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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: Old Professer

I agree.


341 posted on 08/28/2004 10:55:09 AM PDT by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: Dave278

You are wrong.

Ritalin = Methylphenidate
Adderall = Methamphetamine

An interesting thing. Both are uppers. They will cause most people to become hyperactive. They have the opposite effect on ADDers.


342 posted on 08/28/2004 11:00:26 AM PDT by gitmo (Thanks, Mel. I needed that.)
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To: VOA

That show was hysterical.


343 posted on 08/28/2004 11:02:13 AM PDT by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: cyborg
That show was hysterical.

Sho-nuff!

And I did manage to come away with one pearl from Swanberg's son.
When I'm in a confusing situation, I think I'll ask myself if I'm seeing
what the blimp sees. (the whole picture)
344 posted on 08/28/2004 11:05:45 AM PDT by VOA
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To: VOA

James Dobson holds a pretty fair view of the problem. At first I thought I may just have ADD because I can spend hours on FR and not even notice :O)


345 posted on 08/28/2004 11:06:44 AM PDT by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: Joe Republc
I don't have time to go through the whole thread to see if this has been suggested yet, but my former house mate is COO of The Drake Institute, which uses biofeedback very effectively to treat ADD and ADHD without drugs. Go to http://www.drakeinstitute.com/
346 posted on 08/28/2004 11:10:10 AM PDT by Rockitz (After all these years, it's still rocket science.)
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To: cyborg
At first I thought I may just have ADD because I can spend hours on FR and not even notice

Not to worry.
I think we're lucky to just be benign obsessive-compulsives!
347 posted on 08/28/2004 11:11:55 AM PDT by VOA
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To: Joe Republc
Help me decide if my 10 year old should use Ritalin

Get several opinions on your boy, however, ADD is very real.

348 posted on 08/28/2004 11:13:24 AM PDT by Lazamataz ("Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown" -- harpseal)
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To: Rytwyng

See my post #346.


349 posted on 08/28/2004 11:15:30 AM PDT by Rockitz (After all these years, it's still rocket science.)
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To: All

Brave New World


350 posted on 08/28/2004 11:16:28 AM PDT by Wormwood (Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!)
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To: meandog

I don't always trust doctors, sorry. They usually refuse to look at dietary problems and are willing to drug before anything else is considered. Diet can often mean the difference, not always perhaps, but it should be looked into.


351 posted on 08/28/2004 6:41:47 PM PDT by Marysecretary (GOD is STILL in control, even if Bush loses in 2004!)
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To: SwankyC

With all the preservatives they put in food, it's a wonder we're still alive. I always say we die younger but our bodies last forever! (smile)


352 posted on 08/28/2004 6:44:05 PM PDT by Marysecretary (GOD is STILL in control, even if Bush loses in 2004!)
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To: July 4th

I think nutritionists have a little more expertise than dentists. Many of them diligently study the body and its reactions to drugs, preservatives, etc. There's more out there than doctors. You need to be cautious, of course, but drugs are not always the answer.


353 posted on 08/28/2004 6:46:35 PM PDT by Marysecretary (GOD is STILL in control, even if Bush loses in 2004!)
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To: PaulaB

It is most certainly the same thing. The main ingrediant is Methylphenidate. From add.about.com/od/concerta/s, "Methylphenidate is the main ingredient in Ritalin, Concerta and Medadate. Find out side effects, drug interactions and precautions before you start taking this medication."
Commonly Used Names

Ritalin
Ritalin SR
PMS-Methylphenidate
Riphenidate
Concerta (Extended release)
Metadate

I hate to get personal with you here but if you did not even know that then you need to question every thing you think you know about this subject.


354 posted on 08/29/2004 8:35:23 AM PDT by ocos
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To: farmfriend

Just remember that the point of the post was that the Marines WILL NOT take you if they know you have been on this stuff. This is well known by myself (being a former Marine and publicized about the Colembine massacre.


355 posted on 08/29/2004 8:39:49 AM PDT by ocos
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To: Corin Stormhands

Come to the cicus and watch monkeys jumping through burning hoop and then watch the experts try to make convoluted explainations on why their brain disorder diagnosise is selective.


356 posted on 08/29/2004 8:41:57 AM PDT by ocos
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To: ocos
Thanks for noting that Ritalin by any other name is still ritalin. Didn't read all the 300+ posts but thought I would note that one of the "irreversible" side effects of prolonged Ritalin use is shrinkage of the cerebral cortex. Not a good thing.
357 posted on 08/29/2004 8:45:03 AM PDT by codder too
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To: Marie

You know if you did brain scans of those in the holocost camps their brains would look diferent. If you had a ham and chesse omelet every am your brain would look different.


358 posted on 08/29/2004 8:45:53 AM PDT by ocos
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To: Marysecretary
With all the preservatives they put in food, it's a wonder we're still alive.

Good point. My ancestors (WV stock) all lived to their late 80's and 90's. They ate eggs, biscuits (made with lard), bacon, gravy, fried bologna, and fried apples for breakfast every day of their lives. I've often wondered why they didn't all die in their 50's with a heart attack.

359 posted on 08/29/2004 8:51:18 AM PDT by Glenn (The two keys to character: 1) Learn how to keep a secret. 2) ...)
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To: Joe Republc

Ritalin is a MIND ALTERING DRUG! And giving it to children whos brains are still developing is a serious serious issue! There have been no long term studies to my knowlege of the long term affects of Ritalin on brain development etc.

I would not put my kid on Ritalin unless he was so out of control that I could not get him personally to sit still for 10 minutes and do something that he enjoys.

If your child is capable of sitting still and doing a task they enjoy, say coloring, putting together a model car, completing a puzzle, or some other task that requires focus for 10-15 minutes to complete (make sure it is a task the ENJOY doing) then they don't have ADD and they don't need drugs.

They may need more discipline in their life, almost certainly less television... but they don't need drugs!! Just because your child won't sit like a baby doll for 8 hours for teacher doesn't mean they have a mental disorder.

The only, and I do mean ONLY way I would ever even contemplate drugs for my child regarding attention issues would be if I personally realized he was completely unable to stay on task, even if it was a task I really really really knew he loved consistently for less than 15 minutes.

I have to take care of kids who were on ritalin for years, and had none when they were with me for nearly 2 weeks. They exibited absolutely no problems in my care during that time with no drugs, after a few days of consistent disciplining the "symptoms" of their "disorder" were gone.

Consistent discipline, less TV (ideally NO TV) and computer games.... interaction and engagement with the child consistently and you will be amazed at the behavior shift in short order.

I would NEVER EVER EVER let a TEACHER pressure me into doping up my kid, because she or he has been made so impotent by the pc "self esteem" crowd and undicipling parents at home that they can no longer keep control of their classrooms.


360 posted on 08/29/2004 9:03:38 AM PDT by HamiltonJay ("You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.")
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