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medication vs. drugs
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 20254" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>I know what you mean, Kris. At the local school end of year luncheon I sat with a lovely lady who clearly didn't know a lot of my story who turned to me at one point and said, "Isn't it terrible the way some mothers drug their kids into oblivion when it's really just a matter of diet, or more careful parenting being needed?"</p><p>I didn't quite choke on my potato salad. She went on to say, "I've got ADHD myself and I don't use those drugs. If I need a stimulant I just drink cola, or have a cup of coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant - it's fine for the job."</p><p>I happen to know that:</p><p>1) this woman sells, via 'direct marketing' (aka pyramid selling) some 'herbal supplements' which are supposed to be the kind, gentle, safe and responsible way to treat special needs kids of all sorts; and </p><p>2) her husband is a pharmacist (not our usual one, thank goodness), he and she should know better.</p><p></p><p>I pointed out to her that anything alternative and natural is also going to have a pharmacological effect, if it's got any chance of having any benefit. A pharmacological effect may be positive or it may be a nasty reaction. it will vary from person to person. If a natural therapy is gentle, chances are it's because it has NO pharmacological effect whatsoever. I KNOW she's been selling alternative products to difficult child 3's autistic friend's mother, while telling her to NOT medicate her son as prescribed by the specialist.</p><p></p><p>And to say caffeine is better than stims, for a kid who's had stims prescribed, and for whom they clearly work? Irresponsible. I told her that difficult child 1 & difficult child 3 actually react badly to caffeine while they do well on dexamphetamine. She stuck by her caffeine theory - I said, "If it works for you that's fine, but everybody's different. My kids' doctor has carefully worked out the correct medication regime and the pills are manufactured to a highly specific level of purity and potency. I know the exact dosage of each pill and as a result, my children have the correct dosage administered at the right time each day. Dex, for my kids, is a finely tuned tool, instead of the blunt instrument which is caffeine."</p><p></p><p>Of course she would not be persuaded and I think was taken aback that the mum she was addressing (me) was one of the "irresponsible, lazy, drug-pushing parents" she deplored, even though I know she had previously respected me for other activities I'd been involved in. She left with an air of, "I never knew Marg was one of THOSE," although she is still polite and friendly when we meet.</p><p></p><p>Kris, I've decided - sometimes I will deliberately use the term 'drug' in order to shake up these erroneous preconceptions in such people. She had the training-by-association of her husband to mentally translate 'medication' into 'drug' anyway. And I've had enough of running and hiding from these people. I bring it into the open and invite them to criticise me to my face - that way they have to confront not only MY views, but their own misconceptions. I don't expect to convince anyone, just to make them think before they open their mouths and insert foot.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 20254, member: 1991"] I know what you mean, Kris. At the local school end of year luncheon I sat with a lovely lady who clearly didn't know a lot of my story who turned to me at one point and said, "Isn't it terrible the way some mothers drug their kids into oblivion when it's really just a matter of diet, or more careful parenting being needed?" I didn't quite choke on my potato salad. She went on to say, "I've got ADHD myself and I don't use those drugs. If I need a stimulant I just drink cola, or have a cup of coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant - it's fine for the job." I happen to know that: 1) this woman sells, via 'direct marketing' (aka pyramid selling) some 'herbal supplements' which are supposed to be the kind, gentle, safe and responsible way to treat special needs kids of all sorts; and 2) her husband is a pharmacist (not our usual one, thank goodness), he and she should know better. I pointed out to her that anything alternative and natural is also going to have a pharmacological effect, if it's got any chance of having any benefit. A pharmacological effect may be positive or it may be a nasty reaction. it will vary from person to person. If a natural therapy is gentle, chances are it's because it has NO pharmacological effect whatsoever. I KNOW she's been selling alternative products to difficult child 3's autistic friend's mother, while telling her to NOT medicate her son as prescribed by the specialist. And to say caffeine is better than stims, for a kid who's had stims prescribed, and for whom they clearly work? Irresponsible. I told her that difficult child 1 & difficult child 3 actually react badly to caffeine while they do well on dexamphetamine. She stuck by her caffeine theory - I said, "If it works for you that's fine, but everybody's different. My kids' doctor has carefully worked out the correct medication regime and the pills are manufactured to a highly specific level of purity and potency. I know the exact dosage of each pill and as a result, my children have the correct dosage administered at the right time each day. Dex, for my kids, is a finely tuned tool, instead of the blunt instrument which is caffeine." Of course she would not be persuaded and I think was taken aback that the mum she was addressing (me) was one of the "irresponsible, lazy, drug-pushing parents" she deplored, even though I know she had previously respected me for other activities I'd been involved in. She left with an air of, "I never knew Marg was one of THOSE," although she is still polite and friendly when we meet. Kris, I've decided - sometimes I will deliberately use the term 'drug' in order to shake up these erroneous preconceptions in such people. She had the training-by-association of her husband to mentally translate 'medication' into 'drug' anyway. And I've had enough of running and hiding from these people. I bring it into the open and invite them to criticise me to my face - that way they have to confront not only MY views, but their own misconceptions. I don't expect to convince anyone, just to make them think before they open their mouths and insert foot. Marg [/QUOTE]
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