검색어를 입력하십시오. 검색양식 제출   Web DrHoon.net

Medications: Addressing Parental Fears and Concerns

Recently, a parent came to me, conflicted over whether to follow her pediatrician's recommendation of placing her young son on medication. His difficult behaviors had escalated in recent years and after trying behavioral strategies and food elimination diets, there simply hadn't been much progress in his maintaining himself. His behavior at school was deteriorating to the point where the teachers were concerned about his progress academically, psychologically and socially. When the medication suggestion came up, Jane (not her real name) was distraught.

"Drugs scare me", she said. "I guess it's an option I need to think about, but I'm not happy about it".

No parent loves the idea of using medications for children who are exhibiting behavioral problems and I believe that other strategies should be explored first, before reaching for the prescription pad. But for many, all the best parenting strategies, counseling sessions, elimination diets, exercise, etc. just may not be enough to help a child manage his/her behaviors- behaviors that can be dangerous to himself or others; behaviors that are unfortunately, out of his control, and that make him feel badly about himself. This poor self-regulation can cause him to be excluded socially, resulting in repeated reprimands, punishments, teasing and taunts till his self-esteem is totally shot.

We as Americans come from a mind set that if we'd just try HARDER, we can achieve anything. If we try harder, we can get into the top ranked university in the country. If we exert more effort, we can be the winning football team in the district. If we really wanted to, we can climb to the top of the socioeconomic ladder. If we put more effort into ourselves and into our children, we will embrace that American Dream of happiness, fortune and good health. Let's not kid ourselves.

All the hard work in the world will not, with few exceptions, change a child's neurology or biochemistry. Asking a child with, say attention deficit disorder, to try harder and concentrate, veritably backfires. Studies show that the part of the brain involved in executive functioning actually shuts down when forced to work harder than one is capable of doing.

The child with bipolar or other psychiatric conditions often simply can't "turn off her feelings". The autistic child who is overwhelmed by the onslaught of stimuli can't always find ways to self-calm and self-regulate his behaviors.

Under these conditions, it's important for parents to begin working through their own feelings about medications. Many reluctant parents worry that their child will be "drugged" into compliance. Or that he may become dependant or even addicted to medications. But in reality, what we discover is that these children NEED that external control- medication- to help them normalize. No child likes to feel out of control, different, depressed or anxious. Using medication as a way to help them feel IN control can change a child's life drastically, not to mention the health of the entire family unit.

When parents refer to the word "drugs" in discussing medications, I remind them that the connotation is a negative one and that it might be helpful to explore their fears and anxieties. Medications, when used as directed by a physician can be a Godsend, giving a child control over himself and drastically improving his quality of life.

So next time you cringe at the idea of medication for your child, think about it more as an aide, like wearing eyeglasses. If we are near sighted, we can squint as hard as we can, but that doesn't do much for improving our vision-we accept that there is a physical reason for our near sightedness and simply get fitted for glasses. Likewise, we need to recognize that when there is a chemical or neurological imbalance affecting our child's happiness and well-being, we need to be open to the idea of exploring medications to help balance his biochemistry so he can gain better control of himself. It's not a matter of trying harder; it's offering a tool, like the eyeglasses.

That doesn't mean that medications are always a magic bullet. We as parents still need to use behavioral strategies to help teach our kids appropriate ways to act. But until their neurology/biochemistry gets some medical support, it is often a waste of time to expect major changes. Again, it's like teaching our child to just "squint harder".

Re-framing the idea of medications in this way may make it easier to accept your doctor's suggestion. Questioning the professionals and their recommendations for medications is good. It shows that you care and that you want what is best for your child, rather than looking for a "quick fix". You want to use all the tools in your toolbox to help your child live the best quality of life possible.

Terry Matlen, MSW., ACSW, is a psychotherapist and consultant specializing in AD/HD in adults. She is the director of http://www.addconsults.com and myADDstore.com and serves on the board of directors of the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA). A popular presenter at local and national conferences, Ms. Matlen has a passion for raising awareness of the special challenges for women with AD/HD and the unique issues parents face when both they and their children have AD/HD.

Yoga Videos

   

Restore physical vitality with yoga's downward facing dog Los Angeles Times, CA - 4 hours ago Practicing yoga can help restore your physical vitality and emotional balance. The various postures are powerful tools to strengthen and stretch your entire ...

Higher education, with yoga Globe and Mail, Canada - 3 hours ago ... a gymnasium and a 1700-seat varsity centre that can host convocation ceremonies, as well as dozens of dance, fitness and yoga studios. ...

Princess Offers In-Room Fitness, Yoga for Kids Cruise Critic, NJ - 8 hours ago Princess Offers In-Room Fitness, Yoga for Kids Princess Cruises is expanding its onboard spa and fitness offerings. Among them: In an industry first-ever, ...

Yoga At Cranberry Lake Preserve Westchester.com, NY - 1 hour ago Then join certified Kripalu Yoga instructor Franklin Shire for an outdoor morning session, Saturday, September 13, 9:30 am at Cranberry Lake Preserve in ...

Bikram Yoga: Yogi to the Hollywood Stars Comes North MarketWatch - Sep 4, 2008 Bikram Choudhury, the Indian-raised yogi who popularized hot yoga (known to devotees as Bikram yoga), is at the forefront of the North America yoga boom and ...

Kundalini Yoga ‘Awakens’ Cancer Patients CancerWise - 8 hours ago By Darcy De Leon Kundalini yoga is a practice that uses a series of postures, movement, sound, breathing and meditation to free energy starting from the ...

Yoga or hockey? Conventions differ by more than politics San Jose Mercury News,  USA - Sep 4, 2008 By Mary Anne Ostrom The differences between Democrats and Republicans aren't limited to red and blue. Here's a lighthearted recap of the conventions in ...

Yoga teacher to hold outdoor workshops The Newark Advocate, OH - 14 hours ago Lisa McKivergin will take yoga out of her studio and into the open air this month by offering two workshops in scenic settings. ...

New yoga studio and retail shop opens Knoxville News Sentinel, TN - 14 hours ago Located at 711 Irwin Street, just off Central Avenue, Glowing Body will include yoga studios, a yoga-focused retail shop and a fresh juice and raw food cafe ... Exciting news for Downtown North! Knoxville News Sentinel all 2 news articles

The Medicinal Powers Of Yoga Sify, India - Sep 4, 2008 But medical research that's been accumulating over the past 10 to 15 years is showing that yoga can provide health benefits that many people may not realize ...