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24HourForums.com > Supported Forums > Britt's Child Education > SOURCE REVIEW: Frontline Report on ADHD |
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Britt Forum-Blogger© Original500© Member  Learning Contentment
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 Hello! Available on-line as five video chapters, the Frontline program "Medicating Our Kids" focuses on the controversial mental disorder ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). "Medicating Our Kids" examines the dramatic increase in the prescription of behavior-modifying drugs for children. Are these medications really necessary and safe for young children, or are they merely a harried nation's quick fix for annoying, yet age-appropriate, behavior? You be the judge!ADHD is defined as "a common developmental and behavioral disorder. It is characterized by poor concentration, distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness that are inappropriate for the child's age. Children and adults with ADHD are easily distracted by sights and sounds in their environment, cannot concentrate for long periods of time, are restless and impulsive, or have a tendency to daydream and be slow to complete tasks." -WebMD If you have experience with ADHD as a parent or educator, please share your wisdom. Likewise, if you have an ADHD diagnosis, please share your experience.
 "All that you have is your soul." --Tracy Chapman |
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Erinna1112 Original500© Member  Witty clever title pending
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I am a parent of a child who has been diagnosed with ADHD. He was diagnosed at the age of five. "FIVE!!?!?!" I hear people thinking..."How could you possibly know at age FIVE?!?!??" Believe me, I fought this diagnosis. I did NOT want this to be true. He's five, I said. Five-year-olds run around and bounce and talk loudly and don't have terrific social skills. He's five, for pete's sake, let him be a kid. ADHD is way overdiagnosed, I said. It's probably just being five. After evaluations from three different doctors, connected in no way other than I found them in my research and they were all reasonably close by, I had to admit that just maybe they were right. No drugs, I said. Not my kid. Who *knows* what those chemicals do to a growing body? And so we went on, with a nearly unmanageable child, fights in the grocery store, people looking at us as if to say, "Why aren't you a better parent? Why don't you just MAKE your child behave? Why not [fill in the discipline method of your choice here] ?" Oh, sure. Right. Discipline my child. Be a parent. Put him in time-out. Spank. Take away privileges. Why didn't I think of that? So...two years later, after a kindergarten and first grade that were anything but enjoyable for this poor child, I gave in. Through my son's school, we found a behavioral psychologist who specializes in children. This doctor's office has a staff of MDs, PhDs, and counselors; any medical need my son has related to this condition is addressed there. I go to a monthly support group session made up of other moms who have children like mine. He has a wonderful pediatrician who is completely on board with this, although unconnected with the behavioral center. He's in a terrific school - yes, believe it or not, a public school - where he has the first and last parts of his day in a "resource room" with special ed teachers, but the core academics are in mainstream classes. None of this would be possible without the medication that my son takes. I fought it for so long, tried every alternative, and was eventually convinced that this is the right way to go. Is ADHD overdiagnosed? Without a doubt. Is Ritalin overprescribed? I believe that it is. This does not, however, mean that ADHD does not exist, and that Ritalin is of no benefit to anyone. There are those who do not believe that ADHD exists. I still get those looks in the grocery store, when I or my child is tired, has had a bad day, or is simply in a bad mood. There are still people who look at me as if they want to tell me to be a better mom - as if this kind of situation is something I would choose for my child. Nothing - NOTHING - could be further from the truth. These people need education on this subject. I can forgive ignorance. I cannot forgive deliberate refusal to acknowledge that this condition exists, and that it can be treated. It is a medical condition, a chemical imbalance. If it were my son's kidneys, or liver, or lungs, or heart, no one would blame me. Why is it different when it's a brain disorder? Last edited on 03:31 am by Erinna1112 |
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24HourNut Administrator  Body pillows rock!
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I can feel for you, Erinna ... my middle child has a very mild version of ADHD and was even diagnosed as having it by one person but he is a handful, that's for sure! Fortunately, the school system is great with him. I know the condition exists, whatever the label, because it was obvious to us from only 6 months old that he was wired up and different! He's not typical ADHD like I said, he is just intense and emotionally immature in some ways, to the average onlooker.
