Generation Rx
Generation Rx
Generation Rx
When I first sat down to write this article, I was prepared to represent an ABSOLUTELY NOT' to the idea of medicating our kids, let alone, over-medicating them. So, between the soul searching and the time spent time researching the topic, my discoveries softened this edge of mine and I can honestly say, the decision to manage our kids with or without drugs is truly a challenging one. In fact, it presents as a fork in the road; a veritable path of sorts, to drug or not to drug, the question of a lifetime!
You see, as a mother / parent to at least ten kids, I spent many days, let alone years, in doctor's offices and pharmacies learning more than I ever imagined about, not only the many types of available medications, but the intricate, fragile workings of our central nervous system. In a nutshell, when under high levels of stress, the brain literally rewires itself for survival purposes. Many kids are faced with life altering experiences, and how they handle it highly depends on their physiological make-up as well as familial support. Having said this, I am holding a neutral position regarding the topic of medicating our children. However, I will speak very firmly about remaining open to the possibility, and choosing to manage a child based on his or her individual needs as well as the family's, not on a statistic or scary story told by someone who really does not know the kid in question.
"The state [Missouri] says more than 350 kids are on at least two drugs in the class of anti-psychotics. One hundred eighty-nine kids under age four are on at least one. And nearly a thousand kids are on five or more medicines for mental illness. In addition to anti-psychotics, that includes anti-depressants, anti-anxiety and ADHD drugs and sleep medicines."
These numbers are difficult to stomach, and unfortunately a reality in my home for several years. With two adopted girls, their life prior to my home was filled with torment and pain. Not to mention the fact that both parents were on some type of drug from a very early age. Sadly, these medications played a part in the development of my children albeit chemically experiencing them or simply through parental behaviors and treatment. I must say, with my new understanding on how we actually learn to cope for survival, these were some tough cases because my kids were in need of stabilization, and the quickest most effective way to quiet them down was with prescriptions. That's right, their behaviors, not neurobiological disorders, were the reason they were taking prescriptions. With this in mind, using medication to calm, soothe and assist their behaviors did not have to be a life long experience. I found out immediately with these girls just how effective complimentary modalities can be. In fact, we were very fortunate to have the chance to alter the intensity of their medications rather quickly. In a nutshell, the key to our success was understanding that these girls were unique and required individualized treatments; so, after MANY meetings, the doctors, nurses, staff and insurance underwriters began to listen. Today, I'm happy to report, the girls no longer require a cocktail' to function.
"behavioral medications for children accounted for 17 percent of all spending for pediatric drugs, more than even antibiotics and allergy drugs. And a study in Pediatrics showed that 19 percent of all pediatric visits among 4- to 15-year-olds involve a psychosocial problem requiring attention or intervention, making such problems the most common chronic reason to consult a pediatrician."
Now that I've reported this information, it's fair to share the other side of my experience. Cultural changes (I say high levels of pressure and stress) could explain the rising tide of pediatric prescriptions.' For many reasons, our kids have a difficult time containing themselves in the classroom and other public settings. The result is teachers, mentors, instructors, and others feel compelled to insist that parents put their child(ren) on meds. Interestingly enough, many parents are more than willing to consider a drug for their kid because of the way it's marketed rather than consider environmental changes. What is so unique about our society that we've become so comfortable with chemical solutions to living imbalances?
These days, ADHD, depression, anxiety and so on are widely accepted as a result of the brilliant destigmatizing marketing plans instituted by the pharmaceutical companies promoting an entirely new outlook on the benefits of medication. And then, we have the insurance company reimbursements to physicians for prescribing drugs over conventional therapy and complimentary care: A psychiatrist who schedules four medicine checks in an hour earns about twice as much from an insurance company as he would for forty-five minutes of counseling," says Lawrence H. Diller, M.D., a behavioral pediatrician and the author of Should I Medicate My Child?' Again, there is nothing wrong with a child being on medication as long as it is FULLY warranted with an effective exit plan in place.
In addition to my girls, I must mention that I also have a very high energy son who successfully managed to capture the attention of his teachers. Every one of them believed he needed to be on Ritalin or something very similar. Initially, I considered their insistence to medication because I didn't want to inconvenience them in any way. Let's face it, they were providing an honorable service to my family; who was I to question their insight? Until, I gave a bit more attention to that last word, insight, and began to wonder if these educators were actually verbalizing an insight or was it more like fear. As his mother, I chose to entertain the idea for a while because a hasty decision could alter my son's future, considerably; so, I began to spend a lot of focused time with him to see for myself exactly what they were referring to. The conclusion I came to was that he is truly a bundle of energy with a constant need to move his body. From an educators position, I could clearly see how this would be an interruption throughout the day; however, to sedate him was not an option. Other than his activity level, he was and is highly intelligent with an interesting intake process. He actually retains more through his movement; otherwise known as a kinesthetic learner.
So, I took this information to an I.E.P. meeting and from there we were able to formulate a success plan for everyone involved. This course of action began ten years ago and I'm proud to say, he happily graduated from high school two years ago without ever having to be retained.
Unfortunately, more children than not end up on meds due to the insistence of our healthcare professionals and educators. Although, from my own personal experience, I've seen more teachers than practitioners get involved with making such recommendations. They are on the frontlines, living and breathing the very disruptive, often times chaotic behaviors of our children. Some of these kids are like my girls, coming from broken, dysfunctional homes and then there are some that hail from a typical family like my son; so, it's not possible to generalize and say that there are certain circumstances dictating whether or not medication is required.
So, what's behind this growing problem of over-medicating our children besides money? We've already established that there are conditions under which a child absolutely needs stabilization; however, what about the other kids, like my son, who are bundles of tumultuous energy bursting at the seams? What is it going to take for their community to begin advocating for them?
A soon-to-be released report finds that out of 17 states, Missouri has the highest rate of prescribing anti-psychotics for kids on Medicaid. The rate is more than double the average.'
Advocating for these kids is a tough job. Both educators and parents believe they know what's best for these kids regardless of the relationship. Who's right? I don't believe it has anything to do with right or wrong, it's more about what works and what doesn't. Does it work for the teacher to pull authority because they are the teacher? Does it work for the parents to pull the same card? Absolutely not! (There, I finally got to say it.) The primary focus is what works for the child. In the case of whether or not to medicate, it takes a village to raise a child. In other words, it takes a panel of teachers, healthcare professionals and parents to determine what is best for the child. In discussing each other's perspectives and formulating a success plan whether it involves drugs or not. It's time to stop blaming parents for a child's disruptive behavior. It's time to stop making kids feel bad because they think and learn differently. It's time to embrace them for the gifts they bring and shower them with the love and understanding necessary for them to achieve their dreams.
Yes, it is possible to find all sorts of information out there on this topic, and you'll find as many people for it as against it which tells me there are many imbalances within our society. What I've discovered is the best place to start is at home; within our community. It's not necessary to raise a community of Generation Rx'ers. What's needed more than anything is patience and understanding for the possibilities these kids possess and not play into the temptation to settle for less.
parenting.com/article/Pregnancy/Health/Are-We-Overmedicating-Our-Kids/1
fox4kc.com/health/wdaf-story-health-medication-kids-050410,0,6086939.story
Ritalin Nation: Widespread us reflects society's imbalanced priorities; Lawrence Diller
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