F/U on Ritalin Post

Nebb · December 2009

Thumbs up for squirrly, that was well said.

squirrly · December 2009

fishy, I'm with you. I think we're going to have to invest in a circus -worthy bike for about 25 soon, though. Perhaps we should opt for a clown car?

mwhitson14 · December 2009

Thank JK.

Fische, I suppose I have. I've had my fair share of behavior problems, but definitely no on the over-medication issue. Every class I've been in over the past two years I've been given lists of students, what meds they're on, any illnesses, whatever, and Ritalin/Adderall has never been on top of the list. In fact, this past placement was the first ime I've really been exposed to ADHD, because of how that kid behaved.

Also, my main problem was aMrs saying it's just so that teachers don't have to work as hard. That seems pretty much like BS to me, because I don't even think teachers have that much influence over what meds a student goes on. Maybe a special ed teacher, but I don't have any experience with that other than one class and on 6 week practicum.

jessjo04 · December 2009

They make a bike made for 6. I've seen it on Hells Kitchen and Conan. You sit in a circle and everyone pedals. Ya know, in case you were wondering...

ricksang · December 2009

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_fu-ritalin-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9de6bb6f-377c-4473-a731-756868faadcdPost:879f5cc2-aaa6-413c-b679-fbf153021765">Re: F/U on Ritalin Post</a>:
[QUOTE]Fishy, it's cozy in your head.
Posted by JK10910[/QUOTE]

Even with all that space in there? ;P

ExpatPumpkin · December 2009

Just want to address the vet questions...

Oscar's been to five different vets in the last six months, and has been prescribed medicines for gastritis, an eye infection, and an allergic reaction to an insect bite. The reason I post on here is because while my Spanish is good, it's not exactly medical, and I'm also interested in others' experiences with their dogs.

I don't think this board is a replacement for the vet's office, and he's been to one before/after every vet post I've made. And I have gotten some really good advice and reassurance from my posts, so they certainly weren't useless.

crfische · December 2009

Ricks, that's why it's cozy. Enough room for a couch, recliner, and all...

alixzafiris · December 2009

Don't forget the requisite case of vino, dahlink...

ricksang · December 2009

Good point Fishy. Sounds very cozy.

JK10910 · December 2009

Whit I can't get into my ex-school's online journals anymore and I don't want to trust much that I find from googling

So you'll just have to trust us! I tried though.

mwhitson14 · December 2009

No, I definitely believe you. It wasn't really disbelief in the fact of overmedication, just in the way it was worded that irritated me.

JK10910 · December 2009

Ah fair enough!

SarahPLiz · December 2009

My mom is a kindergarten teacher and my Godson is ADHD. THere are lots of things that can be done to not have to medicate students, but it has been my mother's experience that the parents find it easier to medicate than experiment and stick with the behavior modification programs. So its not to make the teacher's job easier, its to make the parent's job easier in most cases she has seen.

My Godson has other issues as well, but they went through several different behavior mod programs and changed his diet and the general atmosphere at home. It helped some, but when he started pre-school, he regresses due to his sensory processing disorder. As a last resort, they put him on Adderral. It made him lose so much weight that they had to put him on an appetite stimulant. He is on the lowest dose he can take of the Adderral and it makes a complete difference in his ability to concentrate. His mom is very wary of having him on the meds so she is sticking with the diet and behavior mod program and hopes he is off the meds before he starts kindergarten in the fall.

I, too, think people are too dependent on medication. We all need to learn self control and self motivation. If the meds help so that the kid can slow down long enough to learn those things, good, but I dont think anyone should be on them for life.

Fischy, I'm jumping on the bike with you.. Ill bring my own helmet.

crfische · December 2009

I keep helmets around, so if you can't find one, no worries!

JK10910 · December 2009

I was very thankful for those extra helmets before I went exploring in your head. The flying objects in there are dangerous!

crfische · December 2009

Sorry. That's the flair bartenders. I've been trying to tell them to tone it down.

tlv204 · December 2009

I've got to say I've seen some overmedication as well. I have recently been teaching in a lower level middle school reading class, and while several of them need medication even from my brief experience, I have one class of 10 students in which 8 of them are on Ridalin. They are all energetic and get distracted, but I honestly don't think that all of them need medication to cure it. I have also, however, seen a student who was put on so much ridalin because of his absurd repeated behavior issues, that he became practically comatose and could barely understand when someone asked him his name. He just stared with this glazed over look and didn't react with the world at all. So I guess the longer I teach the more I learn about this, although in my limited experience I do think that many people jump to the ADD/ADHD conclusion much too quickly hoping to find a quick fix for a rowdy child.

