(no subject)

[xatalantax]

Dad investigated for taking son off Ritalin; may be charged with child abuse.

Here

(from Libertarian Samizdata)

Comments

[evilmagnus]

This is what I fear if we have kids, and they turn out like denyse or my brother. Both would probably qualify as having ADD based on current diagnostic criteria. Both did fine (in fact, both excelled, from Junior High onwards) without.

I don't want my kids on psych meds. At all. Unless they're really, really batshit crazy. 'Inattentive' in class doesn't count. If I can't get away with home schooling them, then we'll leave the country to avoid it. There's no way I'll deal with 'child abuse' for refusing to give unnecessary or damaging psych meds to our kids.

[alonewiththemoon]

What a strange case. I mean, if it were say insulin, then I would support the child abuse charge because depriving the kid of it would endanger his life. But Ritalin? Granted, you should always talk to a doctor before changing any medications around, so the dad did screw up there, but it seems to me that taking this kid off Ritalin wasn't remotely life-threatening. It just made other people's lives inconvenient.

(I have such mixed feelings about Ritalin anyway--I know people who would not have made it through school without it, but I think it's all too often used as an easy way out for parents and teachers who don't want to deal with a naturally boisterous child or a child who has some other underlying issues.)

[egofood.livejournal.com]

Granted, you should always talk to a doctor before changing any medications around, so the dad did screw up there

The story implies that he did consult the doctor. "So Taylor took Daniel off Ritalin, against his doctor's wishes." One of these days the health nazis are going to obliterate the right to make your own medical decisions, but until then you still have the right to refuse treatment.

I wonder how many kids are going to get pulled out of that school, and how many of their parents will get a visit from the New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families.

[cyclotron.livejournal.com]

Did you see in my LJ last week that Prozac actually increases suicide in children?

[sirendipity.livejournal.com]

i think this is unfortunate.

the father was looking out for the wellbeing of his son and now he might get sued? honestly, people are too sue-happy in this goddamned country.

and the doctor's an idiot. you don't leave someone on a drug if they are having such bad side effects and taking them off isn't life threatening. if i'm not mistaken there are other medications out there for adhd besides ritalin. i wonder why he didn't just compromise with the father and change the medication asap.

Re: geezus flaming keerist on a pogo stick!!

[cyclotron.livejournal.com]

What the hell ever happened to parents being responsible for the welfare of their children?
Amen. Over the last 70 years our government has assumed more and more - and ultimately too much - responsibility over our individual lives.

[latemodel.livejournal.com]

That's really sad. And it's not as though methylphenidate is the only medication that can be used to treat attention deficit. This doctor sounds creepy -- the drug is obviously not "well tolerated" for his patient.

[cosinezero.livejournal.com]

Scary what this world has come to...