In the article We are over-medicating children Andrew Browning makes the solid statement that we as Americans are over-medicating our children. He references the episode of Frontline on PBS called “The Medicated Child” saying that in the last 10 year period there was overwhelming 4,000 percent increase in the number of diagnosed cases of bipolar disorder in children. He goes on to say that with all the side effects and interaction of all the different drugs for the different disorders, we do not know what the long term affects will be for our children. One the other side of the argument of medicating children the article Pros of Medicating Children with ADHD lists many benefits to medicating children. According to this article, there are many ways medication will help children with ADHD. It states that [the drugs] ability to control these negative symptoms of ADHD could dramatically change the child's daily life. After read these two articles and with your previous knowledge, what do you think? We all know children who are on medication and who aren’t on medication. I know a little boy right now whose teacher said that he needs something, because his inability to focus is messing with his school, so his parents are trying to figure out what is the best thing for him. Is medicating our children really the answer, or do the risks outweigh the benefits? When we are teaching in classrooms, do we want our students to be medicated so they are “easier” to handle or do we want them medicated so it helps them learn. I know that personally, I think it depends on the child. With some children there are ways to help them without medicating them whereas some kids really need the help that the medication provides them. What are your thoughts?
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In my opinion, we are definitely over-medicating children. With the advances of science and technology, every person expects there to be a solution to every problem in the book. Rather than working on and adapting to abnormal behavior, people look for an easy solution that won't cause additional stress or effort. We have to remember that every individual (especially every child) is unique and has their own characteristics and behaviors. We cannot expect each of our children to be a cookie cutter perfect child...we must accept their personalities and work to fix them if improvement is possible. There are, however, many cases when medication is both necessary and beneficial. In order to make sure only the absolute necessary cases are getting medicated, doctors should perform a more testing that is in depth and really pin points the disorder. We cannot afford to have doctors offering prescriptions left and right. It is harmful for children to become chemically dependent on substances. What is best is to work on the behavior while they are young so that they will learn how to behave themselves appropriately, and without additional substances.
ReplyDeleteEvery situation has two sides, and most of the time there is no clear answer. In this case, I definitely think that over-medicating children is a real concern. More and more in society today it seems that parents are wanting to take the responsibility of of their own shoulders and put it on the community or the government in taking care of their children. I think finding medications for their kids is often an easy way for them to get out of the shame/guilt of having a child who is "hard" to handle. I do think that kids are being prescribed medications who do not necessarily need them and it is important to be extra careful in diagnosing whether or not the medication is necessary for the child. Some kids do need that extra medicine to help keep them calm or whatever but in general I think we need to be wary of how easy it is to get medication and how much doctors tend to give it out because it could definitely have rough side effects in the long run.
ReplyDeleteI have very strong opinions about medicating children and even adults. From having a family member become too addicted to medications and basically now has know mental capabilities, I do not have any good things to say about medications. In addition, I have worked with the school district, with Special Ed, for quite awhile and have seen too many of the students being constantly medicated. They have no personality and no ability to even stay awake throughout the day. I think that the majority of the time doctors respond too quickly with medication as the answer. I do believe that having a behavior specialist work with the student and the parents can be a huge help even if it requires more work and patience. I often wonder who has these students best interest at heart. In tune with the article I agree that when we medicate our children at such a young age we have idea what the long term effects are going to be. Their little bodies are still growing and developing and now they have some foreign chemical interacting with them. Also they run the risk of becoming dependent upon the medication, which is never a good thing. The article about ADHD presented a really good case for medicating children and seems to have proof that they work, but most medication for ADHD works because it numbs the children from everything. They always just seem out of it. I would much rather see an outspoken child being able to live their life then a medicated child who appears to behave and always be good. Overall, I do not agree with medicating children or adults. I am however aware that some situations warrant it and have no other choice.
ReplyDeleteLike anything in this world, I think this topic of medication is a case by case basis. I do not believe that we should have children taking tons and tons of medication, especially while they are so young. Nobody knows what their body will do, and what changes may be made with time. There are so many negatives to medication-becoming addicted, harmful side effects, being diagnosed wrong and having other things go wrong in your body-we can’t rely on medication to get the job done. On the flip side, there are many medications that lesson the effects of a disability so that life can be more manageable for these children. Medication might be the answer for some individuals; if it is, I think time should be given before doctors immediately jump to prescribing medication for these individuals, as well as families.
ReplyDeleteI think that over-medicating is a problem in society today. I know from my own personal and simple experience with Ibuprofen that it's easy to believe that we need medications to help us overcome pain and other uncomfortable experiences. I used to take Ibuprofen for my headaches almost without a thought, but I ended up being told by my doctor that I was taking too much and it was causing me other problems. This "overdose" that I was taking was well under the maximum dosage on the bottle. Once I stopped taking Ibuprofen, I realized that my body could easily handle the slight pain of a headache, and that drinking water or waiting it out was often all the "medication" I needed. I think that we have just become too reliant on medication to solve our problems. Because it's so accessible, it feels like it's just what we're supposed to do. I believe that our bodies are able to handle a lot more than we think they can; even though something is uncomfortable, sometimes toughing it out is the best solution.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that there are cases where medication should be used, but not as the immediate response and not without continued monitoring to see how it is affecting us.