However, I really don't enjoy that people place all the blame on the "teacher who doesn't want to work harder to control the student." The teachers aren't the ones making the choice to medicate the child. They attend IEP meetings, but that choice is always up to the parent and doctor.

terbear_86 · December 2009

I like to think of myself as a reasonable person, and that most of the regulars on here are reasonable people as well. With that said, regardless of each other's expertise, education, and career, if/when someone on a message board is a doctor, nurse, physchologist, psychiatrist, etc. that person cannot or at least should not ethically or otherwise give out professional advice. That kind of thing takes place in a doctor's office. I know that there are some cases I have seen on message boards (Nest and Bump Definitely) where it is : I am taking ABC birth control and have this symptom, do you take it too? This sort of question, while TMI, can be ok if you are looking for fellowship in something, such as in the example given above, how do you handle your symtom, do you prefer ice packs or heat to ease cramps. If you are asking professional advice, ask your friend the regular in a private message or IRL. Better yet, ask your doctor. A public forum is not the place to self-diagnose. It is also not the place to ask for someone else who *may* be able to diagnose, to do it over the internet.

mwhitson14 · December 2009

[QUOTE]However, I really don't enjoy that people place all the blame on the "teacher who doesn't want to work harder to control the student." The teachers aren't the ones making the choice to medicate the child. They attend IEP meetings, but that choice is always up to the parent and doctor.[/QUOTE]

And this was really my whole point. I'm still not full time teaching, but I was fairly sure the teacher has little to no role in choosing the meds for the student.

sarahmk5 · December 2009

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_fu-ritalin-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9de6bb6f-377c-4473-a731-756868faadcdPost:a2be29d7-1c6b-417e-879a-26ea0b529236">Re: F/U on Ritalin Post</a>:
[QUOTE]They are now reaching college age, and showing up on my door step waiving papers that say "I have ADHD and that's why I can't score above a 200 on the SATs!"
Posted by mag920[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry, but I really don't think that is fair. My FI has ADD, officially diagnosed since he was about 8, and he simply does not do well on standardized tests because of his ADD. He's smart, has a high GPA, and is a hard worker, but a look at his standardized tests would not show that. I understand that there are people who don't really have ADD, may abuse medication, what they can get away with, etc. etc., but there are people who do actually have the disorder and simply can't do certian things as well because of it.

EDIT: And I know this is late, but I just had to put it out there.

crfische · December 2009

It's a good point to bring up, Sarah.

THAT is precisely the problem with the over medication and the over diagnosing. The empathy for people who truly and genuinely struggle with these issues, is gone and people minimize what is truly a struggle for so many people.

Which brings us full circle about how ridiculous it is to take ritalin to combat laziness because it trivializes what it is intended to do for so many people.

tlv204 · December 2009

I think this is what bothers me about medication for things like ADD, even for those that actually need it. No one, not two single people in the entire world, has the exact same neurological/chemical make up. Clearly, some imbalances inhibit daily life and medication helps. What worries me is that the more knowledgeable we get as a society about how chemicals in the brain works, there will eventually be medication and forms for why people can't do well on tests for every single difference in chemicals in the brain. At what point is it just a difference in behavior/physical make up/personality instead of an actual disorder?

I know that's not how it works now, and I'm not really trying to discount the fact that medication often helps for things like ADD, anxiety, and depression, but I guess I'm just wondering aloud what will happen if medication keeps being given for less and less severe cases until eventually we're all exactly the same emotionally and intellectually just because people keep being given medication to fix their problems?

I guess I can see both sides because if I had an issue like any of these I would probably want medication to put myself on an even playing field with others, but I also believe that God/karma/reincarnation/nature/fate/whatever made us all unique for a reason and that it isn't necessarily right to try to put everyone on an even playing field.

JK10910 · December 2009

Darwin hates this thread.

tlv204 · December 2009

JK that's exactly what I'm talking about!

crfische · December 2009

Aw, Mag, I love ya. ♥

sarahmk5 · December 2009

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_fu-ritalin-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9de6bb6f-377c-4473-a731-756868faadcdPost:9bd52f8b-b14f-49a7-bc63-dcb86850cf80">Re: F/U on Ritalin Post</a>:
[QUOTE] I guess I can see both sides because if I had an issue like any of these I would probably want medication to put myself on an even playing field with others, but I also believe that God/karma/reincarnation/nature/fate/whatever made us all unique for a reason and that it isn't necessarily right to try to put everyone on an even playing field.
Posted by tlv204[/QUOTE]

But the medication is there to help get them somewhere where they can compete. Even on his meds, I still did better than FI on the GREs because I take them well, and he doesn't. But I can't even imagine how horrible his scores would be if he didn't have access to the medication he needs. That's why there needs to be better testing, so people who don't need the medication, don't get it.

crfische · December 2009

Which is also why in my organization, we do baseline and challenge IVA's. It's INSANE to see the difference medication makes, but we don't put them on meds unless testing indicates that they can benefit from the medication.

TLV, those medications GREATLY improve the quality of life for SO many people, that it isn't about being on teh same "playing field" so to speak, but for a lot of people it's just being able to function in the world without sticking out like a sore thumb, and being able to even focus long enough to obtain knowledge. It does wonders for people.

crfische · December 2009

No, Mag! I mean it! I read your post and went. Awww... I love that Mags.

sarahmk5 · December 2009

Mags - I figured you felt that way, I just had to stick up for my FI.

I hate the people who abuse the system just as much as you do, because the trivialize his struggle.

thesuninherhead · December 2009

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_fu-ritalin-post?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9de6bb6f-377c-4473-a731-756868faadcdPost:a8682723-0477-4dc4-bf84-6194128c9a59">Re: F/U on Ritalin Post</a>:
[QUOTE]And if Nebb is right and it enlightened you to the type of person I am, I would say yes. I am a person who can't believe that an educated woman would ask if she should take ritalin to combat her laziness. I find those people ridiculous. Welcome to me.
<p>Posted by crfische[/QUOTE]</p>Ditto, although I find these people so ridiculous that sarcasm is the only response that I can muster which doesn't contain direct attacks on their reasoning ability.

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