The best human beings start good new topics and vote on the better posts. |
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newbiecollector Pioneer100© Member  You can't fake real
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I have nothing to offer, but really appreciate this thread. I have a very dear friend who has a son, 9 years old now, and it is very very serious. She has had him to several Docs, many treatments. There isn't money for any private help and he has recently gotten a lot worse. I wish i knew where to suggest she could go for more help, for him. I find it a heart breaker
Enjoy the pleasure of life Wayne |
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Britt Forum-Blogger© Original500© Member Learning Contentment
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Erinna1112 wrote: It is a medical condition, a chemical imbalance. If it were my son's kidneys, or liver, or lungs, or heart, no one would blame me. Why is it different when it's a brain disorder? You raise an excellent point, Erinna. Indeed, society would not blame you in the least for treatment of physical ailments affecting the kidneys, liver, heart, Etc., but place a stigma on the treatment of a brain disorder. At the heart of the argument is the question, "Is this type of behavior a result of a brain disorder or chemical imbalance, or is it simply 'a different way of being'?" Parents and experts argue this point incessantly. In my experience, there are rare but true cases of children so profoundly affected by this disorder that they require pharmaceutical intervention. I have worked with two children on Ritalin and they have benefited enormously from drug therapy. I once asked a friend's grandmother - a former one-room school house teacher - if extreme hyperactivity was ever a problem in her 35-plus years of teaching. I wondered if ADHD has really always existed or if it was a recent phenomena. She told me about a male student named Jack. Jack was, in her words, "A hellion with the sweetest parents you ever saw. I know something was seriously wrong with that boy." He ended up quiting school and working as a ranch hand. Education is a human right. If a disorder like ADHD prevents a child from receiving an adequate education, I advocate it's treatment. If it were my child, I would not want him to miss out on schooling due to a baffling brain disorder. Having said all that, I do think ADHD is over-diagnosed. In your case, Erinna, and in the case of Frank's son and the child of Newbie's friend, drug therapy is likely the best and most responsible course of action. Everyone wants their children to be successful in school; there is no shame in treatment.
"All that you have is your soul." --Tracy Chapman |
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24HourNut Administrator Body pillows rock!
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Hi Britt! Actually, mine isn't a candidate for medicine because his case is too mild to really justify it, but if he doesn't improve over time I guess it is possible we would look into that, if it affects his schoolwork. Right now, he just isn't THAT bad (fortunately).
The best human beings start good new topics and vote on the better posts. |
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Britt Forum-Blogger© Original500© Member Learning Contentment
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newbiecollector wrote: I have nothing to offer, but really appreciate this thread. Bless you, Newbie, for caring so profoundly for your friend's situation. There is a little boy living in my neighborhood whom sounds very similar to your friend's son. His parents appear to be responsible and loving people. Despite their efforts, their son is becoming an eight year-old sociopath. It is interesting to read the literature on this phenomena as professionals are just as baffled as the rest of us. Some scientists hypothesize that environmental influences like pesticides, herbicides, industrial chemicals and the like are responsible for in utero brain impairment that leads to this phenomena. They reason that in utero exposure to alcohol and street drugs often leads to defects, thus why wouldn't environmental influences? There is no conclusive evidence, in my opinion. I would not be surprised if it were true, however. If I were your friend, I would fight tooth and nail to get care for my son. It would frighten me to no end to think my beautiful child could become tomorrow's criminal. Early intervention seems to be the only effective course. If you PM me and let me know where she lives, I will search for resources for her son. 
"All that you have is your soul." --Tracy Chapman |
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Britt Forum-Blogger© Original500© Member Learning Contentment
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24HourNut wrote:
Hi, Frank! He is fortunate to have you and your wife as parents. If his case is relatively mild, I am quite sure you two are up to the task of raising your energetic son. Some kids are just wired for speed! 
