A group called "Parents Against Ritalin"
[QUOTE=psm0904]I'm concerned with the posters who want to make those who do feel guilty.[/QUOTE]
Why? It is a pointless debate. Why not let them state their opinion and move on?
New people are not going to come on here and read ONE thread and make a decision about what to do with their kids. They will accumulate information and make the decision that way. It's ONE opinion and the more you fuel the fire with these kinds of posts, the more attention YOU are giving to the issues you don't agree with.
I come to this board because it is for PARENTS of children with AD/HD, not PRO DRUG Parents or PRO ALTERNATIVE Parents. I do read the other boards and volunteer info when I can help. I have been on both sides. My son did take meds for 6 years. They did help for a while. He did end up with problems and infact a rare side effect of Ritilin being a very low white blood cell count that caused many other problems. He HAD to be taken off meds because they effected HIM badly. We must use alternatives now. Just because someone tells their bad experience with meds does not mean they are trying to scare someone or make them feel guilty. We are only shareing what happened to US, so people can make their OWN informed judgements on wether it is right for THEM. Please do not lump everyone who uses alternatives into the same catorgory. I know there are people out there who just love to stir up a board, and they come from BOTH sides. There are just as many people out there trying to scare people away from trying alternatives. Please don't be one of them. It helps no one. Alternatives have helped my son greatly, just as meds have helped others. We have nothing else. I know alternatives don't cure or help everyone, but they have been a God send to us. Good luck to you.
[QUOTE=psm0904] They have no purpose on the boards. Their sole purpose is to scare people. This is a support board, not a board for debate. They don't have to use Ritalin, but they also don't need to scare people who do. I just want the posters to be aware of their agenda before they get scared. [/QUOTE]
Continued.......
[QUOTE=psm0904]
I want to alert parents to the "mimickers." That's what drew me to the board. [/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=psm0904]
I want to alert parents to the "mimickers." That's what drew me to the board. [/QUOTE]
I couldn't agree more!!
I don't love drugs, dear Bailey. They are a necessary part of life for me. MY son is not taking meds. I'm not talking to you. I didn't post to you. However, there have been cases, such as the four year old boy with Leukemia, who was about to be removed from his house because his parents wouldn't give him chemo. They ran off to Mexico and, of course, the boy died shortly after. I choose not to medicate my autistic son, but he doesn't really need meds. Do you have a problem with people who see benefits of meds and DO use them? I don't think I'd ever give a child of mine stimulants, but I don't villify those who do.WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?????
You responded to MY post about not using drugs to change my husbands cholesterol
level. YOU brought up abuse for not medicating a child who needs it.
Was that not you?
I have NEVER said I have a problem with people who medicate their children. My own sister medicates her son with Concerta. MY son does not react well to meds. so we choose not to use them. YOU said, "we are foolish to reject drugs even if we need them." You also went on about abuse if we with hold drugs from our son.
HELLO! If I thought a drug would help my son concentrate in school without the neg. side effects we experienced in the past, you bet he would be on them!
He DOES NOT react well on them. HE IS WORSE on the drugs.
They don't work in every case. BUT if they work for you, be my guest.
Why is it so important to you that we all medicate our kids?
Come to think of it. Why are you even posting here?
You are BP and your son is Autistic. Why do you feel you have something to add to a ADHD board?
I wasn't talking to you in particular. I am not interested in whether or not you medicate your kids. I'm concerned with the posters who want to make those who do feel guilty. I'm not a big fan of stimulants myself, but they do work for some kids.
I have two daughters who may have ADHD, especially my oldest. My son lived with the dx. for years, and I want to alert parents to the "mimickers." By the amount of private messages I get, I suspect some interest in the mimickers. That's what drew me to the board. I suspect there are many kids here who will be diagnosed with more than ADHD and many parents get frightened when there is no need to be. Now, to avoid a ping pong ball sort of thread, I'm going to end this here. I'm sorry if you took it personally. The post had nothing to do with you specifically.
Oops! I meant HIGH CHOLESTORAL, not high blood pressure.He actually controls it quite well with diet and excercise. Somethings are manageable without drugs.
I control my cholestral with diet and exercise too, but I have a friend who jogs a cool twenty miles a day. His cholestral is still high. He hates meds, but finally took them to lower it. Nothing else worked. I'm all for trying everything else first, but you are foolish if you reject meds even if you need them. And if you withhold them from your child, the child could die. You can't be so anti-med that you won't give antibiotics to your child if the child has bacterial pneumonia or antidepressants if your child has tried to kill himself and needs them. That's abuse. The courts can remove your child from your care. I'm all for trying anything but meds first, and some HAVE had bad experiences with meds too. You have to use common sense.OK OK OK!!!!
We get it that you LOVE drugs! Than by all means you should take them.
The point is this:
If your child reacts neg. to drugs than you should not give them to him. If he reacts pos. to them then by all means, give them to him!
Not every kid needs to be on drugs for ADD. My kid is not as severe as other peoples kids and we choose to not medicate. Why do you have such an issue with that????
I feel like you are directly benefiting from the drug companies as you are so extremely pro drugs for kids with ADD. Drugs are not the only answer and I am quite sure that you are not an expert on ADHD.
And for the record, I am quite sure I will not be arrested for abuse for not giving my child drugs to control an issue that we seem to be handling quite well.
But thanks for your concern
Aren't these the same people that also don't believe in post partum depression?
