Remember: Your Child Is Growing and Changing With Age
I’m by no means a doctor, but doctors I know (and articles all over the internet) have mentioned how complex and fragile our human brains and physiological systems (such as our respiratory, cardiovascular and endocrine systems) are.
When you add powerful pharmaceuticals to the body, changes can literally occur in the brain and throughout the body as well. Going beyond medication, acupressure and acupuncture for ADHD in adults and children can also cause a tremendous change in the body.
I have learned that we truly don’t have conclusive research on the dangers of ADHD medications over long-term use, and I’ve also been made to realize that medications are simply a band-aid solution to the number-one recommendation of pediatric organizations: behavior therapy.
Medications for ADHD can cause the heart to race, potential blood-pressure issues and they’re highly addictive, according to research articles coming out more and more these days. Make sure that you do your research when it comes to these powerful medications. After all – it’s your child. Your future.
The Internet Is Your Friend/Research Partner!
There’s a ton of research and information online where ADHD is concerned. There are many wonderful ADHD resources - websites, blogs and forums for people to raise their thoughts/concerns with medications and ADHD symptoms.
In this day and age, many run the risk of being incorrectly diagnosed, which makes it even more important to learn about suspected diagnoses like ADHD as well as trauma, thyroid issues, sleep deprivation and other disorders like anxiety, depression, bipolar, conduct disorders and oppositional-defiant disorder, to name but a few.
Depending on specialists to steer you the right way in treatment without first doing your own basic research can be dangerous. While parents and adults are rushed more than ever these days, that isn’t an excuse for taking care of yourself and your family. The more that each of us makes the choice to be our own advocates, the better off we’ll all be.
One Final Note on Helping Kids With ADHD
Do the best you can – that’s all you can do.
We all feel hopeless at times. Your child might be acting out so much that you’re at a loss for how best to deal with them. That’s when you’ve got to be open to reaching out to different agencies in your area, not just put them on medication and hope it solves the challenges. Doing this won’t get to the root cause of the behaviors and symptoms.
Medications help many people, but they are NEVER meant to be used on their own. Behavior therapy is the #1 recommended approach for a reason – it works.
For those who may not be able to afford therapy – you’ve got more homework to do, and your child is worth it! Look into counseling agencies, mental health organizations, and social work agencies in your area. Do they offer any sort of reduced-fee counseling or alternative teaching/learning options? That would be a great place to start.
Work your way from there, getting connected to all the potential resources in your area. That’s your responsibility. It can be frustrating at times but stay the course.
Putting young children on medication is a dangerous proposition. Make sure you’re getting all the information when you visit a doctor or other specialist who is prescribing medication and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions! After all, these specialists are only human, and many general practitioners don’t know nearly enough about mental health to thoroughly diagnose.
In the end, we’re only as successful as we are prepared, meaning that the more you make educated choices with the help of specialists by putting your heads together, the better your odds of successful treatment and a happier, healthier child.
The work you’re putting in is a very small price for the future adult you’re raising, a person who will learn from you along the way. Remember that your efforts are noble, and empowering for your child – even if it might not seem like it sometimes.
