[pachyderm]

Here in the U.S. there was a Frontline program on public TV last night (January 8, 2008) titled "The Medicated Child." As usual with Frontline (as I see it) a point of view was presented very forcefully -- without any solutions being apparent. Maybe in our society there are none. Or if there are, it takes a quite a bit of courage or willingness to be seen as far out of the mainstream to see them.

I saw that too last night.

Our poor children in this society(country)-- if we can't cope with their behavior, the first action is to drug them

Why don't we take the time as a society to listen to the children and show them patience??

It's quite upsetting to me-- given my background.

mandy

[Christina86]

I heard about it in my Health Psychology class tonight... was it interesting/would you recommend people watch it?

[Rapunzel]

Well, there are solutions, but it takes more work than writing prescriptions and handing out pills. Works better too though, when done right. In the classroom, positive behavior supports can be used (you will find lots of good stuff if you google "positive behavior supports." There is a lot that families can do to, like spending time with kids and really getting to know them and find out what is important to them. Kids need individual attention. Most of the good solutions (or all of them) have to do with changing the environment and giving kids relationships that help them to cope and to grow. It's not a quick fix, but it can be done if we would all do our part.

[pachyderm]

mandyfins:
> would you recommend people watch it?

I saw no evidence in the program that the children were listened to in any effort to discover causes for their distresses. From the way the program was presented, in any case, once a "diagnosis" was made it seemed to me that ONLY medications were considered.

Anyone willing to deal with that, sure, watch it, if you can find a repeat or archive online.

[nowheretorun]

hi everyone... saw something similar some time ago.. cant remember the title...

linda off topic, but working convenience stores i saw a lot of kids buying the 'energy' drinks... some come with warnings about only one a day and in some states you have to be 18 to buy them

things put in kids... some by choice i guess.....

some of the drinks have healthy stuff, but, im no pro at chemistry...

makes me wonder about the bio-molecular reactions when its all mixed...

[youOme]

Personally I believe parents lack the patience and mostly time to discipline effectively and teach their children. My husband and I came across a study a year or so back discussing children with ADHD and ADD and it said that the majority of children they studied were actually suffering from sleep deprivation and bad diets and that explained why they couldn't concentrate and were hyper active. In modern times even children experience the pressure of business, education, parents work scheduling..etc. There were periods in my childhood/teen years were I felt my mind was unable to grasp my studies and even the simple things and when I look back upon that I realized my insomnia/lack of sleeping started around that time as well.

The day a doctor tells me my child/ren need medication is not going to be a good day. I would simply refuse to medicate my children...straight up. Misplacing the blame for a child's behavior on them instead of my self and lacking solution is just LAZINESS.

AS I have posted before my son has PDD, He is LD too
WE quit our jobs to work together with him.
we went into Biz ourselfs so we could be at home with him
Not every one can do that, WE choose to handle it that way..
He was on alot of meds when younger as his issues were great, He is now off of them....
He was Lucky, His CSE head , before he left his job had my son put in a private school. His school buses him.
He was mainstreamed till grade 5. It did not work.
He acts and looks like a normal kid, now....before no....
We were lucky.............
But I also adovacated for him, never missed a meeting, pushed every button i could for this kid..........
The no child left behind act IMHO left to many behind......
My son was not going to be one of them.........

ANd the drinks you are talking about nowheretorun.........you are right, they are bad for kids IMHo....my son when ever he can gets one
I always know..........IMHO its another way of self medicating
they should not be sold just my thoughts

[youOme]

Caffeinated sodas ain't good neither. My son happened upon my 20oz Coke once in the fridge awhile back. He done drank half of it before I discovered he had it. After that, I swear, I didn't recognize my own kid...then he crashed and burned and was even worse. We never have pop in the house but when we do their put up. Parents seem to forget that poor dieting will contribute to the behavior of their child.

pachyderm said: </font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
mandyfins:
> would you recommend people watch it?

I saw no evidence in the program that the children were listened to in any effort to discover causes for their distresses. From the way the program was presented, in any case, once a "diagnosis" was made it seemed to me that ONLY medications were considered.

Anyone willing to deal with that, sure, watch it, if you can find a repeat or archive online.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I'm confused....... .... I didn't post what you referred to...... I think we both feel similar about the program...... hope I wasn't misunderstood......

mandy

[pachyderm]

It was Christina86 who asked whether I would recommend the program.