Well,our old folks in the Philippines would normally say,"malikot na bata"(fidgety kid)" whenever they see a hyper active kid.And kids like them were kept busy with lots of playtime using simple toys,being asked to help Mum & dad with whatever they’re doing or just be allowed to run around in their backyard or at the nearby fields.
Those were the days.
Now,specially if you live in a Western country,any hyperactive kid would either be suspected or diagnosed as having ADHD.And in comes the conclusion that it has something to do with the food that they eat .Sugar(when taken in extreme in any form),confectioneries & even so called "normal" foods that was heavy on food colour(mostly reds & blues),& chemicals that we normally find around the home,including our common bath soap can be suspected as triggers so in comes the medications that was supposed to help them "calm down".
But do they?
I had a son who’s diagnosed as a possible ADHD case & so far he’s on his 2nd kind of medicine now(Strattera).Although i can’t ignore the fact that some food additives & chemicals can be a contributing factor to his behaviour,i simply cannot agree that putting him under medication is indeed helping him at all.For one,while he’s on Dexampethamine,he demonstrated aggression that’s twice as much as when he wasnt put on medication yet,& although he may seem to be calm for a while when he started the Strattera,his behaviours are still seen as not normal & the doctor is starting to think about increasing his dose from 25g to a higher one(something that obviously im not happy about).
I am actually not pro-medicating children with special behaviour conditions because until now,studies had not proven that it is indeed the best way to help control a kid who had that problem.One of the reasons was these precautions that came directly from Strattera’s product information.
Aggressive Behaviour or Hostility
Aggressive behaviour or hostility is often observed in children and adolescents with ADHD and has been reported in clinical trials and the post-marketing experience of some medications indicated for the treatment of ADHD. Although there is no conclusive evidence that atomoxetine causes aggressive behaviour or hostility, aggressive behaviour or hostility was more frequently observed in clinical trials among children and adolescents treated with atomoxetine compared to placebo (overall risk ratio of 1.33 – not statistically significant). Patients beginning treatment for ADHD should be monitored for the appearance or worsening of aggressive behaviour or hostility
Suicidal Ideation and Behaviour
Suicidal ideation (suicidal thoughts) was statistically more frequently observed in clinical trials among children and adolescents treated with STRATTERA (5/1357; [0.37%]) compared to those treated with placebo (0/851; [0%]). There was one report of suicidal behaviour in a patient in this age group treated with STRATTERA compared with no reports in patients treated with placebo. All reports of suicidal ideation or behaviour in this age group occurred in children 12 years of age or younger. No suicides occurred during these trials. All patients being treated with STRATTERA should be observed for emergence of suicidal thoughts or behaviours. Families and caregivers of children and adolescents being treated with STRATTERA should be informed of the need to monitor these patients for emergence of suicidal thoughts or behaviours.
And this one from the product information of Dexampethamine:
-After stopping the medications,your child’s body may need time to adjust.This depends on the dose & how long it was taken.During this time check with your doctor if you notice unusual tiredness ir weakness,unusual behaviour or a feeling of depression.
With reports such as these,i dont think medicines is doing what it should to help "special children" & their families cope well with their conditions,though i believe that a significant change in their diet could be a potential aide since everyone is aware that some food,sugar in particular,do affect not just a person’s health but his overall function as well behaviour-wise(hence the term sugar high),so reducing a child’s exposure to these behaviour triggers by monitoring their diets plus positive parenting,love & encouragement will do make a big difference than mixing these with medicines whose effects even the doctors were not sure of(Dexampethamine for one,being an amphetamine or a depressant commonly used for people about to go surgery) can be subject to abuse & could potentially harm a child under the age if 8 if being treated for longer than they should).
My wish is for so called "child behaviour professionals" to stop shooting arrows in the air by administering behaviour drugs to children & start looking for more natural & medically approved ways of dealing with & helping special children & their families,hopefully something that may not require medicines of any kind at all.