ADD MEDICATION - WHAT IS YOUR OPINION? THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE. I MUST REPORT THAT I HAVE SEEN DRAMATIC CASES OF INCREDIBLE IMPROVEMENT WITH STUDENT'S TAKING THE APPROPRIATE MEDICATIONS. IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR CHILD OF ADD OR YOUR CHILD IS HAVING SCHOOL PROBLEMS THAT HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO ANY HELP SUCH AS BUT NOT LIMITED TO OUTSIDE TUTORING, ETC. GET THEM TESTED. AN EDUCATIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TEST WILL SOMETIMES REVEAL THE NECESSITY FOR MEDICATION. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN AlSO DISCUSS WITH THE TESTER, THE NEED OR LACK THEREOF FOR MEDICATION USE. REMEMBER THOUGH, ONLY A DOCTOR CAN PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS. NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST. THE PSYCHOLOGIST CAN CERTAINLY HELP YOU DETERMINE IF YOUR CHILD WOULD BENEFIT FROM MEDICATIONS. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS WHO WERE ON MEDICATION OR EITHER BEGAN TAKING THE MEDICATION DURING TUTORING. I HAVE SEEN INCREDIBLE IMPROVEMENT WHEN THE CHILD GENUINELY NEEDED THE MEDICATION, AND THE CHILD WAS GIVEN THE APPROPRIATE MEDICATION. THERE ARE LITERALLY DOZENS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ADD/ADHD MEDICATIONS OUT THERE SO GETTING THE BEST ONE FOR YOUR CHILD IS IMPERATIVE. IF THE FIRST ONE DOES NOT WORK WELL, THEN TRY ANOTHER. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. NOW I WOULD ADD THAT MEDICATION WITHOUT BEHAVIORAL CHANGES SUCH AS STUDY SKILLS IMPROVEMENT, ETC. IS NOT VERY POTENT. ONCE THE STUDENT GETS A MEDICATION THAT HELPS THEM PAY ATTENTION BETTER, THEY STILL MAY NEED TUTORING TO REPAIR THEIR STUDY METHODS OR WHAT I CALL ACADEMICALLY RETRAIN THEM.
THUS OVERALL YES MEDICATION IS VERY HELPFUL WHEN USED IN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCE AND USING THE RIGHT MEDICATIONS. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE TELLING A PARENT THAT THEY SHOULD DO THIS FOR THE LONG RUN. LONG TERM USE OF THESE POWERFUL MEDICATIONS (MOST ADD MEDICATION IS SCHEDULE II) CANNOT BE VERY GOOD FOR A CHILD'S HEALTH. THEY SHOULD BE USED ONLY WHEN NEEDED. WHEN THE CHILD IS OFF SCHOOL IN THE SUMMER THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE NEEDED. ALSO USING THE SMALLEST DOSE OF THE MEDICATION TO GET THE DESIRED RESULT IS ALWAYS BEST. MOST DOCTORS UNDERSTAND THIS. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT ADD/ADHD MEDICATIONS ARE ACADEMIC CAREER SAVERS. THEY ARE A PROVEN TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN HELP YOUR CHILD.
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