[pachyderm]

"American children take anti-psychotic medicines at about six times the rate of children in the United Kingdom, according to a comparison based on a new U.K. study."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/05/05....ap/index.html

I work with kids with the cited illnesses and I can tell you, they are being drugged so that "people can deal with the behaviors." Instead of taking behavioral intervention routes or working more in depth with the children, parents, are choosing to let them be prescribed potent medications.

Do you recognize we barely understand the ramifications of these medicines in adults, let alone the developing minds of children.

I have battled colleagues continuously and unfortunately medications are winning. The sad thing is, that the children are going to pay the price.

[Conquistador]

I don't agree with using medications to fix bad parenting. But I suppose there are some parents who see no other choice... maybe it's PCBs.

[TaintedGoth1]

I consider this to be a problem and it seems like if the parents don't wanna deal with normal everyday child behavior then they allow their kids to be drugged. Seems like legal child abuse in a way.

Hey now!! Let's consider teachers, doctors and caregivers. Parents are often pressured into or misled to accepting prescription medications because they trust the professionals to know what's best for the child. I know many parents, who, if the doctor or teacher said tomorrow, "Your child has other options besides drugs" they would gladly take their child off of these meds.

Teachers were pushing parents to get tehir kids on ritalin so that it is easier for the teacher to handle perfect little children. If the parent does not know of this happening, the parent is going to follow the recommendations of the teachers. If the doctor goes along with it because he is just used to grabbing the prescription sheets, the parent has 2 professionals saying the child needs this drug.

Rip, you just said it yourself.....We don't know how these drugs affect even adults....so why would you say that parents are permitting these drugs? We don't know. We trust.

What would the parent think? Give parents a break huh?

Lori

some parents are just dumb.
they dont need a break.
they need better methods for dealing with their kids.

[Timgt5]

A lot of great points and I agree with them all, and would like to add my 2 cents worth in. This issue really gets me going.

I honestly think that there are a lot of people out there who have kids and do not realize that in doing so you are taking on what a amounts to another full time career... Parent.

I think too many parents out there are under a lot of duress and are looking for the "quick fix" more and more. Our society as a whole seeks "feel good" short term solutions for its symptoms and simply throwing money at an issue rather than applying real thought and effort and actually solving the problem.

Unfortunately doctors and child therapists are reduced to telling parents that their child can be fixed with a pill simply because the parent is going to shop docs until they find one that will perscribe one. I think in their hearts they know the real answers are much more complex and difficult. Few parents though want to take the time to listen and apply them, sad, but true.

Look pumping brain chemestry altering drugs that are as powerful as heroin and PCP cannot possibly be good for these kids. I can smell the lawsuits 10 years from now against docs and big pharma.

I would issue the following challange to the so called advocates of doping up our kids to get them to behave.
Let me take two hundred of them from anywhere in the US Canada, or the UK, take them off the drugs and put them on a 30 minute Tai Chi regimon every morning. I guarantee that 195 of them after 2 weeks will stay disciplined and focused without ever ingesting another single miligram of those drugs ever again.

[splitimage]

I found that article really scary, particularly with reference to prescribing risperidone. I'm on it, and am greatful for it, but it's really messed up my hormones (lactation, lack of menstruation) I'd hate to think what it's doing to an adolescent or worse prepubescent child.

I really think that the culture of overmedicating kids is really sad and as someone has already said, is merely looking for a quick fix for behavioural issues that could be handled better with behavioural interventions.

--splitimage

[Razzleberry]

Well....if the children are truly schizophrenic or psychotic - which IS POSSIBLE at a young age - then these medications are not only okay, but necessary. How many recent tragedies have been caused by schizophrenic 17 or 18 year olds??!! Failing to treat them is just as much of an abuse as over-medicating would be.

That said, I do think it's a stretch to be using such potent medications for ADHD or Autism in children so young.

But in defense of the parents - both those conditions can be very hard to deal with, and they may simply be asking the doctors for help - not really realizing what the doctor is telling them to do. Some people just put a lot of faith in the doctors and do whatever they say.

