Your Child's Education & Prescription Drugs?

I am ADHD and dyslexic. I’m also a little smart and my mind is running full tilt most of the time if I can not calm it. I completely understand what Star Forge meant when he said that the effects of Ritalin are like having a lobotomy. You become absent and not there; the world takes on a surreal state. Some people pay good money to obtain those same effects for recreational purposes… not me.

My daughter is dyslexic and a bit hyper at times which is why I have her in private schools and she does most of her work from home. She is by no means “not smart”, but like her Dad, quite the opposite. She has already tested out of her grade and to the next. And if I let her, she would run to the one after in two subjects. But I would never “drug” her just because she is “spirited” or not like the other kids. Granted, not everyone feels they are in a position where they can take the same kind of measures I have with their children. But I would ask that they explore, and really try to make work, several other avenues before playing with the chemical balance of their children’s minds.

I only took Ritalin for about three weeks before I threw the pills away and focused on not standing out. It was a long process that kind of screwed me up for a long time.

There are those whom medication can help. But often times I too feel that it is over prescribed as means of reigning in those that may not fit the picture of the social norm. As Jedi, I would like to think that we would practice acceptance, patience and understanding; and, not fall victim to common practice without good reason.

I'm sure you're a fine parent Desolus, I was just speaking in generalities. Musing if you will.

Starforge:

There is little to no evidence of long term negative side effects of Ritalin other then anxiety And this has been demonstrated only in lab rats. The 'Ritalin Culture' has also been around only as long as the mid to late eighties, meaning most of the parents of children between the ages of 12-22 weren't necessarily part of that trend of drugging kids. I mention this because the rise in diagnosis of Aspergers, while trending higher since the 80's, only jumped in the 90's. Translation? The first generation to get "noticed" with Aspergers at a higher rate didn't have nearly as many parents that took that medication as the children born after say 2001.

You fell into a logical trap. The rise of Aspergers diagnosis is unrelated to ritilan, its the result of better diagnostic tools and abilities. (And a culture of parents who can't take the blame for their shitty kids. Not in all cases of course, but in more then one that I've seen myself)

On that note I also feel the rise of socially awkward children who can't relate to others can also be blamed on TV. Have you seen the Aspergers test? Its a joke.

"Do you like spending time alone? 1,2,3,4,5
Do you enjoy hobbies that don't involve interaction with others? 1,2,3,4,5

OMG She put five on both, she must have Aspergers!!!"

Give me a break. :dry:

That being said if you feel those issues are pressing in on you I highly recommend you speak to someone in the mental health field. Even just talking to someone face to face can often times do a world of good for people. I'm sorry you had those problems. I had read before that a small number of children reacted like that to Ritalin. Its unfortunate, but I still don't think its worth taking the drug off the market when something like seven million children get 'help' from it. (Help being a subjective term)

I for one am against drugging children unless all others options (And I mean all) have been exhausted.