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I was talking to a mom today who is getting all kinds of flack from her family about putting her son on ADHD meds. He is in his second year of kindergarten because he hasn't been able to stay seated or focus on learning at all. The school wanted him in special ed classes because, during his second year of kindergarten, he still wasn't learning anything or able to follow the rules because of his extreme impulsivity. He has been on the meds for two months and has completely caught up academically and is surpassing other kids in his class. Yet, her family is still getting on her case about her medicating him.
While it is being overdiagnosed and medications are being unnecessarily prescribed, there are kids who NEED it to function. Nobody would question a parent who gave their diabetic child insulin.
I have a cousin who was tested at an IQ of 165. He was on ADHD meds early in life and graduated from high school two years early. While in college, he developed a heart problem and went off all his ADHD meds. Now, he's not able to finish college because he simply can't focus. He's a cashier at Meijer's now. Oh, his dad? He managed to finish his MBA without ADHD meds, but couldn't work a desk job ever, so he's worked on an auto line his whole life.
Some of the meds I'm on for Crohn's have really awful side effects.. from cancer to heart problems, to highly increased risk of infectious disease and chronic pancreatitis and liver failure. I have to be monitored carefully because of all this and that stinks, BUT without it, I would have starved to death by now, or would be living on IVs.
Risk benefit analysis is the key.
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