There have been some amazing medical advances in the past decade, and more studies continue to show the possibilities that are available with the increasing knowledge about the effects of certain treatments and medicines. I think it is an exciting time with so many potentially life-saving/changing breakthroughs, however, I also think that one needs to proceed with caution, not forgetting about the risks that may also be involved. As the first article mentioned, many may be turning to medication as the "easy" solution, or using it as a means for justification- that if their child is medicated they will "be all better." Unfortunately, they aren't willing to try using other treatments for those that could respond just as well un-medicated. However, I also am grateful for the medicines that are available for those individuals that it truly is the only thing that they respond to and helps them be more successful. I definitely support trying alternative methods before medicating, but I acknowledge that some individuals can only succeed with medication.
ReplyDeleteI think that a medicated student already brings with them both an easier attitude and willingness to learn from the teacher. A student being medicated for hyperactivity will be calmer, thus being able to learn better each day. A teacher prays that the parents remembered to give their child that medication in the morning before they got onto the school bus because they have witnessed how much easier it is to be with and teach that student each day.
ReplyDeleteThe issues of whether or not it is worth it to medicate a child are centered on the side effects stemming from so many pills. Being in a few schools myself I haven’t seen or heard of the issue of an over-medicated student. The only negative side effects of medicating a student are those mild side effects that come from a student being introduced or taken off of a drug. Those “negative aspects” are just that: side effects that are expected from taking such drugs and they shouldn’t take away from the validity of the great work that these medicines do. Teachers experience the side effects of not getting enough sleep, which doesn’t mean that they should not sleep anymore and need to look to other options of getting rest – they need to simply control those expected side effects by drinking Diet Coke.
Medications are just fine, and although this is a fun issue to talk about, being very easy to jump back and forth to either side of the argument, it isn’t up to the teacher to really debate or decide. A parent must decide between the factors of money and time on whether to give their child a pill or resort to talking them through their behavioral difficulties.
I feel like both sides of this argument are correct. In some ways we are definitely over-medicating. I know a number of cases that parents hear the word ADHD and immediately go to the doctor to get a prescription. In these cases, the parents should experiment with the child to see if they really need medication or not. If a child can function close to normally without medication... don't give them medication!
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I know a lot of people that take medication for ADHD and I highly support it. When I was 14, I babysat for a family with a son that had severe ADHD and it was impossible to control him if he hadn't taken his medication yet. I believe that medication should only be a fall-back plan for extreme cases. Not the initial solution without experimentation.
I think this issue is similar to many of the others we discuss in that it should be looked at case by case. I do think we are definitely over medicating children. Like the first article stated that the moment anyone see's anything wrong with a child they instantly think to put them on medication instead of maybe diving in and figuring out how to adapt to the students situation and needs without the use of medication. The article stated that some kids are on eight or more different types of medication at a time, which is scary to me. Who knows what the potential risks that come with those medications are, and how could they be effecting our children. However, on the other hand I believe that medication today is here to help those who need it. We are so lucky to have such helpful resources around us. However, we need do need to be selective and determine if that really is the best solution and option for the child and use the medication we have wisely and not excessively, especially there is a potential risk it could harm the child.
ReplyDeleteI think that every situation is different. Every kid has to be treated in their own way. Yes I do think that over medication is a problem and it should be dealt with. I do think like the first article stated that people when they see the littlest things wrong with a child and they say they need to be on medication. This is not always the situation and we do need to make sure that all of the proper testing is done so that we are not giving a kid medicine that they don't need. We need to be careful when it comes to medicating. But I do have to agree with Jordan that medications are put here to help those who need it out. I have three brothers that have ADHD and it was night and day. Their grades were so much better when they were on the medication. I am for both sides on this one. Don't turn to medicine fist find another way if you can and then turn to meds and see if there is a change.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the other comments, that we are over medicating our children. I also agree that it sometimes depends on the child. In my experience babysitting and volunteering in schools I know that some children are extremely hyper-active but I know that part of this could be due to diet, activities and personality it is not necessary to put every child on meds just because they are excited and like to move around. I knew one little boy whos teacher felt that he had ADHD and felt that his parents should look into getting him on medication. Instead however his parents looked at his Asthma medication that he was on and realised that this was probably the cause of his hyperactive behaviour. They switched his medication and he was a lot calmer in school. I know every child is different and I agree that it should be judged case by case... however I think that the whole lifestyle should be looked at before resorting to medicate the children. The first article especially emphasised the negative long term effects of medicating children and I agree that they could be harmful. So in conclusion I feel that the entire lifestyle of our children should be evaluated and medication should be a last resort.
ReplyDeleteI have not had a lot of experience with medicating children, but from the articles, and the little experience that I have had, it does seem that many parents are over-medicating. I fully support using medication to lessen symptoms, but parents need to be very careful that they do not take things too far.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in high school one of my friends had ADHD. He was on medication, but hated to take it. When he wouldn't take his medication before school he would literally be bouncing off of the walls during his classes. This made it hard for the teacher, but more importantly, it made learning difficult for him. In his case I believe that medication was a good thing.
