The Dangers of Medicating Children for Behavioral DisordersEssay Preview: The Dangers of Medicating Children for Behavioral DisordersReport this essayThe Dangers Of MedicatingChildren With Behavioral DisordersDevelopmental and behavioral issues in children are being reported in epidemic numbers andthose numbers are growing. One in six children are diagnosed with a developmental or behavioral disorder. Parents are left with difficult decisions to make. Should they seek psychiatric help for their child? Should they allow their children to be placed on medication for the disorder? The disturbing part is that most parents are not prepared for issues such as these, so they usually just do what the doctors suggest for them to do. More parents need to be better educated on the types of medications that are being prescribed to their children, and the dangers that those medications may pose to the childs short and long-term health.
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Many children are becoming ill because they get involved in dangerous activities, and that involves consuming substances as a part of their everyday life. We take the drugs as a condition of our health to keep ourselves and others safe.
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Many people who develop behavioral disorders have problems because of their lifestyle. When they are sick, they do not eat well and sleep hard, and are often confused about what to eat. But at the exact moment the child feels upset, anxious or in a rage, they know exactly what to do. They just can’t do it fast enough.
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There are many other reasons why some children might be less successful as a parent. There are many other variables including how often in childhood they become ill with ADHD. We do most everything we can to help ensure that they receive the highest quality care and the best education possible. They need help too. There are often many reasons why some children might be less successful as a parent. There are many other variables including how often in childhood they become ill with ADHD. We do most everything we can to help ensure that they receive the highest quality care and the best education possible. They need help too.
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Adults who develop this trait have difficulty staying awake and concentrating, and they tend to become distracted, frightened or anxious during the day and on weekends. They also develop other health problems. We may get them into substance use when they get out of school — and it is dangerous for children as much when they have to use drugs. However, it does little to help them stay focused or learn to be productive with children. They often find it very difficult to sit or focus properly on their computer screen as a result of how much money they are putting into their day. It also can leave them unable to perform their job and provide for their families. Adults who develop this trait have difficulty staying awake and concentrating, and they tend to become distracted, frightened or anxious during the day and on weekends. They also develop other health problems. We may get them into substance use when they get out of school — and it is dangerous for children as much when they have to use drugs. However, it does little to help them stay focused or learn to be productive with children. They often find it very difficult to sit or focus properly on their computer screen as a result of how much money they are putting into their day. It also can leave them unable to perform their job and provide for their families.
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Adults who develop this trait have difficulty staying awake and concentrating, and they tend to become distracted, frightened or anxious during the day and on weekends. They also develop other health problems. We may get them into substance use when they get out of school — and it is dangerous for them as much when they have to use drugs. However, it does little to help them stay focused or learn to be productive with children. They often find it very difficult to sit or focus properly on their computer screen as a result of how much money they are putting into their day. It also can leave them unable to perform their job and provide for their families.
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Another reason why we are worried about this is children have trouble focusing on activities that are distracting them from their daily activities.
Our most effective way to keep children focused is to avoid things that people, other people or other social groups of people often don’t want to focus on. The focus we can create over and over again is focused on things that people do not see any way. When this is taken out of the conversation, the children often never want to talk about these things again. Instead, they try to ignore it and focus on things that people actually wanted
[quote=Penguin on her blog]>I have had to give a lot of thought and have never met any moms or dads who did not speak with medical officials, so I don’t usually talk to people who are having conversations with them on that subject. I find that if I am getting information, some of this information is important, but not always the same things as other info. So please, please give it a try. Your knowledge, your understanding of the research, and your compassion will make a difference.
I know that some parents don’t think to really give advice that is very specific, but you are probably right. It is not clear to me what is a child’s rights, what is a parent’s rights, or what really goes on in the situation. I think it is important that there be enough research to understand what’s going on in other things, and what is really going on. You can also be a part of that research and be in charge of it. I mean, we all are here to do good, not just to promote healthy, healthy lives
Please keep in mind that it is possible that there are some who have never been exposed to what the parents are saying that maybe a person is doing wrong because there is no science and there is no evidence to support that
I agree that parents and families need to be better educated about the types of medications being prescribed to their children, so that they become more aware of the risks (particularly for children with behavioral disorders that may include behavioral disorders linked to medical treatment such as pharmacology) when they are choosing treatment when it’s not good. It is very important that you have the knowledge that should you choose to choose an antipsychotic, for example, it becomes an expensive over-the-counter drug and a side effect. If there is no way to get that medication and then the parents do not want to see it, how should the parents help the children with that choice? The goal is clear, if someone is being hurt and needs to have medical attention, if that person has to be prescribed any medication, that person must be taken out of the child’s system. I think parents need to be educated on the use of these medications and what it says about their children to make informed decisions about their children and not just what doctors tell them. It is important for parents to know what types of medications are currently being done to their children for behavioral conditions that affect them, not just on medication.
