The Medicated Child exposed the problem of medicating American children for mental illnesses. Diagnosing mental illness has always been difficult and that problem is only exacerbated in children. Common and controversial diagnosis for children that are talked about in this documentary are ADHA and bipolar. Often children will be misdiagnosed which can be a real problem when medication is being prescribed. Before the 90’s children where being prescribed medicine’s that were completely untested in their age group. This was just one of the many problems that the health community, family’s, and the children with these illnesses faced. This was thankfully changed due to government intervention and there is now some knowledge on how these drugs affect
In today’s society, a lot of emphasis is placed on administering drugs and medicating people with psychological issues; however, most of these ailments and issues have the ability be treated through the use of talk therapy rather than medication. Americans are particularly guilty of over medicating when it comes to our more common mental health diagnosis such as, ADHD, depression, and anxiety. We as a society expect things to be done at the snap of a finger; in our advancement of science, we have been able to discover ways of offering the results we want quickly, inexpensively, and with little effort. Unfortunately, although the use of medications, also known as psychoactive drugs, occasionally remove the symptoms, but they do little to remove the causes of these mental health issues. In addition, to the lack of solution that the use of psychoactive drugs offer, they can also have unwanted and dangerous side effects. These can include simple physical irritants such as dry mouth and head aches, and can range up to dependency and substance abuse, and in some cases even death. Moreover, there are cases of inappropriate prescribing, where doctors are authorizing the use of medications that don’t work or are not pertinent to the issue the patient is experiencing. Furthermore, some of these doctors are issuing these medications without subjecting the patient to a proper mental health evaluation by a psychological professional.
There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the issue of children being medicated with powerful psychotropic medications. Psychological disorders, such as bipolar disorder, that were once believed only to effect adults, are now being diagnosed in children, and those children are, more often than not, now being treated with medications. The number of children being diagnosed and treated with psychotropic medications has rapidly increased in recent years. A report issued by Medco Health Solutions in 2010 states that the number of children being prescribed psychotropic medications doubled from 2001 to 2010. Psychotropic medications can be defined as "any medication capable of affecting the mind, emotions, and behavior"(medicine net). The classes of psychotropic medications are; Stimulants, such as Adderall- prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Antidepressants, such as Prozac- prescribed for depression, Anti-psychotics such as Haldol - prescribed for behavioral disorders, and Mood Stabilizers, such as Depakote - prescribed for bipolar disorders. These medications have been shown to "stunt growth, cause obsessive behaviors, suppress spontaneity, and cause children to become depressed and less social"(Breggin, 2009). This paper will discuss what research suggests about the potentially negative effects of these medications on a child’s physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development. In addition, this paper will also examine the potential reasons these medications are increasingly prescribed, and alternative treatments for some of the psychological disorders that these kinds of medications are prescribed for.
Psychotropic medications, also referred to as psychiatric or psychotherapeutic medications, are used to treat psychiatric disorders, such as: depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They have been used for many years and oftentimes come with dangerous side effects. The side effects that often occur in children taking these medications can include: fainting, blurred vision, vomiting, extreme weight gain, and even death ("Seroquel information,” n.d.). The use of psychotropic medication to treat mental disorders in children and adolescents is highly controversial because of ethical viewpoints (i.e. parents “drugging” their children to calm them down) and potentially harmful side effects, but one has to take into consideration whether the risks outweigh the benefits when deciding whether or not to give this type of medication to children.
In summary, the article talked about the effects that antidepressant pills have on children. Immense publicity about antidepressants causing suicidal behavior in children is prompting more parents to hesitate to take their kids to psychiatrists. More doctors are hesitating to put their patients on antidepressant prescriptions. Last October, the Food and Drug Administration ordered black box labels, the most severe warning, on all anti-depressants. Some doctors think that these medicines are "speed bumps" and might end in more suicides. Other doctors think, "For children who really need treatment, a wait and see' approach could be dangerous." The percentage rate of children's antidepressant prescriptions has dropped within the last couple months. Psychiatrist Bruce Black says, "Kids are unhappy for a lot of reasons, and antidepressants often aren't the solution."
