Prescriptions to young kids

[DanteX]

This is an issue I (for some reason) feel really strongly about. I have gotten to the point where I've seen one too many kids my age who are (swear)'d up now because of the prescriptions they were given as children. It's usually adderol.



Here's an example. Last year, this kid named Noah lived down the hall from me. He had been prescribed to Adderol for a while, as far as I could tell, and took maybe 60mgs (that's a lot) or more a day. Anyway, this kid slept all day, stayed up all night, and had no friends. Most anti-social person probably ever. Inside, though, I know he's a nice kid, and I rreally know that he HATES adderol. But what can he do? He doesn't take his full prescription, but he probably gets withdrawal if he doesn't at least take some. Poor kid - he's trapped.



The ironic thing is that at the end of the year, we finally got him to have a few beers with us. He was taking an empty beer can out of his room to throw away, and the RA (like the student cops in dorms) happened to walk by. Most RA's wouldn't care about an empty beer can - this one decided to write the kid up.



What do you guys think?

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Well if a child needs medication then they should be prescribed that medication.. Its up to the parents to figure out if their child was mis-diagnosed and discontinue the use of their medication if they feel that is necessary.

 

[Skillet]

Well if a child needs medication then they should be prescribed that medication.. Its up to the parents to figure out if their child was mis-diagnosed and discontinue the use of their medication if they feel that is necessary.

Exactly.



Some kids actually do need medicine for certain things. If you were to say no to the point of none during any circumstances, there would be too many situations where this could be negative.

 

[Alien]

I'm assuming he has ADHD....I know that some of the time, meds are prescribed needlessly for that condition. Not everyone with ADHD/ADD needs to be medicated, there are other ways of controlling it. I feel for him.

 

[DanteX]

Exactly.



Some kids actually do need medicine for certain things. If you were to say no to the point of none during any circumstances, there would be too many situations where this could be negative.

Obviously some do, but parents seemingly always just blindly listen to doctors. They don't always know what's best. But that's a different debate.

 

[xneseyx]

I'm ADHD. I was started on Ritalin when I was in grade four because I couldn't comcentrate on math. it really helped me to concentrate. my mother told me that the first thing I said when I got home from school the first day that I used it was mommy, I could actually hear the teacher today. I was bumped to Dexadrine a few years later, in grade six or seven, and continued with it until grade 10, second semester. I've been off of it ever since then, but while I was on it it was good for me and my health and all that.

 

[Skillet]

If used with proper instructions, and the parents are monitering the child, it should be fine. Soemtimes children need to take medicine.

 

[Alien]

I have ADHD and I'm not medicated and never have been.

 

[DanteX]

I'm ADHD. I was started on Ritalin when I was in grade four because I couldn't comcentrate on math. it really helped me to concentrate. my mother told me that the first thing I said when I got home from school the first day that I used it was mommy, I could actually hear the teacher today. I was bumped to Dexadrine a few years later, in grade six or seven, and continued with it until grade 10, second semester. I've been off of it ever since then, but while I was on it it was good for me and my health and all that.

Well it's good to hear good stories about it...I've just heard too many negative ones.

 

[xneseyx]

I have ADHD and I'm not medicated and never have been.

I think it depends on how bad your ADHD is. when I was in kindergarden people thought I'd been sexually abused because I was licking people. I know that's weird, but my little mind thought it was ok cause when I licked my aunt she licked me back (I know that sounds weird). it was just what I thought was acceptable, but there was this huge thing that we had to go through because the teachers filed a report-thing telling their supervisors that Id been sexually abused when I hadn't. it was just the extent of my ADHD and I didn't know it was wrong, gross, or weird. I've learned that now, though.

 

[Princess]

I had 2--one that was ADD one with ADHD. A girl and a boy.

The ADD was zombie like--she needed speeding up. Was on Ritalin from second grade until 9th.

Boy--ADHD--he definitely needed slowing down. He was on Ritalin, then went to Concerta. Went off when he was in high school too. He isn't coping as well as his sister, but that has to do more with caffeine. He overdoses on Jolt Cola, and Red Bull. Otherwise, they're both fine.

 

[xneseyx]

well, some of them are worse than others. sounds like you got a coupla relatively good ones.