This question is being asked a lot in homes today. The school nurse has lists of students who are to receive medication at school. But, are we too quick in our society to do the quick fix of taking a pill or is medication something some children really need to succeed in school?
This area is a little murky for parents who struggle with the idea of medicating their children for educational purposes. They see the troubles their child is encountering in school and want to do what is best for them. The decision they make will have a lasting effect on their child and his/her education. It is a weighty responsibility and not one to be taken lightly.
Some of the negative aspects are the side affects of medication and the need for medication to increase in dosage as the child gets older. Some common side effects of Ritalin are headache, nausea, and drowsiness according to http://adhd.emedtv.com/ritalin/ritalin-side-effects.html . Another concern is for students who have a behavior problem, are they being put on medication when discipline would work just as well or better? Some feel the medication is used to drug the child to make them calmer instead of dealing with the behavior problem.
Teachers can tell you they can see a real difference in some students who are on medication. They can tell it really helps the students perform better in class. With other students, some teachers cannot tell a real difference or they feel the medication just drugs the child and makes them too lethargic. This may mean that the medications need to be adjusted up or down depending on the specific student. As teachers, we are not doctors and can only make observations of what we see. Only the child’s physician can recommend to the parents what is best for their child.
I, personally, am on the leery side of medicating students too quickly, especially for a behavior problem. In my classroom, I always encourage parents to try behavior management strategies first. If these do not work then we move on to other alternatives.
The decision, and it is not an easy one to make, is ultimately in the hands of the child’s parents.
This area is a little murky for parents who struggle with the idea of medicating their children for educational purposes. They see the troubles their child is encountering in school and want to do what is best for them. The decision they make will have a lasting effect on their child and his/her education. It is a weighty responsibility and not one to be taken lightly.
Some of the negative aspects are the side affects of medication and the need for medication to increase in dosage as the child gets older. Some common side effects of Ritalin are headache, nausea, and drowsiness according to http://adhd.emedtv.com/ritalin/ritalin-side-effects.html . Another concern is for students who have a behavior problem, are they being put on medication when discipline would work just as well or better? Some feel the medication is used to drug the child to make them calmer instead of dealing with the behavior problem.
Teachers can tell you they can see a real difference in some students who are on medication. They can tell it really helps the students perform better in class. With other students, some teachers cannot tell a real difference or they feel the medication just drugs the child and makes them too lethargic. This may mean that the medications need to be adjusted up or down depending on the specific student. As teachers, we are not doctors and can only make observations of what we see. Only the child’s physician can recommend to the parents what is best for their child.
I, personally, am on the leery side of medicating students too quickly, especially for a behavior problem. In my classroom, I always encourage parents to try behavior management strategies first. If these do not work then we move on to other alternatives.
The decision, and it is not an easy one to make, is ultimately in the hands of the child’s parents.
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I agree that relying on medication is such a contraversial issue that can make (or break) the success a child has in school. I think it's great that you recognize the importance of trying behavior management strategies first. Often times, parents see medication as a "quick-fix" which is by no means a rational approach in my opinion). There are so many other ways that families can deal the with behavioral or emotional difficulties their child may be having. I also find it imporant to look at this issue on a case to case basis. What works for one child and their family may not always work for another.
ReplyDeleteBy the time children get to fourth grade many of the children with ADHD have already been medicated. I think it would be interesting to see how these children act at a younger age in comparison to their peers. I think it's wonderful that you try behavior management strategies with the children and have the parents become active in this as well. I think every possible intervention should be attempted before medication is considered.
ReplyDeleteThis one hits home for me! I have two kids with rather severe ADHD. We have tried several meds. The side effects have not been worth it. You mentioned "headache, nausea, and drowsiness", but those are nothing compared to the mood swings, crying, sleeplessness, lack of appetite, aggression, etc. that many kids suffer with. Not to mention the "crash" the whole family has to endure when the meds wear off at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the meds have to be constantly adjusted and changed. It's not as if you find one that works, and you are set for the next several years. They constantly need adjustment.
It's also not healthy for people, especially kids, to be on these meds year after year after year.
Life with ADHD is very hard, but we have not found medication to be a solution.
We've had teachers badger us constantly about meds the entire school year. We tell them the problems we've had with side effects, and still they keep pushing us to medicate. That's just plain illegal, and shows how little they really know about meds. If the parents aren't medicating, there are reasons for it. A teacher shouldn't push it more than once.
I never reccommend to parents that a child tries medication. I usually encourage them to check with their doctors to rule out problems. I'm always afraid that a child will have a reaction to medication and then try to sue me because they will say that I am the one who "forced" them to try medication. I agree that it should be a last resort.
ReplyDelete