Adderall, Ritalin
CH156378
Posts: 1,539
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42577775/ns ... parenting/
does anyone have an opinion on these drugs. i know they work for some people. at the same time a 30mg Adderall will straight fuck you up. i can't believe they give this shit to kids. the article is insanity to me.
does anyone have an opinion on these drugs. i know they work for some people. at the same time a 30mg Adderall will straight fuck you up. i can't believe they give this shit to kids. the article is insanity to me.
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
I am an elementary school teacher and when parents ask me about the possibility of their kid having ADHD and needing these drugs I usually tell them their kid is a normal kid. I have met some that do need a little more support with learning, but do not believe drugs are the support they need.
I think these drugs are just... well, let's just say I would NEVER give them to my kids. I know there are some out there that swear by them and do not mind the side effects. But I believe kids should be wigglely and distracted. It is what makes them kids.
Just make sure you get several opinions before making a decision. I'm sure it helps severe cases.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
but I can tell you this drug ritalin has long term and perminet side effects.
Godfather.
The fact that a teacher, who is with our kids all day long in a learning environment, has this to say is telling. Drug companies and doctors don't make too much money when we don't take prescriptions. Also, IMHO, doctors are too quick to "diagnose" - that's why they call it "practicing medicine," because it seems less doctors are willing to put in the time to find the real issue vs just giving us a magic pill. You think that will change if/when we have universal healthcare?
Thanks for the straight skinny Teach, and keep educating our youth. I appreciate you!
I'm not judging, i was high too, but I could still make a burger after smoke weed.
But that was when we were called "hyperactive" and treated like we were unruly brats who wouldn't sit still.
Was told I was lazy and didn't apply myself. It was rather horrible to try to focus... Like trying to read and concentrate in a room filled with people yelling and shouting at you all at once. Your brain going faster than you could sort it all out.
Yes, those drugs are over prescribed. But some kids really do need help and it should be obvious which ones.
Pretty much how I feel. Don't forget about lazy doctors and the ever-powerful pharma lobby.
One of my best friends form college was put on Lithium.....didn't end up well. We run to the pill at the first sign of "unnatural behavior." It is very, very sad.
To the teacher in the thread: Glad to hear you're not only a teacher, but a doctor too...keep up the good work!
The meds are often over-prescribed, but at the same time helpful for other kids who would otherwise have a host of other issues due to not being able to maintain in the classroom. A lot of the problem with over-prescribing comes from family physicians talking to one of the parents for a few minutes and asking the child a couple questions, and then giving out the meds based on that. It's better in the hands of a child psychiatrist who gathers information from the parent(s), teachers, as well as other who spend significant time with the kid. Kids that are hyper don't get high on the meds, it calms them down. Why stimulants do this, they aren't sure.
God forbid they force fruits and veggies down their throat.
Sweep the Leg Johnny.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
I wasn't allowed processed foods growing up. My mother made virtually everything from scratch and we ate very healthy foods. I ate a lot of vegetables, fruit, lean meats, fish... no candy, junk food only on occasion.
But I was still a kid with ADHD and it wasn't until I was diagnosed that I started to feel human.
The article isn't insanity. A child with a disorder who is unable to take his necessary medication is insanity. I worked in child welfare ( I am a Social Worker) for twenty years... i have never been a huge advocate of medication... I have seen it over-prescribed for wiggly, squirmy children... and I have seen it work with others... over all I am an advocate of using medication as an absolute last resort.
I know a little boy (very, very well) who takes Ritalin. Before he took the Ritalin... and/or on days when his Ritalin patch comes loose at school and no one realizes... his impulsivity and his behaviors are scary and dangerous. He has little control of himself without the medication. However, when he is on it... he does not... for example... run into the street... kick people for no reason, etc... Before the Ritalin his family watched him rejected by daycare provider, after daycare provider... babysitter after babysitter... he was a harm to himself and others, unable to control these impulses surging through his little body....
He now has friends... isn't continually scolded and rejected by people on a daily basis. He loves to draw and paint and read books. He is very bright (five years old) and is finally starting to live a "normal" life... where babysitters remain his babysitters... and he doesnt engage in a series of behaviors over and over on a daily basis that are not considered socially acceptable. I have seen him when his mother didnt realize they patch was loose... but you can then tell by his behaviors... he has almost been kicked out of his current daycare (which he NEEDS TO BE IN SO HIS MOTHER CAN WORK) because his school ( a special ed pre-k where he is learning peer socialization and taking turns etc... something he had trouble learning when he was younger... because no one would spend time with them because of his behavior... something his family is hoping will eventually be strong enough as a learned behavior as he grows... and that maybe, hopefully as he grows and matures he may eventually NOT be on medication) didnt monitor his patch closely and when he arrived at day care at 2:30 pm his behavior deteriorated to where he was having a horrible time at the daycare and the people who run the daycare were going to kick him out til his mother showed them his behavior was due to his lack of appropriate medication. At times, if his medication is wrong, even at five... he will say that he doesnt know why he acted in a certain way... and will cry and ask his mother to please help him... because he realizes he is not in control of his behaviors.
This didn't all happen because of his medication or because anyone is lazy. His family put off medication until they were almost about to hospitalize him because he was a danger to himself and others.... and it's all about the impulsivity... the ritalin actually allows him to live a full and happy existence. I have heard a number of people say that they never "believed" in meds... until they saw the changes this little boy has had in his life (or in his behavior on a given day) as a result of Ritalin.
Yet... no one would ever guess he was on medication... it hasn't dulled his affect or made him appear to be "medicated" in any way... nor has it slowed down the good energy... people will often proclaim (i.e. at Sesame Place or at a playground or a store....) "WOW... He sure has a lot of energy!!!"
Is it a cure-all? No. Is it for everyone? No. Is it over prescribed in this country? Absolutely. But can it help children who truly need it? WITHOUT A DOUBT.
THIS
I think this is a very important story. It sounds like many stories my mom (who teaches high school special ed) has told me. With some of her students, it's very obvious when they're off their meds. They behave similarly to the kid in your story - only at their age their behavior can get them permanently expelled from school, in fights, or in jail.
For those people who have never (or whose kids have never) suffered such potentially life-altering illness that meds were required to function in daily life... good for them. Must be nice. But I don't think they have any place judging others whose situations they can't understand. In my opinion, the culture of shame for people who are helped by such meds is more dangerous for children than the meds themselves. We should never discourage people from seeking the medical treatment they need.
Yeah... and also... like with ANY medication... an educated and/or discerning individual (at least one who is educated with the illness or disorder that is being treated and the potential treatments for the illness or disorder) will always have to weigh out the potential side effects to the benefit of the medication. Like a cost benefit ratio.
In the case of the family I was speaking of... I know they clearly have and do on an ongoing basis... hopefully the negative effects of this boy's medicaton will not be that bad... but again, as i stated in my last post... his quality of life has improved dramatically since he was placed on meds... the right meds.. and the correct dosage of meds...
He's a great kid... who deserved the chance to show the world how bright his little light really does shine.