meds

Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1528547
    yrca
    Participant

    what is the olams shita on kids taking meds to help them focus

    #1528593
    Joseph
    Participant

    Children today are being over-medicated.

    #1528589
    DovidBT
    Participant

    Do you mean medications recommended by a medical professional to treat a diagnosed condition such as ADHD and ADD?

    #1528588
    Uncle Ben
    Participant

    Divided as on all issues.

    #1528856
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    Should be 100% up to the kid.

    #1529444
    iacisrmma
    Participant

    We did after trying other options. It helped for our children who needed it.

    #1529517
    WinnieThePooh
    Participant

    My shita would be to make the decision based on the advice of the kid’s doctors, teachers, and other professionals who know him/her and not on a poll taken in the CR.

    #1529513
    The little I know
    Participant

    Asking this question for a general response is plainly foolish. With medical issues, there is a judgment to be made by an appropriately trained professional who is able to make an accurate diagnosis and recommendation. Whether medication is required or not cannot be judged by you or me. Even a professional who would read this thread has not evaluated the patient, and cannot render a judgment. Medication is great for those who need it, and a problem if being used by someone that doesn’t need it.

    #1530779
    Midwest2
    Participant

    A nes galui – I agree with Joseph. Some schools have developed a strategy for dealing with “difficult” children – send them for a Ritalin prescription and keep them quiet that way. Sure, there are a few kids who would find medical benefits from meds, but they’re being prescribed because, in some cases, the school insists on it for disciplinary reasons, and sometimes because parents are having trouble coping with a “difficult” child. The first choice for helping a child should always be a behavioral and psychological evaluation and counseling. Meds should only be a last resort. What if all the kid needs is a gym class to burn off extra energy? Or he has a vision or hearing problem that hasn’t been diagnosed? The meds won’t help, and will keep the real problem from being addressed. Only if a child is depressed, and in danger of self-hurt, would it be advisable, and then only short-term.

    Don’t ever, ever start your kid on meds without a thorough non-medical workup, and ALWAYS get a second opinion. We worry about what marijuana does to a developing brain, and feel fine exposing our kids to heavy-duty stuff like Ritalin.

    #1531514
    r c
    Participant

    If your not going to medicate a child with ADHD. Your ruining his life ahead Many people with untreated ADHD become dependent on drugs or alcohol. If you dont medicate a child with ADHD there is a high chance that he/her will use drugs or alcohol when they become teenagers to get away from frustration and depression that can come from adhd.

    #1531557
    Midwest2
    Participant

    Yes, a child with severe ADHD can get medication and be helped, but too many kids who are just “outside the box” are getting dosed with powerful medications just to make them easier to handle for the school/parents. Giving Ritalin to a child who doesn’t need it is also creating a risk for addiction and depression. Most “difficult” children will benefit from behavioral methods, but those cost effort and money. It’s cheaper and quicker just to give the kid a pill.

    #1531623
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    I know of at least one case where a child’s life was ruined by ADHD meds.

    #1531650
    🍫Syag Lchochma
    Participant

    Midwest2-the schools are trying to get the kids dosed on riitalin for their behavior but doctors arent usually that stupid. They have diagnistic criteria. I do agree that many parents and schools are the ones putting the kids into situations were they display adhd type behaviors but they dont get mess from honest and *real* doctors wothout meeting criteria. Also, ritalin is speed. When a kid with adhd takes it, it helps him focus. If the kid doesnt have adhd the ritalin is not going to improve his behavior or focus. So one day on the sruff will probabaly be convincing. If it worked, than it probably wasnt wrong. Dont know if that makes sense, typing on my phone is annoying and the format makes it too hard to proof read.

    Also, i know of one person whos life was made worse by the meds, and a huge number of kids whos lives were made worse by parents who refused to get them for them.

    #1531654
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    If the kid doesnt have adhd the ritalin is not going to improve his behavior or focus.

    Doesn’t speed help anyone focus?

    #1531656
    🍫Syag Lchochma
    Participant

    Huh?

    #1531668
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    I thought you said that Ritalin will only help if the kids has ADHD, but I’m under the impression that it will help him focus even if his lack of focus is not caused by ADHD.

    There was a recent article in one of the magazines (I think Mishpacha) about a woman who wanted a prescription for Ritalin to help her manage, although she didn’t have a diagnosis of ADHD.

    Also, I’ve read that professional ball players take speed to help them focus.

    #1531688
    🍫Syag Lchochma
    Participant

    To help them manage, not focus. To make them alert when they are exhausted, to make them wired so they have the energy to maintain their focus when their reserves are depleted. Thats not the same thing as giving someone with a limited attention span the ability to focus.

    #1531728
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    to make them wired so they have the energy to maintain their focus when their reserves are depleted.

    Is this not relevant to school children as well?

    #1531734
    🍫Syag Lchochma
    Participant

    No. Wired isnt relevant to school children. Taking stimulants instead of sleeping adequately isnt relevant to school children. Do you understand the difference between wired and alert or well rested?

    #1531738
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    Kids can’t get wired?

    #1531741
    🍫Syag Lchochma
    Participant

    Are you having a two-way conversation?

    #1531746
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    I’m not sure what you mean.

    #1531766
    jdb
    Participant

    Yes, some schools push meds too often. But many do not. And some kids thrive on them, where they were failing and thinking they were a failure without them. Imagine being a first grader who cannot function like your peers. You feel completely lost! But with a bit of extra attention in the classroom and a bit of medicinal help, you suddenly find that you aren’t a failure, you do belong.

    My kids yeshiva didn’t push meds. But we tried everything, tefillos, tsedaka, small classes, therapies and he was still lost. Sometimes we are to fast to perscribe, but on the flip side, sometimes we are too hesitant to give our kids the help they need. We would never ask a kid to make do without a wheelchair or heart medicine. If you have explored all options, yeshivas, special Ed, etc. If you have met with all the rabbeim and Morah, the hanhalla and experts in chinuch, don’t feel guilty for giving them what they need.

    #1531768
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    There is also another concern here. Do you trust the parents not to steal the kids’ drugs? Do you trust the kids not to sell to other kids?

Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.