One thing that I didn't particularly agree with from the article was it's argument about the increase of bipolar disorder in the last ten years. While the increase may be true, there are so many variables besides over-medication. This increase may be due simply to more children that are actually diagnosed. Over-medication may contribute to this, but one cannot infer that it is the main cause without further studies.
In my personal opinion children now a days are over medicated. I think that people tend to think that medication will solve everything. I personally do not always react positively to medication and there are other ways to fix a problem besides medication. I think that there are cases where medication does help. However, I think that other ways need to be explored before they turn to medication. I think in cases of ADHD medication does help to control behaviors but in the long run it would be best if possible if they can learn coping techniques. Then they are not dependent on medication to help them live their lives. Medication has had too much emphasis put on it.
ReplyDeleteIn general, I believe that children are over medicated. I think the advances in medication and technology have led to over diagnosis and over prescription. Many times there are probably other solutions besides medication, but the medication is proven to work and is easier so they just go with that. That being said, there comes a point when other therapies treatments have failed that medication is the way to go. I think especially with ADHD medication has been proven to be the most effective treatment and it really does help the child to concentrate and control themselves.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though there isn't not just one right answer for these questions since each child is different and reacts differently with medication. Some children really need medication to help them function in a manner that is acceptable for society but I also think that some children are medicated as an easy way out of having to deal with the problem. Since there is no clear easy answer for this situation I feel as though we should just us caution, make sure that the decision of whether the child needs to be medicated or not is really made with the best interest of the student and not because of any other reason that could lead to later hurting the child.
ReplyDeleteI think that lots of kids are currently on meds and they do not necessarily need to be. It seems that instead of finding the root of the problem, lots of people turn to meds as an easy out. I feel that medicine can help kids to an extent, but it is up to educators and parents to help instill good habits into these kids. As for having them on medication for my sake of ease... Never. I would never want a child to take medication because it would be easier on me as the teacher. I am a special educator, I did not choose this profession because it was easy, I chose it so I could help change lives.
ReplyDeleteI honestly do not know very much or have much experience with medicating children. I believe however that children are being over-medicated. In today's world, people believe that everything has a quick fix and that science and medicine can fix any problem. I do not believe this to be true. If we do medicate children, it should be for their benefit, and not to make them easier to handle as children in the classroom or at home. I have seen some children in my school experience that took more pills a day than I could count. I do not think it is necessary to take medications unless medically necessary or if it improves their ability to learn and to function in society.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it depends on each child. I think medicating children with ADHD or other attention problems can be very beneficial in helping them succeed in school. On the other hand, I have seen parents over medicate their children and it often leads to the child having little progress. Each child needs to be assessed and then determined individually. There needs to be a happy medium for the child where they aren't over medicated but still can be medicated. I am all for medicating as long as it isn't being used uneccessarily and is benefitting the child. You also do not want the child to become dependent on medication. In my job, I work with a girl who is the perfect example of someone who has been over medicated. As a young girl, she was over medicated to make it "easier" on her family. When she was over medicated, she was very quiet and didn't have much of a personality. When she came into the company I work for now, they tapered her off of the uneccessary medication. She now has many side effects from being over medicated which is obviously a barrier in her life.
ReplyDeleteMy 7 year old nephew has some processing problems. Maybe gets his b's and d's confused and has some trouble with the days of the week. Personality wise he is an extraordinary child. He has been evaluated since he was 3 years old. He has seen speech therapist but they always come to the same conclusion that speech therapy wasn't necessary. He has been evaluated outside of the board of education several time and there has never been any mention of ADHD. All of the evaluations have raved about his exceptional behavior and his ability to share and socialize with his peers. His teacher even made a comment "I wish I had a whole class just like him". Recently my brother has had the opportunity to get a downward modification in child support from 65% of his disposable income to the state expectation of 17%. His ex must have been tipped off. This woman has 2 other children, who from my interactions with them are handfuls to say the least and she lives with their father. In the last 3 weeks this woman has brought my nephew to a neurologist who after 1 office visit diagnosed him with ADHD and prescribed him 3 mg of INTUNITV. This medication has sucked the life out of him. We have videos of this 7 year old complain of headaches, stomach pain and hating everyone. The videos of him in the park hiding in the jungle gym with his head down not talking to the children around him. The other children asking "why are you frozen". He lays awake in bed at 3 am with this glazed look eyes wide open with no expression. The videos that I have taken over the last week destroys me to play back. The damage that this woman is doing for either money or an easier home life is irreversible. My nephew has his whole life ahead of him and I am watching his future being cut short. I would hope that she is doing this out of ignorance for the potential harm to her child but my instinct and past dealing with her say other wise. The hardest thing about the situation is that when my nephew sleeps over we have to actually administer this medication. I am helping her poison this child that was once full of hope and had such a bright future ahead of him. What am I supposed to do? How do you sit back and watch? I pray every night that she will see what she is doing but its not likely.
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