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
This video clip below, I thought, was interesting - it is a quick news debate on whether or not doctors are pushing prescription drugs on kids.
My mom always wanted me to be in the medical field. She had trained as a doctor in China before she had to lead due to political struggles and so shes very knowledgeable about drugs and their effects. She always told me, go into the medical profession, that way you know what drugs are used for what abnormalities and when they should be used.
ReplyDeleteand also when you go to the doctors, you know what their talking about otherwise its complete gibberish xD
If you medicate someone whose not supposed to be medicated, problems will arise rather then getting rid of the 'problem' in the first place
This blog is practically pulsating with passion! It's quite clear that you are committed to changing people's minds about the wisdom of saying yes to medication without first finding out what exactly it will do to you. You're also onto something since you were able to find so many video clips addressing the over-medication of young people and since so many people are responding that they agree with you. I know that this doesn't just happen to young people and that it seems to be especially prevalent in the world of psychiatry. My sister had to have a major operation and was in a lot of pain and so her "team" sent a psychiatrist in to see her and he immediately prescribed an anti-anxiety heavy-duty drug for her. Of course she was anxious. She was in the hospital! But did she need the drug that warns you that it's addictive and that you can't quit cold-turkey? It's tough to say no in those circumstances or even to know which questions to ask. That is why I think the video showing that the reason the 7-year old girl was able to successfully get off the prescription drugs is because of the intervention of an alternative, FREE, community-run program is quite valuable. It reminds us that support systems need to be in place to help us resist what might not be best for us. Sometimes those support systems have to be broader than family support systems and must include the community, health professionals and so on.
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