Waters, Rob. “Antidepressants May Cause Suicide and Violent Behavior in Children and Teenagers.” Treating the Mentally Ill. Ed. Kyla Stinnett, San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Web. 28 Jan. 2014
Problem: The prevalence for mental disorder is one in five (Insel, 2013). Brain disorders are usually not diagnosed until later in life with the onset of a change in behavior, consequently it is the last sign of a mental illness (Insel, 2013). Significant change can be made if we assist young children and their parents manage difficulties early in life may prevent the development of disorders. Logically once mental illness develops, it becomes a regular part of your child 's behavior and more difficult to treat (NIH, 2009).
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes children to have problems with paying attention, trouble with following instructions, have impulsive behaviors and become easily distracted. Medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, are used to treat the symptoms of this disorder by helping the patient to focus and pay attention while also curbing their impulsive behavior and hyperactivity. Side effects of these medications are, but not limited to, anxiety, addiction and in some cases psychosis. Proponents of giving ADHD medication to children argue that ADHD is a real disorder in children and the medication does improve the symptoms of the disorder by a large margin as well as being cost effective. Also, not only are the parents happy with the outcome of their children taking the prescribed medication but so are the children themselves. Proponents also argue that by not letting parents of the children, young adults and adults choose to take these prescriptions when diagnosed with ADHD that the medical and psychiatric communities would be in violation of the principle of autonomy. Justice as well would be violated since most of the burden of dealing with all the symptoms caused by this disorder would fall onto those with ADHD and partly on their families. Opponents of giving ADHD medication to children point out that it is not only going to children with ADHD but also being prescribed to those not diagnosed with the disorder as well as the pills being given or sold to other children and young adults. They also claim that the full side effects of ADHD medication are still not known and could have harmful long- lasting side effects on the children taking the medications. In this case, the princip...
The documentary “The Medicated Child” gave me a lot of insight into the lives of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder. When we hear and learn about bipolar disorder, we do not normally think of children. However, there are many children diagnosed with bipolar disorder ranging from all ages. As we saw in the documentary, bipolar disorder can be very hard on both the child and the family, so finding a cure that is effective and safe is important. The video also highlighted how little research there has been on the effectiveness of antidepressants on children.
Unknowingly, children have been the number one abusers of psychotropic medications. Children in the United States are on drugs for longer and more often than kids in any other country. Most children who are overmedicated come from foster homes and children of low-income parents. Most children who come from foster homes have experienced some type of trauma, for example, being taken away from their families. These children are at higher risk for having emotional disorders and mental health disorders. They often receive medications
...‘Opportunities in public policy to support infant and early childhood mental health’, American Psychologist, vol. 66, no. 2, pp. 129-139.
In 1984 Congress began to appropriate funding to aid in the children’s mental health initiative. The present initiative that is in place is guided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). The need for reform and interventi...
Younger cases of depression and other mental diseases have become more common; an alarming thought for a parent, but it is reality young adults and children are being placed in higher and higher stress situations. It begins with children
People who have Neurodevelopmental Disorders or schizophrenia may be prescribe this type of medication so they become “more functional” and able to concentrate and communicate with others. It also may help keep someone calm or at ease if they normally become violent due to the disorder. Medicalization is a term used to define human conditions and problems that deal specifically with mental illness and treated as medical conditions. An example of this would be noticing a deficiency in someone or abnormal behavior and soon getting it diagnosed. Best Interest of the Child is self-explanatory, as a social worker you would never want to put a child in any type of danger. As a social worker you have to ensure that the child is not only in a safe environment but also that they will have more than what they need. Best interest is simply taking a child and putting them in a household were they will flourish as individuals. Next is Well-Being, which is any impacts of youngster abuse on the kid's physical, mental, or enthusiastic wellbeing must be distinguished, and safeguard is kept safe. Permanency is mainly the idea that
Children, like any other age group, have their numbers steadily increasing with time. They too face the same issues as adults and need an intervention to help them recover. Children have the right to be prevented from mental health complications and the families and health systems should work together to enhance that. Enhanced systems should be able to detect such conditions early enough and provide interventions that solve the problem in the long run. Efficient detection systems can also help establish causes of mental issues among children and provide an opportunity for preventive health approaches.