Children Medication with Adhd
Should Toddlers Diagnosed with ADHD be Medicated? More and more children under the age of 18 are being diagnosed each year with different types of behavioral conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD. Children with ADHD are being prescribed strong medications such as Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, and many others. “An estimated 5% of children have a form of ADHD. More boys are diagnosed than girls; it is the leading cause of referrals to mental health professionals, SPED and juvenile justice programs. (Children’s Mental
Health Disorder Fact Sheet for the Classroom...)” Many times, parents are faced with the decision of choosing prescription medications as an alternative to trying different routes that may not show changes as fast. Even though some children with ADHD may genuinely need medication, prescribing medication to children as young as two years old seems to have become a new trend in the medical world but why this is occurring is what intrigues me. A child at that age is expected to be rambunctious and overly active while at the same time just beginning to learn active listening skills. For this reason, I am skeptical as to why doctors would prescribe stimulant drugs to preschool age children if excelling in a school environment is not the main concern for children in this age group.
One question that may run through many people minds is will the medication work, or will it just improve the situation temporarily? This is one of the main things to consider when put in a situation of determining if medication will help not only the child as an individual but the family unit as a whole as well. One of the alternate approaches a physician may take prior to treating a child with medication is to suggest alternate forms of treatment such as counseling and various forms of behavior therapy. “As a general rule, I recommend working on strengthening the underlying core issues for at least six to twelve months
Health Disorder Fact Sheet for the Classroom...)” Many times, parents are faced with the decision of choosing prescription medications as an alternative to trying different routes that may not show changes as fast. Even though some children with ADHD may genuinely need medication, prescribing medication to children as young as two years old seems to have become a new trend in the medical world but why this is occurring is what intrigues me. A child at that age is expected to be rambunctious and overly active while at the same time just beginning to learn active listening skills. For this reason, I am skeptical as to why doctors would prescribe stimulant drugs to preschool age children if excelling in a school environment is not the main concern for children in this age group.
One question that may run through many people minds is will the medication work, or will it just improve the situation temporarily? This is one of the main things to consider when put in a situation of determining if medication will help not only the child as an individual but the family unit as a whole as well. One of the alternate approaches a physician may take prior to treating a child with medication is to suggest alternate forms of treatment such as counseling and various forms of behavior therapy. “As a general rule, I recommend working on strengthening the underlying core issues for at least six to twelve months
Cited: Bolyn, Michelle. “A List of ADHD Medications.” Livestrong. N.p., 2012. livestrong.com Web. 26 Apr. 2012. Buttross, Susan L. Understanding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Illus. Wendy Eddleman. Jackson: UP of Mississippi, 2007. Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. Greenspan, Stanley I, and Jacob Greenspan. “A Comphrehensive Approach.” Introduction. Overcoming ADHD. Cambridge: Da Capo, 2009. 11-12. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health. “Children’s Mental Health Disorder Fact Sheet for the Classroom.1: Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD).” Kansas Safe School Resource Center. N.p., 2012. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. <ksrc.org>. Null, Gary. “The Drugging of Our Children.” Family Rights Association. Ed. Citizen Commission on Human Rights. N.page., 2001. familyrights.us Web. 30 Mar. 2012. Roizen, Michael. “Medications for Children with ADHD.” ShareCare. N.p., 2010. sharecare.com Web. 26 Apr. 2012. Sparks, Jill. Personal interview. 27 Mar. 2012. Zito, Julie Magno. Trends in the Prescribing of Psychotropic Medications to Preschoolers. Vol. 283. 2000. N.p.: JAMA, 2000. 1025-30. 8. Family Rights Association. Web. 30 Mar. 2012.