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Help me decide if my 10 year old should use Ritalin

Posted on 08/27/2004 11:41:39 AM PDT by Joe Republc

My pedetrician has just recommended that my 10 year old boy use Ritalin.

The issue of Attention Deficit Disorder has come up every so often throughout most of his life, but this is the first time our pediatrician says it's time to try medication.

What questions should I be asking?

What do I need to find out?

Any good resources?

Thanks,

-- Joe

P.S. My wife is in a hurry to do this, now that the doctor says so. I'm not.... my wife and I had some strong disagreement about this last night ;) When I ask around, it seems like men are less inclined to go for this than women.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: add; attention; children; deficit; ritalin; school
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To: Joe Republc

Excuse me but asking Freepers about a drug for your kid, is it not like asking Rock stars who to vote for in the coming election?


241 posted on 08/27/2004 1:34:30 PM PDT by fish hawk
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To: M007

Ritalin IS the drug of choice for TURRETS SYNDROME.


242 posted on 08/27/2004 1:35:44 PM PDT by granite (IT IS UP TO US NOW.)
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To: All

My children don't have a TV. They are allowed to watch selected programs and tapes on our TV for MAYBE an hour a week.

My son has had 2 male teachers. My husband lives at home and is *gasp* my son's real father. Neither of us is wimpy. We require good behavior and we spanked our son, but that never did a bit of good. He has been in OT for years, which also helped, but wasn't good enough. We increased his exercise, especially heavy lifting. We are enrolling him in anger management.

I don't care what anyone else says. My parents did a 180 degree turn on the way they viewed ADD. My Dad kept saying that we should spank him more, and everyone kept saying he was fine. But he wasn't. He was depressed and unable to cope with anything at four years old.

The day my mother realized that he COULD not control his impulses was a big day for me.

I fought against medication for more than five years, and I won't allow anyone who THINKS they know everything make me feel badly for making a decision which has given us a (mostly)happy son who is able to do VERY well at school and a family that is finally somewhat peaceful.

He went from having to be FORCED to do his nightly reading, to being the top reader in his entire school last year.


243 posted on 08/27/2004 1:37:06 PM PDT by Politicalmom ( Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but they're not entitled to their own facts -D. Rumsfeld)
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To: Celtic Rose
~sigh~ I've been on this thread far longer than I intended. I am also not the originator of the thread. But...

1) My son as diagnosed with ADHD before he ever had a video game.

2) He was always (and continues to be when he wants to be) an accelerated reader.

3) My son has not been on medication for over four years now.

Thanks for playing. ;-)

244 posted on 08/27/2004 1:38:25 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands (John Kerry LIED and good men DIED for your right to vote against him.)
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To: TommyDale

I would first eliminate sugar (sweets, soft drinks, etc.) for at least a couple of weeks, and see if the behavior changes before I let any doctor prescribe Ritalin. Then I would seek a second and even a third opinion.""

All of this and dramatically increase his exercise- structured or otherwisw, and be a witness to the fact that he is actually using up some serious calories.

Bowling is a great one where the whole family can be included. Don't be thinking it is too old fashioned and pedestrian for your life style. The extra bonus is that learning to keep score in bowling is a bit tricky and it teaches kids alot. If you make him the scorekeeper and he learns to accomplish that, I agree---he DOESN'T have ADD. He's just being a boy. Testosterone is kicking in.


245 posted on 08/27/2004 1:39:50 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (ridesthemiles)
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To: fish hawk
>>>>>Excuse me but asking Freepers about a drug for your kid, is it not like asking Rock stars who to vote for in the coming election?<<<<

O.K. how rephrasing the question: Why the abuse of school children for financial gain is tollerated in U.S. of A? Why school boards are allowed to syphon off disability funds from U.S. Government by forcibly putting children on Ritalin? Why FDA is silent?

RITALIN IS POLITICAL ISSUE.

246 posted on 08/27/2004 1:40:26 PM PDT by DTA
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To: alisasny
NO! to drugs for children's behavior. Try diet first. Many children have allergies to certain foods and food dye's. No sugar, no soda, no chocolate. Pretty much the Atkins diet, except some carbs would work such as bread and taters. Even fruit should be used sparingly, until you know it won't affect his/her activity level.

What I find is children on these drugs are just doped normal kids for the most part. As Americans we don't want to give up the American lifestyle even though it's killing us. Just look at the overweight problem for kids today. They spend too much time eating chocolate in front of the tube and not enough doing constructive play.We used to play "Army", hide and seek, cowboys and Indians, football, baseball, dodge ball, you name it, till Mom call our names out to come home for dinner. Now days, they spend 5 hrs playing "Halo" in front of the tube with cokes and candy. I won't work!

Teachers recommend doping students because they can no longer beat their ass'$, when they act up. It's called "being a kid". Some people have told me "Oh you just have no idea!" Well if your child is acting out that badly, maybe there are other underlying problems that need attention. Turning them into doped zombies is almost never the answer. We have become a pill society and it's ruining our country.

An interesting study would be "How many ADD kids are in China?" Russia? Viet Nam? Panama? Ecuador? Why don't they have these problems? Because their diet is not 30% sugar and they don't "play" in front of the tube.

