, no matter which way they choose. I have yet to meet one of the parents you describe. I'm sure they are out there -- I'm just not convinced they are the vast majority.
By the way, we choose not to medicate our son's ADHD. We have done a few short trials, and he is better off without it. However, I won't criticize those that are helped by it. It is a personal decision.
2007-07-26 14:24:59 · answer #5 · answered by Judy K 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Amazing how ADHD wasn't "diagnosed" until both parents started having to work to afford to live. More kids in day care, without parental guidence. And, amazing how for a thousand years prior, no one ever decided that being hyper, was a disorder in kids. Maybe because they worked hard, played hard, didn't spend all day in front of a tv, computer, cell phone, game boy etc. They worked off the excess energy.
I agree with most of what you are saying.
2007-07-26 13:55:22 · answer #6 · answered by randy 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
For sure, there are a number of children who legitimately have a chemical imbalance which leads to ADD and ADHD. For these children, medication is necessary for them to fully function in society. However, the number of today's children who are diagnosed and medicated for these disorders is staggering! Are most of our kids REALLY not able to function? I personally wonder if some of the symptoms seen in a percentage of children are not due to their eating and sleeping habits.
Too many kids today are allowed unrestricted access to simple carbohydrates and caffeine (sodas, snack foods, children's cereals, Kool-Aid, chips, etc). It's no wonder they're hyper -- they're overloaded with sugar!!
Also, many parents do not seem to enforce a normal bedtime routine. As a result, many children do not get enough sleep at night. How can they be expected to focus their attention when their minds are tired?
I suspect that with the enforcement of proper nutrition, sleeping habits, and parenting...along with a healthy dose of letting kids be kids....that many children who are currently medicated can actually function normally on their own.
2007-07-26 14:00:32 · answer #7 · answered by trustme_imascientist 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Seriously.. my mom did that with both my brothers, my little sister, and tried to do it with me because I have mood swings sometimes, most of my little sybling's friends (in middle school) are on aterol and most normal people claim to have ADD or ADHD.. not only is it a lack of character in the child to blaim they're normal problems on an unrealistic disease but it's a lack of judgment for parents to make their kids be medicated at such a young age and be forced to think so low of themselves.
2007-07-29 01:07:35 · answer #8 · answered by Blythe 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In some cases you are right...the parents just need to structure the home & add discipline. In some cases the parents have beautifully-structured homes, plus discipline, and the poor child's brain just can't focus. That's what the medications help with!!
2007-07-26 14:01:45 · answer #9 · answered by embroidery fan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree in most cases, ADHD kids are given a stimulant and then they relax, this is true ADHD. Unfortunatly kids are given tranquelizers and told they have ADHD which is not ture they have a lack of home discipline
2007-07-26 13:52:36 · answer #10 · answered by drjrumley 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