Finally the video that sparked this blog...

Here is the video that I saw in my Child Psychology class. I have always been passionate about this topic, but this video made up my mind about what my blog would discuss!

Here's the link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/medicatedchild/view/
It is the first video titled: "Chapter 1: What's going on?" It's about 57minsutes long but even if you only watch the first 20-30 minutes it'd be worth it!

Are Psychiatric Drugs Being Pushed on Kids?

I watched a video called "Are Prescription Drugs Safe for Your Child?" which interviewed Dr. Cass, a well-known psychiatrist and author. Dr. Cass gave her input on the safety of the drugs people are giving their children. First she states that pharmacies have given psychiatrists prescription drugs intended for adults or older children but the psychiatrists have pushed the age limit lower and lower. The big issue is that these medicated children are on large dosages of prescriptions and usually dangerously strong combinations of drugs. But most importantly, these drugs have never been tested on children, so why are psychiatrists giving them to children?? They do not know the side effects, or even if it could help the child's "condition". While yes these children might cause less disruptions during class, they deal with troubling side effects at the same time. Suppressed appetite, extensive growth, sleeplessness, these are all part of the medication "solving" their problems. However, despite these disturbing side effects, there is a scarier problem. Doctors and psychiatrists have no idea what these drugs are doing to these children's brains. Most of the patients being given prescription drugs are toddlers or even infants! Therefore, most of the patients don't even have fully developed brains yet. How do you think a cabinet full of prescription drugs would affect a developing brain? There are so many questions that doctors still cannot answer, yet they continue giving out drugs like they're candy. Such questions are: Will these drugs prevent the full development of the child's brain? When they grow up will their brains be dependant on these drugs since they've had them before full development? ...And the list goes on...Our job is to QUESTION the DOCTORS!! What's the big deal with asking a doctor challenging questions when they diagnose or prescribe your child with something? Its the doctor's job to expect questions and know the answers especially if they expect you to give your child what they suggest. The DOCTOR’S JOB is to test the child's biochemistry not their symptoms before they start diagnosing them or prescribing pills as a cure. For example, Dr. Cass suggested checking the child’s blood sugar level and their amount of vitamins and nutrients they get, because if a child is not eating appropriately they may have blood sugar swings, which doctors may see as “bipolar mood swings”. Once again most of this is from Dr. Cass’s interview, however, part of the more opinionated comments are mine =) but if you want to see the interview here is the link:
http://video.answers.com/are-prescription-drugs-safe-for-your-child-213402688

No Child Left Undrugged

Where has this man been hiding?? Everyone who views my blog needs to watch this quick clip because it is so important! Especially if you are going to take on side on this issue! (A possible second solution is propsed in this clip as well - parents being parents again and lower the number of children diagnosed with ADHD, etc.)

Business: Medicating Children - nytimes.com/video

In this video you see two different scenarios. In the first one, a mother regrets having allowed her two-year to be on five different prescriptions at one time! The second family, however, has a different opinion. Jessica, the seven-year old daughter of a single mother, is on pills for her "behavioral problems." Her mother says that it is easier with her child on the pills. But mom is what's easier for you to handle always the best for your child?? I'll let you be the judge, as you watch and see how "well" Jessica is doing on the drugs. Personally, I believe the drugs have negatively affected her development, and that a seven-year old shouldn't have to count her mother's fingers twice to tell someone her age. I understand some children have learning disabilities, but then don't put them on a drug and say that its helped them "be normal."

The Problem and possible Solution

The problem is not with medicating children diagnosed with depression, ADHD, or other conditions, necessarily. Key Word: NECESSARILY. The problem is that today, so many doctors are diagnosing every child they see with some different problem, to which their solution is a pill. Immediately after diagnosing a child with something, the doctor urges the parents to start giving their child the prescription (or new prescription) as soon as posssible to help control their behavior and attitude. Parents so easliy accept this because it is "the easy way out" - all they have to do is pop their kid a pill every time he misbehaves. But is that really what's best for the child? So many studies have been done and show that this is NOT the solution to the problem! In my last post, i posted a video with guest speaker Dr. Dennis Godby. In the clip, Dr. Godby suggests analyzing what is really wrong with the children before prescribing them "the asnwer" to the problem you THINK they have! I have to agree with Dr. Godby here, and say that it is a shame that we have to even suggest that doctors THINK! before just diagnosing a child with a specific disorder and feeding them medication after medication! The other problem is that almost every time a doctor prescribes a medication to help balance a child's mood swings or activity level, another problem arises. And guess what the "answer" to that new problem is. Yup, another medication. This can go on to the point where one ten-year old boy was on eight different prescriptions!!! Is this really how we want our children to live? Taking pill after pill to solve every "problem" they might have?!

KCRA Special: Are We Over-Medicating our Children? Featuring Special Gue...

Do people not see??

I am working on finding that video for you to watch (the one I saw in child psychology) its very long though, but even if you only watch the first 20-30 minutes you will see the side effects of prescription pills on at least two little boys. This video is online for everyone to see, yet instead of looking into things beforehand and watch this video or reading up on it, people lazily listen to whatever a doctor might tell them without checking to see if his advice is the best. How could you be so ignorant? These are children we are dealing with, not a pet or a car or something that can be replaced! You would think that as parents, people would do all the research they could on whatever conditions the doctor diagnoses their child with, before they just pop them whatever pill he subscribes. But maybe I give people too much credit...