tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782358493545454466.post1145713648974750162..comments2023-06-27T09:14:59.271-04:00Comments on Mason's Spina Bifida Journal: Day 26: ADHD, Drugs, and Spina Bifida?Tristanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14483248387092516827noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782358493545454466.post-20603763335636469762013-01-13T03:13:45.676-05:002013-01-13T03:13:45.676-05:00I agree 100%!! My husband was diagnosed and put o...I agree 100%!! My husband was diagnosed and put on Ritalin in elementary school. He struggles with addiction problems now (I found out when I was 7 months pregnant with our second baby) and after learning about Ritalin I was outraged that this could have caused that! I homeschooled my oldest for a year and a half but will pull him or any of my kids out of school the second ADHD is suspected. It is the schools' expectations and methods NOT our children who are to blame.Nikkihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03135725425296384065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782358493545454466.post-7678875014714330192012-11-09T11:48:09.641-05:002012-11-09T11:48:09.641-05:00Have you read Leonard Sax's book, "Boy...Have you read Leonard Sax's book, "Boy's Adrift". I really like what he has to say on this topic. My opinion is that ADHD is real, but like you, I don't agree with medicating. The side effects from the medication are not worth the help it lends. Also normal kids on the same medication benefit in the same ways. Boys that took the medication for even a year tended to lose their natural drive. Medication also tends to change personalities. Kids who were kind suddenly have violent or emotional episodes when taken off the medication. I have also seen that one medication tends to lead to another and then another. One of my nephews started on a normal ADHD medication. Now he is on a whole number of psychotrophic drugs to control violence and depression. He was a happy, albeit hyperactive, child before the medication.<br /><br />Leonard Sax, the author of "Boys Adrift" feels like 'all boys' schools are a good cure for ADHD and other typical boy problems. I have found that homeschool works pretty darn well because the kid that has a hard time focusing can move between subjects as he wants and still get everything in.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05410224281751216152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782358493545454466.post-66346438295514823632012-11-08T16:58:46.973-05:002012-11-08T16:58:46.973-05:00Thank you for your perspectives ladies! I do beli...Thank you for your perspectives ladies! I do believe that a child or adult can go to the extreme in these challenges/behaviors, which would be what I consider real ADHD. However I do not feel medication that causes multiple physical, emotional, and mental problems is a reasonable long-term treatment or solution. <br /><br />And for those who might wonder, I have a husband with ADD and at least one of my boys, most likely two (neither Mason), who would be diagnosed as ADHD by medical professionals. I do see differences in the degree to which their natural God-given tendencies are outside the realm of 'normal'. Medicating and covering up symptoms (while causing a host of other problems with the medication) is not the answer. Tristanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14483248387092516827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782358493545454466.post-36691829551933645192012-11-05T08:03:17.312-05:002012-11-05T08:03:17.312-05:00I agree with Wife of the Prez. My husband suffers...I agree with Wife of the Prez. My husband suffers from ADHD and it is not "normal". He is medicated...takes two pills each day. He has tried not taking medicine but has found that he just can't function without it. He wasn't diagnosed until he was in his twenties so he had to deal with ADHD throughout his school years and through the Naval Academy. He managed but he still talks about how hard it was. He always laments the fact that he didn't push for a diagnosis until he was finished with school. <br /><br />All that being said, our five year old daughter was just diagnosed with ADHD. It's common for it to run in families, although it's more common in boys. I have five children so I have a pretty good basis of comparison and I totally agree with the diagnosis. I have watched my daughter begin to struggle with things that most children her age do not. For the time being, we aren't medicating her. I don't really want to medicate her unless it becomes necessary in order for her to learn. However, after what my husband has dealt with, I will medicate her if it comes to that. AS the poster above said, we medicate our children for all sorts of physical problems but we often hesitate when it comes to mental illness. Mental illness is real and if medication will help then I think it should be tried. <br /><br />I respect your opinion, however, your post makes it sound like you don't believe ADHD is real. I believe it is. I have seen my husband deal with it and it can be heartbreaking at times. I will try to keep my daughter medication free for as long as I can, but I won't turn my back on medication if it can help her lead a less stressful life. I do believe that too many parents get an ADHD diagnosis for children that don't really suffer from it. I think it has become the easy way to explain away poor parenting or deal with normal kid behaviors. However, there are also many children and adults who suffer from ADHD that need the help, whether it is medication or behavioral therapy. <br /><br />Just my two cents...Shelbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13184742797059205076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782358493545454466.post-15607907390045904192012-10-29T08:17:18.767-04:002012-10-29T08:17:18.767-04:00Tristan, I love your posts and I respect your thou...Tristan, I love your posts and I respect your thoughts on this. I have a son who truly has ADHD. He is NOT LIKE his three brothers in "normal boy" activity. It is hard to explain. I thought as you did before we were living with it.<br /><br />It is by far the hardest need we parent. I have three other children with major to minor needs including birth defects of cleft lip and palate, and all that involves with speech, deafness in one of them, etc. And then four of our children were born with heart disease, all of them requiring open-heart surgery and two of them born with three-chamber hearts.<br /><br />And the impulsiveness of ADHD is the hardest thing we face each day. BUT we tried medicating and quickly realized that wasn't the answer, so we persevere as does our son every single day. But it is hard, EXTREMELY hard some days.<br /><br />I used to think ADHD was made up, but now I don't. However, I'm with you that drugs is not the answer, though I think for some kids with mental medical needs it is necessary and we may get back to that point. We think nothing of handing our DD a pill each day to help her heart function, but we think medicine for mental medical needs is wrong. <br /><br />I don't have all of the answers, but I know every day I'm seeking the Lord's help b/c I can't do it w/out Him. I just wanted to share that as the Mom of 4 sons, I can tell you true ADHD is NOT normal boy rough and tumble, noise and activity (I have 3 sons who do that and it is not the same).<br /><br />Just my thoughts for what they are worth. :)Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06879841384249644425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782358493545454466.post-22146801581627587522012-10-26T23:17:27.584-04:002012-10-26T23:17:27.584-04:00I agree as well, have come to these conclusions my...I agree as well, have come to these conclusions myself, and applaud you in sharing these truths. katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18317119490579859721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782358493545454466.post-80859697805723980732012-10-26T19:13:53.402-04:002012-10-26T19:13:53.402-04:00Thanks for posting this! I wholeheartedly agree w...Thanks for posting this! I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said!Courtney @ Ordinary Happily Ever Afterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07778746374905378101noreply@blogger.com