"All that you have is your soul." --Tracy Chapman |
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newbiecollector Pioneer100© Member You can't fake real
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Britt wrote: newbiecollector wrote:I have nothing to offer, but really appreciate this thread. She has done all that we can think of. He is super serious right now, even had an at home heart monitor on him last week to "online" direct to the hospital, his night terrors. I don't know what to suggest and of course she doesn't either. We just have to keep trying Thank you britt 
Enjoy the pleasure of life Wayne |
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Britt Forum-Blogger© Original500© Member Learning Contentment
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newbiecollector wrote: She has done all that we can think of. He is super serious right now, even had an at home heart monitor on him last week to "online" direct to the hospital, his night terrors. I'm serious about finding resources. You never know, one of my contacts may turn up a course of action not yet explored. I have a friend with a Ph.D. in Child Development and Special Education who might know of resources unknown to you and I. It's worth a try, eh? Please think about it. GOOD FRIENDS MAKE LIFE A JOY! Your friend is lucky to have you. 
"All that you have is your soul." --Tracy Chapman |
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UsedToRide Original500© Member  ^^^That is LOVE!!^^^
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Erinna1112 wrote: people looking at us as if to say, "Why aren't you a better parent? Why don't you just MAKE your child behave? Why not [fill in the discipline method of your choice here] ?" On a personal note, if something like that happens while I'm out with you 2, someone is really going to wish they hadn't even looked your direction. They may also wish for a doctor. I've said it before, I'll say it again: do NOT mess with my family.
Respect some, trust one, fear none ~~Bullet http://www.freeholbrook.com The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons. ~~Dostoyevsky |
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newbiecollector Pioneer100© Member You can't fake real
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Britt wrote: newbiecollector wrote:She has done all that we can think of. He is super serious right now, even had an at home heart monitor on him last week to "online" direct to the hospital, his night terrors. I am serious Britt...........any and all help, leads or other I welcome 100% The situation I am talking about has gone red code......and it scares the hell out of me because I have no more answers
Enjoy the pleasure of life Wayne |
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Britt Forum-Blogger© Original500© Member Learning Contentment
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PM sent to ya, Newbie.
"All that you have is your soul." --Tracy Chapman |
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Amy Original500© Member  ...going with the flow...
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I have no doubt that some children do need to be medicated in order to be able to concentrate and focus. But I used to work with a woman, who had 2 children in school. The school approached the mother and told her that her son needed to be on ridalin. And the next year they told her that her daughter needed to be as well. After some research on her part, she discovered that 75%+ of the students in that school were medicated. It had just become a way for the school to subdue the children. She refused to put her daughter on it, as she felt she was just a normal child with normal energy, and was having no difficulties doing homework etc. They told her that she could not come back to school unless she complied. So she pulled her kids out and put them in a different school. I thought she should have made it public and sent her story to some news outlets, but she never did.
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Britt Forum-Blogger© Original500© Member Learning Contentment
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Amy wrote: After some research on her part, she discovered that 75%+ of the students in that school were medicated. It had just become a way for the school to subdue the children. Amy, you are right, this diagnosis can be grossly abused. Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is a central nervous system stimulant and may be habit-forming. It is also a drug of abuse. Ritalin can cause side effects that impair vision or reactions, and the list of other possible side-effects is lengthly and frightening. Side-effects include fast, pounding or uneven heartbeats; increased blood pressure with attending headaches and seizure; and aggression, hallucinations and unusual behavior. In light of these possible side-effects and risk factors, the use of Ritalin as a method to subdue children is absolutely criminal. I agree with you, Amy: Someone should protest this school's policy. SOME children with behavioral problems can benefit from Ritalin but I think it should only be used as a drug therapy when all other avenues have been exhausted.
"All that you have is your soul." --Tracy Chapman |
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24HourForums.com > Supported Forums > Britt's Child Education > SOURCE REVIEW: Frontline Report on ADHD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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