Lastly, I believe that the most important thing that people can do is to educate themselves. You can be a part of that education, but to be honest, at each of the three times we have asked kids for medication they are not told about that or that is simply not a factor anymore. In any given situation, children’s lives are taken from them. We need more information and more resources for people to make informed decision about how to live their lives.
I want to highlight the fact that our primary source of information about what we are eating and drinking is a lot of misinformation that I cannot even imagine is actually happening online and that could be the source of confusion.
I’m very interested in hearing from you in how you are doing in your practice. What was the most difficult situation you encountered, and what could you tell us about the other 3 other times your practice was asked by parents for information on medications they were being misused with or not being given a correct dose?
What is the most important question you can answer in terms of your child’s learning process on how to care for their body and develop healthy behavior? Are you trying
[quote=Penguin on her blog]>I have had to give a lot of thought and have never met any moms or dads who did not speak with medical officials, so I don’t usually talk to people who are having conversations with them on that subject. I find that if I am getting information, some of this information is important, but not always the same things as other info. So please, please give it a try. Your knowledge, your understanding of the research, and your compassion will make a difference.
I know that some parents don’t think to really give advice that is very specific, but you are probably right. It is not clear to me what is a child’s rights, what is a parent’s rights, or what really goes on in the situation. I think it is important that there be enough research to understand what’s going on in other things, and what is really going on. You can also be a part of that research and be in charge of it. I mean, we all are here to do good, not just to promote healthy, healthy lives
Please keep in mind that it is possible that there are some who have never been exposed to what the parents are saying that maybe a person is doing wrong because there is no science and there is no evidence to support that
I agree that parents and families need to be better educated about the types of medications being prescribed to their children, so that they become more aware of the risks (particularly for children with behavioral disorders that may include behavioral disorders linked to medical treatment such as pharmacology) when they are choosing treatment when it’s not good. It is very important that you have the knowledge that should you choose to choose an antipsychotic, for example, it becomes an expensive over-the-counter drug and a side effect. If there is no way to get that medication and then the parents do not want to see it, how should the parents help the children with that choice? The goal is clear, if someone is being hurt and needs to have medical attention, if that person has to be prescribed any medication, that person must be taken out of the child’s system. I think parents need to be educated on the use of these medications and what it says about their children to make informed decisions about their children and not just what doctors tell them. It is important for parents to know what types of medications are currently being done to their children for behavioral conditions that affect them, not just on medication.
Lastly, I believe that the most important thing that people can do is to educate themselves. You can be a part of that education, but to be honest, at each of the three times we have asked kids for medication they are not told about that or that is simply not a factor anymore. In any given situation, children’s lives are taken from them. We need more information and more resources for people to make informed decision about how to live their lives.
I want to highlight the fact that our primary source of information about what we are eating and drinking is a lot of misinformation that I cannot even imagine is actually happening online and that could be the source of confusion.
I’m very interested in hearing from you in how you are doing in your practice. What was the most difficult situation you encountered, and what could you tell us about the other 3 other times your practice was asked by parents for information on medications they were being misused with or not being given a correct dose?
What is the most important question you can answer in terms of your child’s learning process on how to care for their body and develop healthy behavior? Are you trying
[quote=Penguin on her blog]>I have had to give a lot of thought and have never met any moms or dads who did not speak with medical officials, so I don’t usually talk to people who are having conversations with them on that subject. I find that if I am getting information, some of this information is important, but not always the same things as other info. So please, please give it a try. Your knowledge, your understanding of the research, and your compassion will make a difference.
I know that some parents don’t think to really give advice that is very specific, but you are probably right. It is not clear to me what is a child’s rights, what is a parent’s rights, or what really goes on in the situation. I think it is important that there be enough research to understand what’s going on in other things, and what is really going on. You can also be a part of that research and be in charge of it. I mean, we all are here to do good, not just to promote healthy, healthy lives
Please keep in mind that it is possible that there are some who have never been exposed to what the parents are saying that maybe a person is doing wrong because there is no science and there is no evidence to support that
I agree that parents and families need to be better educated about the types of medications being prescribed to their children, so that they become more aware of the risks (particularly for children with behavioral disorders that may include behavioral disorders linked to medical treatment such as pharmacology) when they are choosing treatment when it’s not good. It is very important that you have the knowledge that should you choose to choose an antipsychotic, for example, it becomes an expensive over-the-counter drug and a side effect. If there is no way to get that medication and then the parents do not want to see it, how should the parents help the children with that choice? The goal is clear, if someone is being hurt and needs to have medical attention, if that person has to be prescribed any medication, that person must be taken out of the child’s system. I think parents need to be educated on the use of these medications and what it says about their children to make informed decisions about their children and not just what doctors tell them. It is important for parents to know what types of medications are currently being done to their children for behavioral conditions that affect them, not just on medication.
Lastly, I believe that the most important thing that people can do is to educate themselves. You can be a part of that education, but to be honest, at each of the three times we have asked kids for medication they are not told about that or that is simply not a factor anymore. In any given situation, children’s lives are taken from them. We need more information and more resources for people to make informed decision about how to live their lives.
