ADD and ADHD

Real, but overdiagnosed. Schools love kids to be medicated, rather than dealing with the fact that children are not automatons.

 

Discipline plays a big role in these children.

My sister used to keep my niece years ago who was diagnosed as ADHD and was put on ritalin. Now when the child was home, she was a handful and her dad, to escape disciplining her properly, would give her her daily dose of what I referred to as "brain zapper's".

But when at my sister's (sometimes for a week at a time), she would not receive that medicine because my sister was against it. My sister used a good ol' fashioned wooden paddle applied with love (when needed) and instruction along with that correction. Amazingly, Laveda acted in a totally different manner at my sisters than she did at home. And she did not act scared at all. She loved going to my sisters too.

Pharmaceuticals are mostly money-making companies that don't even know what they do to children over a long period of time with their mind altering drugs.

My answer in the poll was yes. Not to the is it real, but to the second part. The question was tricky, because yes and no could be answered for either/or.

 

Agreed.

Contributing factors:

• Basic health: Kids aren't sleeping enough. Kids aren't eating healthy enough. Kids aren't exercising enough. Those things matter.
• News flash: Boys are not girls. Some ADD/ADHD diagnoses are boys being boys...and sometimes, boys not being reined in when needed.
• "Brain hyperexposure:" A relatively new phenomenon. Many kids are exposed hours daily to thousands of images, at a faster rate than the brain normally processes. The brain becomes "conditioned" to the exposure rate; and thus, has trouble focusing for longer stretches of time. The culprits: copious amounts of TV, internet, video games.

An MD buddy of mine "prescribes" a more structured schedule, regular bedtime, better nutrition, a multi-vitamin, curtail/eliminate sugar/caffeine, and curtail/monitor all media the kids are exposed to. It's amazing what just that does.

I have seen some really severe cases that needed medical intervention. But IMO those are pretty rare.

 

Being one with ADD I can say they are real. Everyone who speaks to me one on one on a usual basis can tell when I drift off and have learned to work with it. It takes me forever to read a book and I regularly start out going one place and end up somewhere else. I take Stratera which I don't know if it helps but the wife says it does.

Sorry, I just drifted off there... I also know kinds with ADHD and without their meds they are out of control. It's not just a discipline thing, it is real. The meds work on the symptoms and not the disease but I guess that's the best the medical community has at this time. Perhaps God will send the cure some day.

 

The "prescription" of your friend is a GREAT help to kids with ADD/ADHD. There are times medication is necessary and the point that it is needed varies from child to child. Some kids may need medication to help with the Attention part, and others with the hyperactivity. The key to it all is to KNOW the child, give them the structure they need, and then identify what area if any they need medication to help. When they receive medication give it a chance to work before going to the Dr. and asking that he give a higher dose.

Bill

 

I do not doubt the reality of the disorder.

I do, however, contend that it is overdiagnosed, particularly in boys.

There are two extremes of blanket generalizations I wish to avoid. One says, "There's no such thing. Just beat the kid more." The other says, "Everyone who has trouble focusing or sitting still needs pschotropic medication." There is a middle, sensible ground in all this.

There is also a Great Physician who will heal all cases of believers with ADD/ADHD. Some, He heals here. Some will receive healing when they go home.

 

It is responsible to someone to decide another persons child should not receive their medications given to them by their parents, and then proceed not to give them that medication, what makes her presume she has this right. No one, and I mean no one, who would ever do this to my child, and undermine my authority as their parent would ever be near my child again. It is not up to another person, whose is not my child's parent to decide what medications I should give them, and then keep them from receiving it. If this were my child there would be a lot of trouble involved in with holding my childs medicines. If someone wants to decided what medicines a child should thake, they need to have their own children and not pratice on other people's children. It si not her right in any way shape or form to take away another child's medicines. If this were my child, there would be legal problems involved .

 

I agree with you rbell.
I have ADD and I have 2 sons with ADHD.

I know they are real.... but meds are not the only treat.... oh... look at that squirrel!!!...uh...ment.

 

(Rbell can't currently answer. He's outside playing kickball riding his bike running around the tree playing in the sprinkler making airplane noises burning bugs with a magnifying glass OK he's done now)

 

I have learned to channel my ADD...


OMMMM.... OMMMM... come in ADD...OMMMM....
oops, where was I?
I have learned how to time the things I need to get done, and thus I am able to multitask accordingly.

