I just wouldn't give them to my kid under any circumstances..And treating a persons low blood sugar is not the same as altering a persons brain. That's my opinion and It's not gonna change just because people don't agree with it
Exposing your ignorance. Low blood sugar DOES alter a person's brain, you numb nut. And, right, it's your IGNORANT opinion, to ignore a fact.
chickaree wrote: So perhaps we can all agree that the parents are the best ones to make this decision and not a bunch of uninformed, judgemental folks on the internet? That statements calling a parent "unloving" for making a thoughtful decision different than your own is over the top, uncalled for and unhelpful?
I AGREE!
As in the case of my neice, she was at an age where she was given the choice and made her decision not to take the meds. A parent can help determine the best decision for their child, but I believe a child of a certain age should be included in that decision making process.
True if they are mature enough to make that decision. I can see kids making it for the wrong ones though. Being the parent of a VERY STRONG MINDED almost 17 yo boy, I can tell you that he would end up doing what he wanted to anyways. No one has the best interest of my child as much as me though.
I agree on all levels. My point is that only the person taking the meds. can effectrively tell you how they feel while on the meds versus being off the meds. My neice was head strong and unless you hold them down and shove the pill down their throat.....
When my youngest was at his 3-year old well child check up, the military pediatrician I saw told me that he would probably be diagnosed as ADHD as he got older. True enough, when he was in 2nd grade, I had him evaluated...I filled out a phalanx of forms, his teacher filled out a phalanx of forms, and the military doctor, who specialized in ADHD, and determined he had the Hyper-Active portion of ADHD. At that point we, the doctor, the school, my son, and myself, decided a course of action. We first put him on Ritalin. He only took it during the school week, during the school year...and did not take it on weekends or when school was not in session. It helped; however, he developed a headache in the afternoon and wasn't eating, so we changed him to Adderol, which helped.
When he went into 5th grade, he said he didn't like the blah feeling (kinda zombified) it gave him and with the help of his doctor and the school, we took him off the meds but created an IEP for him to be able to get rid of some of his energy...things like when the teacher needed someone to take something to the office, my son did that or if he was feeling especially antsy, he would stand up and without bothering other children would move about the room. We gave him a beanbag for him to use under his pencil as he was tapping it on his desk. When we took him off his meds, I told him at that time that if there were behavioral problems we would discuss putting him back on it and he was OK with that. He is very aware of this disorder, and yes still shows signs of hyper-activity...but he knows how to harness it and is aware enough to deal with any problems he feels are happening. Right now he is in his 3rd semester of college, living on his own, working a full-time job and doing real, real well.
On the other hand...my nephew's mother took him to the doc when he was 3 and had him put on Ritalin...wrong move. He hasn't been right since then...of course there are other extenuating circumstances, but I think a lot of it was 'cuz she didn't want to deal with an energetic 3-year old boy and just medicated him to deal with him. He has never learned how to deal correctly with his hyper-activity or attention deficit...and when you are around him for longer than a minute you realize he has both, in spades.
No, not every child should be medicated; however, medication along with other therapies, as well as parental, school, and doctor support helps.
I see this similar to treating depression in adults. Anti-depressants do work; however, one anti-depressant may work for me and not work for the person sitting next to me. Furthermore, an anti-depressant may be the only thing I need to get me out of my funk, but someone else may need an anti-depressant and to see a counselor.
I believe that ADHD should be diagnosed and treated, whichever way is necessary, because when it isn't diagnosed and treated, it leads to problems later in life...drug addiction, alcohol addiction, depression, or other mental health issues and could lead to suicide or other crimes. And being up front with the kids and telling them about what they have and teaching them and/or letting them be part of the solution is far better than "hiding" it and pretending the child is "normal". BTW...what is normal?
ComputerBreath wrote: I told him at that time that if there were behavioral problems we would discuss putting him back on it and he was OK with that. He is very aware of this disorder, and yes still shows signs of hyper-activity...but he knows how to harness it and is aware enough to deal with any problems he feels are happening. Right now he is in his 3rd semester of college, living on his own, working a full-time job and doing real, real well.
He'll never be the king of the hill with all that self doubt you laid on him.
ComputerBreath wrote: I told him at that time that if there were behavioral problems we would discuss putting him back on it and he was OK with that. He is very aware of this disorder, and yes still shows signs of hyper-activity...but he knows how to harness it and is aware enough to deal with any problems he feels are happening. Right now he is in his 3rd semester of college, living on his own, working a full-time job and doing real, real well.
He'll never be the king of the hill with all that self doubt you laid on him.
Excuse me? Have you ever met him? He has so little self-doubt sometimes I wonder if he is truly from my loins. Please do not judge him based on my words... I believe, as he does, that I empowered him by allowing him his own choices and to know what was going on. And where he is in life has proven this. I don't need you or anyone else to tell me I did wrong by my child, and I laugh at your pre-judgement based on little or no knowledge of either him or I. Thanks for the input.
