I am pretty new to this site and have read a lot in the General forum. I have to say that I'm a bit surprised to read about so many families discussion of their kids medications. Granted it seems many of their children, teens for the most, have some pretty severe behaviors. But most have them despite the fact they are on various medications, so why continue the medications?
When I adopted my daughters the older child, diagnosed with PTSD, Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and ADHD was on Aderoll & Risperdal. She immediately stopped taking the Adderoll mostly because the prescription ran out and her out of county psch doctor didn't want to refill it. I continued the Risperdal inititially, but after researching and finding out that it was experimental for a child her age (5 yo) and with her diagnosis...we tapered it off and stopped it. Asbsolutely no difference in her behavior or performance in school. No change at all other than the blank stares into space stopped and the Risperdal weight dropped off.
Despite the fact she struggles in school and has behavior problems intermittently and impulse control issues, I feel strongly that medication is just not an option. For children exposed to drugs in utero I am afraid it will set them up for a lifetime of drug use- Rx or illicit. There was a time using these medications on young children was not permitted. It angers me that they are used so liberally with foster children for 2 reasons. One it just seems they are being medicated to stay in control so they can be kept in placement and second they are used as guinea pigs for new treatments.
My two cents.
When I adopted my daughters the older child, diagnosed with PTSD, Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and ADHD was on Aderoll & Risperdal. She immediately stopped taking the Adderoll mostly because the prescription ran out and her out of county psch doctor didn't want to refill it. I continued the Risperdal inititially, but after researching and finding out that it was experimental for a child her age (5 yo) and with her diagnosis...we tapered it off and stopped it. Asbsolutely no difference in her behavior or performance in school. No change at all other than the blank stares into space stopped and the Risperdal weight dropped off.
Despite the fact she struggles in school and has behavior problems intermittently and impulse control issues, I feel strongly that medication is just not an option. For children exposed to drugs in utero I am afraid it will set them up for a lifetime of drug use- Rx or illicit. There was a time using these medications on young children was not permitted. It angers me that they are used so liberally with foster children for 2 reasons. One it just seems they are being medicated to stay in control so they can be kept in placement and second they are used as guinea pigs for new treatments.
My two cents.