I consider it a blessing... I would hate to be condemned to live a normal boring life!!!

I can have 5 things going all at once... and as long as I have planned them all out, I can control them all!
brb, I have to check on my pet squirell...

OK back,


I only use meds when I know I am going to be overwhelmed.. then I use a med that simply slows down my thinking, which allows me to focus on one thing at a time.

As for my boys... 2 of my 3 sons have ADHD. My middle son doesn't have it.. but his teen yrs are driving me crazy, did I tell you what he did the other day....
NO, how could I , I was at camp all last week... BTW, we had a great camp, a few decisions were made, and the cooking was great... because I was the cook! lol... we had baked steak, spaghetti, taco salads, hotdogs.... BTW, do you know what goes into a hot dog?
Anyway,
My oldest started taking meds in 1st grade, his teacher didn't like meds, but he was failing.. So after we took him to his pediatrician and he referred him to a Christian Psychologist that deals with ADHD, he started meds.

His grades improved dramatically.

So I am a champion for meds if used only when needed.

 

The child grew up to be an adult who learned to discipline herself without the dependency of drugs.

How in the world did families survive before Ritalin and other mind-altering drugs came on the scene?

DISCIPLINE!

Now, parents don't want responsibility of discipline and training their child. Just give the child a 'brain zapper' and put him on the school doorstep or just send them to their room to stare out in space because the drug doesn't allow their brain to function as God meant it to function.

 

so, you're saying there's never a case of ADD/ADHD that needs medication?

 

This was not the parent who decided someone elses child should not have medication, and it is illegal for her to make medical decisions for a child not her own. It has nothing what so ever to do with what the medication is, just that she decided soemone else's child should not have parent approved medications.
You can not discipline someone out of a chemical malfunction in the brain.

 

Well, it looks like I am on board with Maggy on this issue. :thumbs:

 

Those medications were not around always, Donna. And before the psycho-babble mumbo-jumbo, children had the same problems and they survived with training and discipline.

People 2000 years ago took children with worse problems than ADD and ADHD to Christ for the cure.

Is Christ not with His Children today?

 

Make sure you're consistent, and that you stand against anyone taking diabetes medication as well. Just because a medical condition is more prominent in one era as opposed to another...that doesn't mean said condition doesn't exist.

SFIC has staked his claim on one of the extreme positions that I mentioned earlier.

One extreme position ("dope 'em up if they fidget") ignores the risks and seriousness of utilizing psychotropic medications. It also ignores that there are many, many other avenues of treatment that are more practical, safe, and less invasive. Meds should be used after these other healthcare avenues (diet, exercise, sleep, less overstimulation via video/TV etc) have failed...and after parenting skills/styles/behaviors have been evaluated in light of Scripture and wise counsel.

The other extreme position (to which SFIC apparently subscribes) ignores what we do know about the brain. There are some (note I didn't say "most") for whom this disorder is an issue--and they've made lifestyle adjustments...and their parents have made parenting adjustments. For them, fortunately, there are ways to help now.

I still agree with MP that this is overdiagnosed (and IMHO especially in boys).


But SFIC is ignoring that diseases/disorders can increase in frequency from era to era.

I find it disconcerting that you would ask such a rhetorical question (it almost sounds like you are questioning someone's faith in God), simply because they don't treat something the way you think they should.

 

rbell, SFIC has been on record against medication for mental problems such as Anxiety, depression, ADD, and other conditions.

At least he is consistent.

Except, I see he wears glasses...
Hey, didn't Jesus heal blind people?

If so, then SFIC should lose his glasses.

OH, but he can't because his rules don't apply to him.. just people he likes to belittle.

 

So your saying it ok for a person who is not the parent or even guardian of a child to decide what medications a child should and should not take? It is ok for a person not the parent to decide a child should not take a parent approved medication, and then with hold the parent approved medication from the child?
Is this what your saying?
If she doesn't want her own child not taking medications then fine, they are her children. But this is not her child, and she has no legal right, as a matter of fact, it is a crime.
A person who is not the parent of a child has no right making medical decisions for that child, then enacting them on their own without parental permission. She interfered with parental rights.

This is what I posted earlier. If you are going to address me, please stick to the topic of my post at least, if you can.

 

If his words are for him, then he has no business wearing glasses, if they are not for him then it is hypocritical, consistantly, as usual.
I've noticed he likes to belittle people. It seems he can not post without it.