I am no expert and don’t pretend to be one, but I can’t help being quite disturbed by the incredible amount of young children being prescribed medication. As a teacher and parent, it hurts to know that kids all over the world are being prescribed these drugs in vast numbers.
I realise that there are children that legitimately require medication – but surely we are prescribing these drugs far too easily and haphazardly. This is not Aspirin! These are powerful drugs. Surely, a global body needs to be set up to review the practice of mass prescriptions and to further tighten the regulations. I am scared for the next generations of children. I never want to live in a society where prescribing powerful drugs to kids is seen as normal or standard practice.
In the past week alone I have read countless articles on this issue. The article below from the UK claims drugs are being prescribed for ‘normal’ reasons, such as shyness:
Children are being prescribed mind-altering “chemical cosh” drugs for conditions such as shyness and mild social anxiety, behaviour experts have warned.
Young people are routinely being given medication to treat normal childhood conditions, it was claimed, despite fears over their long-term health.
The disclosure came as it emerged that the number of eight- to 13-year-olds on drugs such as Ritalin has soared seven-fold since 1997.
But Dave Traxson, a senior educational psychologist who works in schools in the West Midlands, warned that children were increasingly prescribed drugs for “normal” conditions.
“I feel very strongly that the time is right to challenge the growing practice of medicating our children for displaying behaviours and thought processes that until recently would have fallen within the normal range,” he said.
There was this article along the same lines from Australia:
THE use of stimulant drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is soaring, with data showing prescriptions for some medications grew by 300 per cent over seven years.
Prescription of the stimulant drugs rose by 87 per cent between 2002 and 2009, Australian researchers have found. Use of one drug commonly sold as Ritalin, methylphenidate, increased by 300 per cent.
Most studies of stimulant medication only tested its effects for between six and 12 weeks, and there was no evidence it improved educational or life outcomes, Associate Professor Jureidini said.
This description from the US site defending the use of Ritalin and other such drugs:
Stimulants are safe and effective for most children, helping them to focus their thoughts and control their behavior. In some children, these medications may cause mild side effects, such as decreased appetite, weight loss, stomachaches, sleep problems, headaches and jitteriness. Rarely, there may be more serious side effects, such as dizziness, stuttering, tics or increased blood pressure.
This article was printed in a Malaysian newspaper:
ALMOST one million children in the United States are potentially misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) because they were the youngest and least mature in their kindergarten classes, a US study found.
And finally, another damning article from the US:
While stimulant drugs have long been known to help children with ADHD alleviate symptoms, new studies have shown the opposite effects.
Many experts recommend prescription of a stimulant drug in severe cases, and often believe ADHD symptoms can be treated by using methods other than medication.
One dangerous possible side-effect of Ritalin is the potential alteration of personality. Some individuals have explained that when medication is stopped, the actions, thoughts, and feelings are vastly different than when taking the medication.
Whilst ADHD no doubt exists, and is often best treated with drugs, I am still of the opinion that we are drastically overprescribing these drugs. I may not be an expert, but I still feel sufficiently concerned to speak up about it.
As teachers have a part in the decision as to whether or not a child is prescribed medication, I make the following request. Please don’t take the decision lightly. Don’t let an easier classroom experience ever taint your objectivity.
Tags: ADHD, Drugs, Education, Health, life, Medication, Medicine, News, Parenting
Topical Teaching 
January 28, 2011 at 12:30 am |
I am flabbergasted regarding the amount of meds that are prescribed to children for being just that…children. I find it very disturbing. When my son started school I found myself preparing for the “your kid has ADD”. At times it seems he can’t sit still but all is well, at school he is attentive. But I went over the scenario in my head quite a few times if that call or talk ever came to me from the teacher. There was no way on earth that I was going to allow my kid to be medicated for being a kid.
I think the whole thing is sad. I know some genuinely have ADD or ADHD but so many are just being kids and yet are being put on meds to only become walking zombies. What kind of childhood is that?
Have a great day!
January 28, 2011 at 12:37 am |
Thank you fnkybee for your contribution. I hope your never have to go through that scenario.
January 28, 2011 at 3:53 am |
Don’t even get me started on this topic. In my opinion, my entire country overmedicates itself. I don’t know how it is in Australia, but here we have drug commercials that tell you why you should be taking the medication and then detail a hysterical list of side effects. Really crazy stuff. The one I love is a drug for restless leg syndrome, which warns you that you should seek medical attention if you suddenly become fixated on gambling or sex. Jeez. “Well, honey, my legs aren’t restless any more, but we’ve lost the house on a bet.”
I think my kid is the only one I know who has never taken an antibiotic. Here, they prescribe those things for every darn ailment, even when an antibiotic won’t help. And now they’re going that route with all these behavior altering drugs.
I agree with fnkybee…”meds are prescribed to children for being just that…children.”
January 28, 2011 at 1:56 pm |
I have seen first hand that there are other options besides drugs. I have a cousin with autism who was diagnosed at a fairly late stage of childhood. At family gatherings, he would scream and yell and no one could really understand why. Finally he was diagnosed with autism at around 12 years old and medicated for it. Eventually, he ended up in a foster home with a wonderful woman who had a knack for coping with autism. She took him off the medication, changed his diet and with a few other lifestyle changes, he is now able to converse with the rest of the family with minimal coaching and even hugged me at Thanksgiving.
Medicating for things like childhood anxiety and shyness removes the child’s ability to learn to cope with those things. I had major anxiety issues as a child and because I was forced to deal with them I have learned a lot of very effective coping mechanisms, including limiting my caffeine intake to the morning hours only and keeping a close eye on my sugar intake around bedtime. I tried medication for it in college and became an entirely different person.
Medication isn’t the only option, it is the easiest in a lot of cases. I have students that are on medication and I can see a world of difference when they forget to take it. Like all things, it depends on the kid.
January 28, 2011 at 2:34 pm |
This is shocking.
The worst part of this story is that side effects are scary, and even if infrequent, the huge number of children on these drugs means that a significant number get serious side effects. And once you’re on psychoactive drugs, you can’t just stop taking them … there is a weaning-off process that must be carefully done.
Why? Why are we giving so many children so many drugs? Perhaps a few really need them, but this scale is unhealthy for society and individuals on so many levels.