ComputerBreath wrote: I told him at that time that if there were behavioral problems we would discuss putting him back on it and he was OK with that. He is very aware of this disorder, and yes still shows signs of hyper-activity...but he knows how to harness it and is aware enough to deal with any problems he feels are happening. Right now he is in his 3rd semester of college, living on his own, working a full-time job and doing real, real well.
He'll never be the king of the hill with all that self doubt you laid on him.
Excuse me? Have you ever met him? He has so little self-doubt sometimes I wonder if he is truly from my loins. Please do not judge him based on my words... I believe, as he does, that I empowered him by allowing him his own choices and to know what was going on. And where he is in life has proven this. I don't need you or anyone else to tell me I did wrong by my child, and I laugh at your pre-judgement based on little or no knowledge of either him or I. Thanks for the input.
ComputerBreath wrote: I told him at that time that if there were behavioral problems we would discuss putting him back on it and he was OK with that. He is very aware of this disorder, and yes still shows signs of hyper-activity...but he knows how to harness it and is aware enough to deal with any problems he feels are happening. Right now he is in his 3rd semester of college, living on his own, working a full-time job and doing real, real well.
He'll never be the king of the hill with all that self doubt you laid on him.
Excuse me? Have you ever met him? He has so little self-doubt sometimes I wonder if he is truly from my loins. Please do not judge him based on my words... I believe, as he does, that I empowered him by allowing him his own choices and to know what was going on. And where he is in life has proven this. I don't need you or anyone else to tell me I did wrong by my child, and I laugh at your pre-judgement based on little or no knowledge of either him or I. Thanks for the input.
major bean wrote: I cannot imagine a parent who would subject their child to drug treatments. A parent must research after the recommendation has been made to them, and then deny approval after seeing all of the questions concerning such a treatment. If for no other reason than doubt.
Trusting doctors and other "experts" is extremely foolish. ALL medical treatments are the decision of the patient or guardian, not the doctors. That is the reason that consent forms were invented.
Doctors and experts are human, with human motivations, limitations, and agendas. Parents should have ONLY ONE motivation: what is the absolute wisest upbringing for their child.
There is too much controversy in the area of ADHD for a parent to consent to this diagnosis and treatment. Psychotropic drugs have dangers which will affect the child that are irreversible.
There are alternatives:
ADHD Treatment - Why Choose Neurofeedback Over Drugs for Attention Deficit Disorder Treatment?
For 30 years the Drake Institute has made biofeedback or neurofeedback the centerpiece of our non drug ADHD treatment programs. There is a learning curve in acquiring clinical expertise in utilizing neurofeedback and biofeedback . Our having helped more than 11,000 patients over the past 30 years has produced a level of knowledge and clinical expertise that could not have been acquired in any other way.
For the past 2 decades, we committed to helping ADHD patients with our preferred non drug ADHD treatment. As a medical clinic we could prescribe medication for ADHD children, but for clinical effectiveness and safety we choose our non drug ADHD treatment.
Unlike drugs when used for ADHD treatment, neurofeedback used properly does not cause negative side effects. In addition, brainmap guided neurofeedback can produce long term improvements which drugs cannot. The drugs can only produce a short-lived improvement. Furthermore, brainmap guided neurofeedback is very empowering to the ADHD child, and helps restore their self esteem by enabling them to develop the neurological resources and skills necessary to succeed. Our clinical staff of therapists provides much needed support throughout the ADHD Treatment for the parents to facilitate the ADHD child's improvements integrating into their everyday lives.
MB, if you read the quotes you have posted carefully, they all hedge their position to some degree. This is because NO ONE has a clear handle on ADHD. The symptoms of what is associated with ADHD have been identified and even with these there are significant differences between observation sets. The working hypotheses derived from various studies have NOT identified cause and affect. It is quite OK to have multiple working hypotheses. That is why some believe there is a chemical imbalance with a genetic basis, others propose the chemical imbalance is related to food (intake of various chemicals whose composition and interaction with the body are also not fully understood). And there are other working hypotheses. While you subscribe to one hypotheses over another (namely no use of drugs), you do no more than the experts fully understand the cause for ADHD. To argue on the basis of one group of scientists who make claims that you favor is not justifcation for dismissing alternative approaches. All, like the neurofeedback project proposed above may claim "successful treatment" of symptoms. But the fact remains, NO ONE has yet identified the exact cause or reason ADHD symptoms surface in the first place. Until the cause of ADHD symptoms is clearly identified, you can not be definitive about this issue. It remains an elusive condition very much still in the focus of research. It is inconsiderate and ignorant to berate a parent for how they deal with their child's behavior on the only thing currently almost agreed upon are the symptoms associated with ADHD
