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Schools

Are We Drugging Children for Normal Behavior?

ADHD may not always be the cause, says this Santa Cruz third-grade teacher.

In the 1970s and '80s, students who could not sit still or acted out were called hyperactive. By the 1990s, there was a diagnosis: attention deficit disorder. Now it’s called ADD/ADHD. The “H” stands for hyperactive.

For the past 10 years, this has been somewhat of a “catch-all” diagnosis. My hope is that we look closely at each child before we jump to a radical treatment of medication.

An elementary school teacher may notice that a particular student stands out by a variety of behaviors, as I do at Santa Cruz's DeLaveaga Elementary School, where I teach third grade. 

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Most often, the student is disruptive, unable to sit still and can't focus well, and the inattentive ones "daydream" a lot. They may have difficulties with homework and may not be able to organize as well as their peers in the same class.  The teacher then brings this to the attention of the parents.

Some educators jump to a quick conclusion, such as, "that child must have ADHD." Parents, too, can make the same mistake with this assumption and seek a quick fix.

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These behaviors, however, can be explained by more than ADHD. A more thorough investigation needs to happen. Maybe something is going on at home. Perhaps, the child is having sleep issues, dietary changes, changes in the family (like divorce), other emotional issues—or who knows what? Once the issues are on the table, the parents, teacher and child can work together to create an environment where the student can be successful.

Sometimes it is ADHD, but sometimes it isn't.  Having a parent-teacher meeting to discuss the child and a good plan is the first step. Opening the door to this discussion can be difficult, but worth it. Many times I’ve experienced this very situation in my tenure of teaching elementary school.

If the student continues to show signs of ADD/ADHD, the teacher will request a Student Study Team meeting. The parents, special education teachers, school psychologist and classroom teacher do their best to come up with a plan for this child.

The plan may very well include a visit to the pediatrician, social skills groups or a referral to private specialists to help the students with such issues. Additionally, the school and/or pediatrician may do an evaluation to help clarify this diagnosis. 

The trend in the 1990s and early 2000s was to medicate these children. I only agree with medication if all other channels have been investigated and tried thoroughly. We have seen students who portray these ADD/ADHD behaviors get medicated and see the same behaviors continue, year after year. This tells me that either the medication isn’t working, or the child has been incorrectly diagnosed.

These medications for ADD/ADHD are not the cure-all for students who struggle in school. The side effects are scary: liver damage, seizure or heart attack, to name a few. Many of them are stimulants (which seem to, in low doses, help the student focus and attend better) but are highly addictive and considered a controlled substance by the Food and Drug Administration. I wonder if parents have read the insert that comes with the medication. Perhaps, they’re so desperate for a “cure” for their child that they are paralyzed and cannot make wise decisions regarding their children.

My sister is a clinical psychologist who specializes in placing students in programs appropriate to their needs. I asked her what parents should do if they think their child has ADD/ADHD.

“I would recommend a full neuro-psychological evaluation, which allows for a comprehensive analysis of the presenting problems," she says. "Then the parent can get a clear diagnostic picture if their child has ADD/ADHD.” 

She also informed me that only clinical psychologists or neuropsychologists—not school psychologists—can administer these tests. 

"The symptoms of ADD/ADHD can be just that, ADD or ADHD," she says. "However, other things can be going on, such as processing deficits, other learning disabilities, as well as mental health issues. A full evaluation will not help really paint a good diagnostic picture of the child, but it will provide appropriate recommendations for that child to succeed, as well."

Of course, every child and every situation are different and should be handled so. Just be sure to do your research before you medicate your child.

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