Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Health

On Parenting by Nancy Shute

How to Make Sure Those Psych Meds Are Right for Your Child

December 08, 2008 04:49 PM ET | Nancy Shute | Permanent Link | Print

Reader Comments

kids and depression

and sometimes when they have all that and there is a genetic tendency towards depression they need understanding and not people making their parents feel guilty for putting them on psych meds. So, until you have walked the walk keep your mouth and judgemental attitude to yourself

You should be less judgemental of parents who NEED to have their children seen by doctors

Not all of us medicate our children because it's easier. Try having a toddler that does not sleep because she's manic. Or that punches you (regardless of the discipline given) when she doesn't get her way.

You can say that it is the parenting or any of the examples you used above . . . but how do you explain the other two children in the family who are treated the same and DON'T act that way?

Would you want a father that is schizophrenic not to take his meds? Would you want an adult sister that has bipolar disorder and flirts with suicide not to take meds? Maybe she could just get some more sun, too. And, would you say that your child with leukemia should not be treated with meds? How about if your child had heart disease? Many disorders being treated today have neurological components that cannot be fixed through sunship, sleep, and laughter. Those things certainly help improve the relationships in your home and decrease the stress level in general but they don't FIX everything.

The decision to medicate your children is a heart-wrenching decision that many parents are faced with. I agree that not all parents make that decision for the right reason. There are many of us that go years being shunned by closed-minded people because we are told its our fault.

If you stay away from shrinks, you won't need to second-guess their prescriptions.

Sunshine, sleep, vitamins, laughter, work and Mommy and Daddy loving each other-- are what most kids need more of.

If you stay away from so-called therapists and shrinks in the first place, your kid will not be victim of a pill-pushing pharma industry. Chances are your kid needs a dog, a job, more sunshine, more sleep, less TV, less video, less ipod, less texting, less sugar and more vegetables. He/she may also need a Mom or Dad not playing adultery and divorce games.

There are probably 50 things to do BEFORE ever talking to a doctor about psych drugs for a kid.

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About On Parenting

Parenting may be an art, but there's a lot of science behind raising healthy, thriving children. Contributing Editor Nancy Shute explores the latest discoveries and developments affecting children's health and parenting. Send her your comments and questions at onparenting@usnews.com.

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