Gee, I wish I could live in their world. No disorders, vitamins cure all! Unfortunately I have to live on planet earth and as it happens I brought this child into the world, and love him dearly. No one goes willingly to get their child on stimulant meds, most of us go kicking, screaming, crying and agonizing. In the meantime, our kid suffers. Treat the physiological disorder. That is responsible, loving parenthood. Whether by meds or if you think it works, alternative methods. Jeesh!
I never said medication was the only way. Someone just said why can't they believe in Ritalin, and I believe that is why. You certainly can choose to treat your child however you would like. I personally don't use Ritalin anymore.
Mills, I used to post on an anxiety board because I have anxiety disorder. These same people were also there. Their drug of choice to bash on that board was Valium. This was before the longer acting Klonopin came out. Benzos are very effective for anxiety disorder and, remember, these folks had ANXIETY DISORDER. When people posted there, the posters freaked out because many of them could not function without their meds--myself being one, although they didn't scare me. They would be banned from the boards, then a few months later come back with different names. They can choose whatever methods they like to treat disorders, although many of those posters didn't believe the disorders existed. They have no purpose on the boards. If they are against Ritalin and have a child struggling with ADHD they can post on the alternatives, but they DON'T. Their sole purpose is to scare people. This is a support board, not a board for debate. Unfortunately, these folks have made it one because there is no moderatoring. ADHD exists. They don't have to believe it does. I can think the earth is flat. Doesn't mean it is. They don't have to use Ritalin, but they also don't need to scare people who do. This group is linked to Scientology. Read my links about "Parents Against Ritalin." I just want the posters to be aware of their agenda before they get scared. Also, this link validates ADHD on many fronts, plus it's treatment. I will continue to unmask them. I dealt with them on the anxiety board and I will do it here too. It was the same crowd.
[QUOTE=psm0904] They have no purpose on the boards. Their sole purpose is to scare people. [/QUOTE]
Sounds much like your agenda.
[QUOTE=psm0904] but you are foolish if you reject meds even if you need them. And if you withhold them from your child, the child could die. The courts can remove your child from your care.[/QUOTE]
Who's SCARING who?
A very interesting blurb, plus other ADHD website connections, which talks about a group of parents who don't believe in ADHD and are anti-Ritalin. It sort of validates that they are tied to Peter Breggin and Scientology. These parents don't really believe in ADHD. Ok, here's the link:
http://web4health.info/en/answers/adhd-myth-dope.htm
They must be right. Horrible, evil mom I am, spending day after day, year after year, helping my son learn to read, taking him to counseling, praising him, disciplining him, getting him a tutor. EEEEGADS!!!! WHAT WAS I THINKING!!???!!?? Somebody come and take my children away, before I destroy their lives further! 
Can't people believe there is such a thing as ADD but NOT believe in treating it with ritalin?
Actually I don't think they can. Because if you believe in ADHD, you believe it is a physical condition, and medication is proven to treat the physical condition. Therefore, in order to say that using medication is bad, you have to believe that these children do not have a physical problem, they are just the result of bad parenting or normal child hyperness/distractability.
Hawks,
I think some will take issue with what you say. You can believe in ADHD and choose to treat it with other interventions besides medication like supplements, school accommodations, tutoring, therapy, neurofeedback, etc.
Hawks and SmallMom:
According to people like these, ADHD isn't a physical problem, it's a social/childrearing one. Therefore, if you treat your child with any kind of diet/ medication therapy, you're both equally wrong. They jump on the parents who give their kids stimulants because they're "doping" their kids. Those who use diet and supplements aren't harming their kids with drugs, they're just misled and deluding themselves. (Not my opinion, theirs). What I have never understood is how you can "dope" someone with a stimulant?
[QUOTE=SmallMom]Hawks,I think some will take issue with what you say. You can believe in ADHD and choose to treat it with other interventions besides medication like supplements, school accommodations, tutoring, therapy, neurofeedback, etc. [/QUOTE]
AGREED and an important clarification! We don't medicate but experience the reality of ADHD on a daily basis. We choose to treat with a tailored supplement program that performs the same manipulation of the neurotransmitters as medication.
Can't people believe there is such a thing as ADD but NOT believe in treating it with ritalin? They can and do believe what they like. I can believe the world is flat (doesn't make it flat, but I can believe anything I want). People who don't "believe" in ADHD have no business on a message for board for people trying to deal with a very real and difficult disorder. They are here only to cause trouble or they'd stay on their own boards. This is a support board for parents dealing with ADHD and the co-morbids, not a discussion board for those who, for their own reasons, don't think neurological and brain disorders exist, and that's what they are trying to turn this board into. That is NOT giving support.They must be right. Horrible, evil mom I am, spending day after day, year after year, helping my son learn to read, taking him to counseling, praising him, disciplining him, getting him a tutor. EEEEGADS!!!! WHAT WAS I THINKING!!???!!?? Somebody come and take my children away, before I destroy their lives further!
[/QUOTE]
Wildboys, you are the worst :) 
We don't treat with medication because we tried it and it failed.
He was so much more worse ON medication than off. Plus, with an existing medical condition, he cannot take many of the drugs that are recommended.
We did not feel good about drugging him and he did not feel good either.
How is that "treating" adhd? It's actually adding a whole new set of issues.
I have learned a lot in the last 2 years of researching this "challange" of ours.
I learned that my son does not do well with junk food. I learned that he reacts horribly to red dye (yellow and blue, also)
I learned that he needs a good nights sleep. I learned that he is very very smart but learns a little differently than most kids.
Drugs are not always the answer to medical conditions. My husband has high blood pressure and he treats it with a large amount of excercise and a good diet. He chooses not to pop a pill.
Alternatives DO work for some people. This is not a black and white issue.
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