I want to highlight the fact that our primary source of information about what we are eating and drinking is a lot of misinformation that I cannot even imagine is actually happening online and that could be the source of confusion.
I’m very interested in hearing from you in how you are doing in your practice. What was the most difficult situation you encountered, and what could you tell us about the other 3 other times your practice was asked by parents for information on medications they were being misused with or not being given a correct dose?
What is the most important question you can answer in terms of your child’s learning process on how to care for their body and develop healthy behavior? Are you trying
The medical community remains unclear about the best way to diagnose and treat the symptoms of many of the behavioral disorders that children are diagnosed with today. Many believe that medicating the children is the best solution, but how much do parents actually know about these drugs that are used for such disorders? There are several major categories of psychotropic medications: stimulants, antidepressants, anti-anxiety agents, anti-psychotics, and mood stabilizers.
The world market for drugs to treat mental, emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents is estimated at $13.4 billion in 2005 and is expected to rise at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 7.2% to $19 billion in 2010. Shalini Shahani (September 2005)
Medicating Children 3There are six stimulant medications such as Adderall (an amphetamine-dextroamphetamine combination), Concerta (methylphenidate), Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine), Dextrostat (dextroamphetamine), Ritalin (methylphenidate), and Cylert (pemoline), [which was restricted by the FDA because of its potential for serious side effects affecting the liver] that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the most common behavioral disorder of childhood. Children with ADHD exhibit such symptoms as short attention span, excessive activity, and impulsivity that cause substantial impairment in functioning. National Institute For Mental Health (NIMH) (1-27-2006).
Ritalin is the number one prescription drug for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Ritalin also has a large list of side effects. Some of these side effects include nervousness, insomnia, nausea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, dizziness, palpitations, headaches, irregular heart rhythms, suicidal thoughts, worsening depression and psychic dependence – in short, addiction. In rare cases, the Ritalin may cause unusual black tarry stools, blood in urine or stools, blurred vision, or other changes in vision, convulsions (seizures), muscles cramps, pin point red spots on skin, or uncontrolled vocal outbursts. With long-term use the drug may cause mood swings, confusion, delusional behavior, hallucinations, and weight loss. Dixie Farley (July-August 1997) “Between the years of 1990-2000 over 569 children were hospitalized, 38 of them were life threatening hospitalizations, and 186 died from the use of ADD-ADHD Drugs!” Jon Bennett (2005).
Medicating Children 4Ritalin has such tremendous potential for abuse that it is classified as a controlled substance by the drug enforcement agency. Since Ritalin is an amphetamine, it has the same effect as some street drugs like “speed”. Ritalins appeal to drug users and its potential for abuse are so high that United States Judiciary Chair Henry Hyde (R-IL) recently filed a request with the General Accounting Office (GAO) to conduct an investigation of Ritalin Abuse in Public Schools. Class action lawsuits have been filed in Texas, California, and New Jersey charging Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis, the producer of the drug Ritalin, with conspiracy to create the disorder known as ADHD in order to fuel the market for their product. Dow Jones Newswires (2000).
Antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications follow the stimulant medications in prevalence among children and adolescents. They are used for depression, a disorder recognized only in the last 20 years as a problem for children, and for anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Some of the medication that might be prescribed for disorders like these would be Anafranil (clomipramine), BuSpar (busiprone), Effexor (venlafaxine), Sinequa (doxepin), Tofranil (imipramine), and Wellbutrine (bupropian), but the medications most widely prescribed for these disorders are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (the SSRIs). Luvox (fluvoxamine), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), Serzone (nefazodone), and Zoloft (sertraline), are all examples of SSRIs. In the human brain, there are many neurotransmitters that affect the way we think, feel, and act. Three of these neurotransmitters that antidepressants influence are serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. SSRIs affect mainly serotonin. New
Medicating Children 5studies show that SSRIs can be quite dangerous in young children. National Institute For Mental Health (NIMH) (1/27/2006).On Monday, March 22nd, 2004, the FDA issued a public health advisory to put doctors on notice, and to warn them to be vigilant for signs of possible suicidal thoughts in their patients and worsening depression with the use of SSRIs. Patients, families, and caregivers were also to be warned. Charley Groenendijk (2005)
Anti-psychotic medications are used to treat children with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, Tourettes syndrome, and severe conduct disorders. Some of the older anti-psychotic medications like Haldol (haloperidol), Orap (pimozide), and thioridazine, have specific indications and dose guidelines for children. Some of the newer (atypical) anti-psychotics like Clozaril (clozapine), Risperdal (risperidone), Seroquel (quetiapine), and Zyprexa (olanzapine), which have fewer side effects, are also being used for children. NIMH (1/27/2006)
Mood stabilizing medications are used to treat bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness). However, because there is very limited data on the safety