I am a parent of two wonderful sons. At times, in their life, they have been placed on prescription medication. The doctors, once the child begins to change during puberty, change the meds, remove the child from medication, or adapt teh dosages as is needed.

Some types of impulsive behaviour pose a risk to the child as well. As an impulsive child, my younger son would smash things, or, in one incidence, he went to school with less than acceptable clothing for the temperatures outisde (very cold). As a teenager, he was told to get his winter coat, which he did, and after putting his shoes on, left the house without it.

Many of you are saying, "Why didn't the parent see that the son had his coat on and done up?" Let's look at teen behaviour. Even when a parent may have taught the teen all the right practices, disciplined or lectured when the youth does wrong, and even tried to teach and re-teach.....impulsive behaviour is exactly that....IMPULSIVE. Also the fact that teens like to make their own judgements.

This brought alarm bells to both me, the parent, and the physician. We have him on the lowest strength of risperidone. The medication controls his impulsive behaviour. He now places better judgement on the consequences of certain actions before doing them. This keeps him safer and healthier.

No, impulsive behaviour is not equal to schizophrenia. Neither is a flu similar to cancer. BUT, if left without treament or left too long before treatment, it can become a higher risk for dangers. Some meds are used temporarily until the youth demonstrates that teh thinking processes are working a bit better and won't pose a risk to themselves or others. When the person shows the ability to monitor their behaviour on their own effort, the meds are removed.

For those who have not yet raised children.......I would advise them to take some time to consider that they have not yet walked in the parents' shoes. None of us know how we will react to a situation until it is upon us. It doesn't matter how many child care courses or youth camp jobs we have had or babysitting the cousins. Until you have to make teh decisions according to the moment at hand, you can say all that you want as a bystander, critiquing a parent's actions.

Just remember...many parents have been influenced by many years of their own parenting experiences when they were little, society's social influences in schools and with media, and even their own experiences interacting with professionals and other people. Their is more rapped up in the decisions a person makes in life than the individual themself.

When you have a child, you will be surprised how many times you look back on your idealistic views you had in younger years, and teh reality of what situations you face.