Aed/222 the Controversy of Medication
The Controversy of Medication
Angie Johnson
August 26, 2012
The Controversy of Medication
Many students today who were diagnosed with EBD or ADHD were prescribed some type of medication to help manage their symptoms. In my opinion I feel as though many children benefit greatly from these medications, especially those with severe cases. On the other hand I also feel as though we are depending too much on these medications, which leads to some children receiving medications they may not need. Overall, I am at a crossroads when it comes to medicating children with EBD and ADHD.
Many children with EBD and ADHD are prescribed stimulants or antidepressants such as, Ritalin, Dexedrine, Adderall, and Strattera (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2008). When I see all of these medications I think to myself, I will never allow my son to be on any of these medications. I believe that is every parent’s first reaction, that their child does not need them. If we think from a medical perspective though, we will see how it may help our children focus more and become more successful academically and socially. We need to keep in mind that these medications are prescribed to help control the behavioral problems associated with EBD and ADHD and they are only meant to help not control our children.
There are some cases where students have been misdiagnosed or over diagnosed, but I do not feel as though we should simply look at that to determine whether or not a child should have these medications, we should look at all of the students it has benefitted greatly. It not only benefits the individual child on the medications, it also benefits the other students and the teacher in the child’s classroom. These students can cause big distractions in the classroom and cause their classmates to miss out on what is being taught as well as making the teacher waste time that could be used educating their students. With the right medications teachers and families can work together and
Angie Johnson
August 26, 2012
The Controversy of Medication
Many students today who were diagnosed with EBD or ADHD were prescribed some type of medication to help manage their symptoms. In my opinion I feel as though many children benefit greatly from these medications, especially those with severe cases. On the other hand I also feel as though we are depending too much on these medications, which leads to some children receiving medications they may not need. Overall, I am at a crossroads when it comes to medicating children with EBD and ADHD.
Many children with EBD and ADHD are prescribed stimulants or antidepressants such as, Ritalin, Dexedrine, Adderall, and Strattera (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2008). When I see all of these medications I think to myself, I will never allow my son to be on any of these medications. I believe that is every parent’s first reaction, that their child does not need them. If we think from a medical perspective though, we will see how it may help our children focus more and become more successful academically and socially. We need to keep in mind that these medications are prescribed to help control the behavioral problems associated with EBD and ADHD and they are only meant to help not control our children.
There are some cases where students have been misdiagnosed or over diagnosed, but I do not feel as though we should simply look at that to determine whether or not a child should have these medications, we should look at all of the students it has benefitted greatly. It not only benefits the individual child on the medications, it also benefits the other students and the teacher in the child’s classroom. These students can cause big distractions in the classroom and cause their classmates to miss out on what is being taught as well as making the teacher waste time that could be used educating their students. With the right medications teachers and families can work together and
References: Grohol, J. M. (2012, August 26). Alternative Treatments for ADHD. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2006/05/02/alternative-treatments-for-adhd/ Rosenberg, M. S., Westling, D. L., & McLeskey, J. (2008). Special education for today’s teachers: An introduction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall. WebMD. (2012). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Alternative Treatments. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-alternative-treatments