Our county has an obsession for pills. Objectively, we take them to make us feel better so we can function well in life. But are all pills necessary? Probably not, but we all have our reasons and problems to do so. How about children as young as four? Should they be taking mood altering medication based on behaviors that seem typical for their age?
A portion of juveniles that get tangled into the justice system suffer from some sort of mental disorder. About 70 percent of them are affected. One out of five suffers severely from the illness to the point where they don’t have the ability to function as a normal young person and eventually, a responsible adult. They can experience one or multiple disorders. It could be emotional, anxiety, psychotic, behavioral, or substance abuse disorder. Some will suffer from dual disorder; commonly, a mental disorder along with substance abuse (Hammond).
Medicating children with a mental disorder is a controversial issue. The Medicated Child video featured on PBS Frontline points out many of these reasons. Many of the children are being over diagnosed with these mental illnesses. Prescribing them medication for the disorder is simply an experiment. It either works or it doesn’t. It’s a fairly new issue with very little research support. For example: will prescriptions that work for adults work for children as well? Some experts say they don’t because the child’s body is still developing. Long-term effects are unknown and the side effects are numerous. The video shows that children have died from overdose and taking a combination of them could be deadly.
Medicating Kids is also another PBS Frontline video that was broadcasted a few years before The Medicated Child. This video shows four different situations that portray the possible outcomes. First case, Nicholas, was diagnosed with either ADD or ADHD after his teacher recommended that he gets evaluated. Nicholas was one of those kids who were hyper and impulsive. His parents refused to medicate him because they felt that his behavior is normal and typical of a child. Second case, Noelle, takes Ritalin to help her concentrate in school and gymnastic. Her teacher and gymnastic coach see the difference and know when she hasn’t taken her medication. Her grades went from Cs, Ds, and Fs to As, and Bs. Her medication also helps her perform better at gymnastic. Third case is about Alex, who is overweight and sensitive. He gets teased about his size and has suicidal thoughts. He’s diagnosed with ADHD and depression. By taking the medication, he’s able to feel better about himself and enjoy his life. Case four, Robin, has tried almost every possible prescription. By sixth grade, he tried about six different kinds. None of them worked. He refused to take them because it makes him feel jittery. He’s mad at his mom because she wants him to take it, but he feels happier when he’s doesn’t. These four different situations show that every child is different and what works for one may not work for another. That sometimes, these behaviors are overlooked and may be just a phrase that they are going through.
When I first watched Medicating Kids for a Sociology course, I thought to myself afterwards, what would I do, as a parent, if my child was ever diagnosed with a mental disorder, like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Would I gamble with the medications and see if it makes a difference or accept the fact that he’s developing and will grow out of it? We were at my son’s nine months checkup. While waiting in the lobby, I skimmed through a brochure about ADHD and Altruism. I remembered thinking to myself that many of these signs of behavior are normal in my opinion because kids are still learning. I hesitate, already, giving my son, who’s sixteen months, generic Tylenol. I would despise the idea of him being on mental disorder medication where I don’t know what could possibly happen to him and his future.
It almost sounds as if we’re taking the issue out of proportion by labeling it as illness or disorder to society. Early signs during childhood are positive, even when it is contradicting sometimes. Treatment in early stages can benefit the child and society. The child can live a more satisfying and fulfilling life without troublesome behavior that could cause delinquency. In reality, a portion of these youth do function better in life being on medication than without. Once they get into the juvenile justice system and are diagnosed with a disorder, treatment for them is a multisystem that includes the individual, family, and substance abuse intervention. It’s not that the system is being lenient with youth, but the fact that it’s more willing to give them a second chance by incorporating all aspects of their life so they don’t reoffend.
References:
Gaviria, M. (Producer and Director). (2008). The Medicated Child [Motion picture]. United States: WGBH Education Foundation
Hammond, S. (June 2007). Mental Health Needs of Juvenile Offenders. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/print/cj/mentaljjneeds.pdf
Great, informative post! Medicating children is a very touchy subject. My mom works for Child Welfare (CPS) and there are some children who are medicated with very heavy narcotics. Although it is approved by the court, I still feel it should be carefully examined before children are medicated.
ReplyDeleteMichelle... I totally agree with you. It all really boils down to the pharmaceutical companies. It's their responsiblity to make sure that their drugs are, in fact, working for what it says it's for. We don't have any knowledge of the medication other than the provided information from the pharmacy. And it's not a small one either, the list of side effects, adverse effects, and warnings are quite long. Thanks for the comment
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