I just hope the long-term effects don't harm those kids forever!

[embarassed]

That's disturbing. I know there are children who are truly schizophrenic or psychotic who need these medications but it definitely sounds like they're being overprescribed. It's really distrubing that doctors are using them to treat ADHD or hyperactive behavior. Having ADHD sucks and I hate it when people poo-poo it but it's still nowhere as debilitating as schizophrenia. It's not necessary to use anti-psychotics to treat ADHD.

[TaintedGoth1]

I was put on psych meds when I was 12....and over the years the meds just got more and more potent. I was on depakote for a long time and when I was on it I didn't have a period for 3 years. And now I'm unable to be able to even get pregnant (everyone in my family and family history are very fertile). So I know there's been damage done to my system.

I guess we need to decide which is better for our child in the long run and assume these meds will do harm to them and wonder if these things are worth it.

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.

[embarassed]

You're giving your child anti-psychotics because he forgets to put on his winter coat??? Are you kidding me? My relatives and I have been beaten up and physically hurt by mentally ill teenagers in our family. There are plenty of teenagers who need anti-psychotics because they demonstrate more than just "impulsive" behavior. They hurt themselves or others when they have a psychotic break or when they're agitated.

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
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.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> You haven't walked in your child's shoes. Some of us have suffered consequences from poor decisions made by our parents. If these anti-psychotics turn out to be more dangerous than we thought, your son is going to suffer, not you.

[TaintedGoth1]

And some of us will never have the chance to raise our own children because of these meds....keep that in mind, too.

[embarassed]

Taintedgoth

[StarPonysMama]

First of all - ((((((TaintedGoth))))))))


#2 - Why are teachers not being trained to also DEAL with children rather then push them into drugs? I'm SORRY but, half the problem is society as a whole wants to push it on the other.....nobody wants to take responsibility, yes sometimes parents get to wits end..........thus the reason I am almost 30 and have not had KIDS. WITH THAT SAID.

I dated and lived with a man who had two children. One of whom had been diagnosed with ADD - They gave her ritalin which did you know....is a sister drug to a methamphetamine? So..........all it is is clean meth? This child would take this drug and 2 hours later be passed out - she SO OVERREACTED TO IT.

Then, they gave her medication to help her sleep at night. My mom was a nurse and was totally freaked out when they found out it was a blood pressure medication of some sort and what it did was lower the blood pressure to put the girl to sleep. I'M SORRY BUT IT IS SICK!

When in the end, this girl's mother and father got tired of the drugs, started counseling with her, forced her in to softball (at first which she turned out to love), realized she actually was misunderstood and had a learning disorder and that turned to be a big reason for her acting out.

SO - with that said. Kids will be kids. They're annoying, their a pain in the butt, they get on your nerves. Some people just shouldn't have children I truly believe. Sadly, we don't think about that while "rolling in the hay". Parents also make VERY, VERY sad attempts to PUSH their children off on the school system. I have a good friend that is an elementary teacher and one that is a Middle School teacher. The things she tells me are very disturbing.

So while yes, I see that parents may get to the end of their rope, in the end, they chose to have the child and it is their responsibility to EDUCATE themselves and not just "trust" what a doctor or teacher says. If someone tells them to go jump off a bridge........are they gonna do that too?

[TamaraW]

I have two sons who have been diagnosed with bipolar I have done everything in my power to keep them off of medication, from diet adjustments to activity adjustments to tight schedules/routines, anything that I could think of to help give them stability to and structure.

One son is thriving with this the other on the other hand we are having to step back and reevaluate things since he is starting to not be able to handle things, since he is hitting puberty and things are new to both of us.

I guess what I am saying is meds are not always needed for everything. There are ways around it was it hard for me as a parent heck yea. But knowing that they weren't drugged was worth it. I was on some of those medications and they made me feel funky I did not want my child to go through that at all. I will continue to look in to other options though.