I home schooled my daughter when her 1st grade teacher said she was ADD and needed drugs. There was nothing wrong with her other than a bad teacher. She is a wonderful daughter now in college. She is balanced and was no problem to raise and teach. Alot of parents just don't want to deal with the baseballs through windows, fights with the neighbor's kids, paint on things that don't need it, etc. That's just the territory of parenting. Just like a good marriage, it takes work, lot's of work. They don't raise themselves and you can't pay someone else to love them. That's why I believe Day care is ruining our childrens lives, but that's another thread.

247 posted on 08/27/2004 1:40:50 PM PDT by chuckles
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To: Corin Stormhands

The part about the reading was actually in regards to the originator explaining his son's symptoms, and he also said that his son watched quite a bit of tv. I'm sorry, I think i was actually replying to several posts at once. I know that there are some cases where medication is the best option, and I'm glad that it worked for your son, I was just presenting a different medical opinion on video games and ADD. ;-)
-Jessica


248 posted on 08/27/2004 1:42:49 PM PDT by Celtic Rose
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To: Politicalmom

Great post..couldn't have said it better...thanks mom :)


249 posted on 08/27/2004 1:43:44 PM PDT by PaulaB
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To: Celtic Rose

No problem.


250 posted on 08/27/2004 1:44:59 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands (John Kerry LIED and good men DIED for your right to vote against him.)
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To: Joe Republc

bump for later


251 posted on 08/27/2004 1:45:18 PM PDT by nkycincinnatikid
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To: HawkeyeLonewolf
She also wants me to take Lipitor for Cholesterol, but I'm battling it with diet and exercise.

I would NEVER take a statin drug. You are wise. I have a favorite medical website: it's Dr. Walt Stoll. He has different parts to his website. There's his info part and then there are message boards where he also posts. It is a very good website.

I know of someone who is in a wheelchair because of statin drugs.

252 posted on 08/27/2004 1:45:23 PM PDT by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: fish hawk

You know, I do respect doctors and their expertise.

But I also respect the experiences of parents that have lived with this in their home.

I also have a deep skepticism that doctors are worried too much about short-term alleviation of pain and inconvenience. The long-view of my son's social, educational, and, yes, spiritual growth matters to me. That doesn't compute with enough doctors.

-- Joe


253 posted on 08/27/2004 1:47:53 PM PDT by Joe Republc
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To: Joe Republc
Contrary to what most people think, Ritalin can be very effective at treating ADHD.

Organic food isn't necessarily the answer, however. Since organic foods do not use preservatives, molds and fungi grow in organic foods to a greater extent than in non-organic foods. If the issue is allergies organic foods, generally speaking, won't help.

Personally, I would try three tablespoons of Benadryl for about a week before trying any other medication. It sounds crazy, but allergies can affect behavior in ways that don't always make sense.

254 posted on 08/27/2004 1:48:27 PM PDT by Reactionary
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To: Joe Republc
I mean no offense, but your wife sounds like she is short on parenting skills. Indulgence can be harmful---and rather than loving, can indicate a desire to be left alone. Indulgence can be a form of rejection, in other words. It says, "Whatever! just don't bother me."

As for the boy, he sounds like a fine boy to me. How much time does he spend with you alone, or mom alone? One-on-one time with a parent can modify a too-easily-distracted mind. Also, you might try activities requiring dexterity, like juggling---get him a video and a few beanbags and see what happens. Pottery's good too. Magic. Card games.

Some people just aren't altogether comfortable with the written word, and they don't grow up to be novelists. Oh well! For sure I wouldn't put somebody on medication for that reason.

Diet is very important, and you should devote serious attention to nutrition before even considering Ritalin, which is really just another "indulgence" tossed his way. Especially if he's overweight---that right there is a problem and it needs to be fixed pronto. Find a reputable nutritionist (and do some reading). Think about getting the boy to a gym or a pool on a regular basis.

Above all, fix the problems now, because soon he'll be a teenager and then those problems will be real monsters.

Don't forget to ask him how he feels about this---and that. Give him your attention.

255 posted on 08/27/2004 1:50:48 PM PDT by Graymatter (Bring it on, from Democratic "cut it out, waaaaaah")
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To: Joe Republc

I seriously recommend that you try to treat this with diet first. Often it does the trick!


256 posted on 08/27/2004 1:51:56 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Red Badger
According to John Rosemond, ADD and ADHD used to go by another acronym about 50 years ago. That acronym was AIYP. Of course, most of our parents knew exactly what AIYP was. AIYP is better known as Ants In Your Pants.
257 posted on 08/27/2004 1:53:59 PM PDT by Lowcountry
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To: Fierce Allegiance
To say all kids with ADD can control it via diet is hogwash.

I did not say that. I said ADD can be controlled with diet. Perhaps not always, but changing the diet should certainly be the first thing to do.

I am not against medications. They improve and save lives. But I have also seen bad effects when children on Ritalin grow up.

258 posted on 08/27/2004 1:54:14 PM PDT by zeebee
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To: PaulaB

I'm sorry, I am ignorant of this problem, but why is now when it never used to be? What the hell has caused it? Is it a lack of disapline at 2 yrs old, a fear of spanking, a fear of hurting your kids feelings to follow through? I believe it is a combination of things in this way the world is now, I don't believe in kids taking any drugs. There doesn't seem to be normal any more. Kids are crying out, won't anyone hear them?


259 posted on 08/27/2004 1:54:21 PM PDT by Old anti feminist
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To: Fierce Allegiance

I don't know that one. Does it eliminate all wheat, oats, rye, barley, dairy and fruit?


260 posted on 08/27/2004 2:00:11 PM PDT by Marie (Please don't feed the trolls.)
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