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Replies to '09/28 Overmedicating America: The Cruise Controversy'
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September 28, 2005, 11:36 am PDT
 Quote From: tracied I believe what you stated on the show is correct. A child or adult should not be given medications unless there is an absolute need for it. As I was watching the show and the little boy, I could see in him a lot of what my son does and he is ADHD and has Asperger's Syndrome. I believe you are right in suggesting that he be tested for these disorders. When his diagnosis is confirmed or rejected, I believe the parents will be able to then handle him better. Medication, as you said, needs to be made to fit the child. The medication my son takes has been changed only once but throughout his life may change a number of times. The first medicine caused severe side effects and was immediately changed and the medicine he is on is working great. But as for the child in this story, I really feel for the parents as well as the child because you feel so helpless as do they until you have the right way to go. I do believe in some cases, medicines are given just to get the patients on their way and sometimes more money for the insurance companies. Just my opinion. Diagnoses need to be made with a feeling of caring from the practioner. Doctors have hectic schedules but they should not just prescribe medicines to prescribe. They should have a definite reason why and know that what is being prescribed should work and not to add to it if it doesn't like it seemed the case with the child. The mother was doing what she was supposed to do because the physician told her that was correct. I don't fault her but the doctor. It seems he really didn't either know what he/she was doing or just didn't care.
Tracie Snyder Hampton VA. My granddaughter was diagnosed with ADHA at age 5. She underwent a battery of tests prior to diagnosis. The psychiatrist and my daughter agreed to try alternative therapies (behavior, nutrition etc) before jumping into medications (except for sleeping--the child never slept!!) She was fine through the summer, but the first two weeks of first grade were a nightmare--. My daughter called the doctor when the child ended upin the principal's office the 8th day of school. He pace her on 10mg of Adderal and the change in my granddaughter was dramatic. She was in no way lethargic and it did not cramp her creative style--it made her capable participating in a normal classroom setting. She was even named Student of the month the month after starting the medication. Whenever she does not take her medication, her behavior reflects it. My daughter sees to it that my granddaughter gets plenty of exercize and limits sweets, fried foods etc. and the child loves fruits salads. My daugter (I am sure) haa ADD but was never diagnosed (not that I didn't try to get help!) After my granddaughter was diagnosed she herself discovered how many symptoms of ADD she herself has. Unfortunately she went to a family doctor who prescribed three different psychotrpic meds to her over a span of 6 weeks and she was out of control. She has gotten back on track now--word to the wise--no matter how great your family doctor seems to be--He/She is not a psychiatrist! I agree with another message--family docs shouldn't be prescribing psych meds without thorough testing! Anyone who thinks ADHD/bipolar etc is a figment of someones imagination has never lived with anyone who has it. |
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