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Attention Deficit Disorder Attention Deficit Disorder is a growing problem among children in our society. Teachers and school officials label many students as being attention deficit. Doctors are quick to prescribe medication, such as Ritalin, to children as a “quick-fix” for learning and behavior problems. Medicating children for attention deficit disorder is not the answer. Children who are put on drugs say that there is something wrong with them. Parents are sending this message to them. Children that I have talked to express that their parents do not like the way they are and that is why they have been put on drugs. Many children and teenagers that my husband and I have dealt with who have been on drugs for attention deficit believe that they are bad. They wonder why their parents and others don’t like and love them for who they are. They want to know why everyone wants to change them. These same children and teenagers have low self esteem and think of themselves as being stupid. Recently there was an episode on Without a Trace which was about a boy whose parents wanted to put him on medication for attention deficit. This boy made C’s and because of this, his parents thought that he should be put on medication to help improve his grades. The boy became very withdrawn from his parents. From my own experiences in dealing with parents and children, parents want their children to be able to talk to them but the children are afraid to for fear of being medicated. Ritalin (methylphenidate) is a class 2 controlled substance and thus is listed in the same category as cocaine, codeine, morphine, and amphetamines. In fact, Ritalin is being sold on the black market as a form of speed. We have become the only country in the world where children are prescribed such a vast quantity of stimulants that share virtually the same properties as cocaine. In 1997 alone, nearly five million people in the United States were prescribed Ritalin -- most of them young children diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. Use of Ritalin, which is a stimulant related to amphetamine, has increased by 700 percent since 1990. And this phenomenon appears to be uniquely American: 90 percent of the world's Ritalin is used in the United States. There are many results that occur when using mind-altering drugs. The side effects that these drugs may have on children include anger, depression, suicide and much more. Ritlan, which is a commonly prescribed medication for A.D.D., is a very potent, addictive and abusive drug. A student I know was put on drugs this year because the parents thought it would be best. After a few days, one of her teachers noticed changes in the student. The teacher explained that the student was irritable, depressed, not doing assignments and falling asleep in class. There were two other students who were on medication for A.D.D. These below average students were considered dumb and stupid at their schools. When new teachers gave them love, encouraged them, and the individual attention that they needed, these students went from C’s and D’s to A’s and B’s. They now have self-confidence, love of life, purpose, self-discipline and are focused. They are not on medication and have excelled because the teachers have given them what they need. Medications control the behavior, but do not get to the heart of the child. If a child has been told that they are dumb, stupid, undisciplined, or unfocused, then he will act out of what he has been told. Why is the child acting this way? There is a reason. If someone will take the time to find out why the child is like this and deal with difficulty, then the child’s behavior will change and there won’t be a problem. One opposing view is that putting children on drugs for A.D.D. helps the child to be focused and have fewer distractions. It seems that the child is focused but in reality the child is not focused on anything. Instead, he is merely in a daze due to the effects of these drugs. Parents that I have talked to say that their children appear to be zombies. They were not able to focus on anything or think clearly. These same parents noticed that their children’s grades were dropping as well. These same parents did not have any other options, since the school administrators and teachers were telling them parents their children had to be put on medication. Training should be given to parents and teachers on how to provide attention, acceptance, affiliation and approval for the children. Educating parents and teachers will boost the child’s self esteem. Another opposing view is children who are medication are more disciplined in school and it helps them have a more disciplined life. These children appear to be more disciplined but they have actually lost interest in everything. When my friend’s son was a little boy he was enthusiastic about life. He loved being around people and he always was happy. After much pressure from his principal and teachers, his parents put him on Ritalin to try and help make him more disciplined and focused in school. Years have passed and he is now in high school and still on Ritalin. He has an extremely negative attitude, is depressed, withdrawn, angry and hopeless. He has no goals, no purpose and has lost most of his friends. He appears to be more disciplined and focused because he spends the majority of his time working on schoolwork. However, he is barely passing in his classes and continues to struggle to get by. His parents took him off medication for a brief period. The results were remarkable. He was energetic, had a positive attitude, was loving and his grades were average. Using drugs for attention deficit causes more long-term negative effects and fewer short-term positive effects. Educating parents and teachers on how to deal with children will produce long-term results and eliminate the need for medication, which provides only a temporary fix. -Rebekah L. Ross January Newsletter 2005 | Principle of Giving | Attention Deficit Disorder Pastor's Journal January 2004 | Better Than Gold | Storehouses and Treasures part 1 of 3 |
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