Parents/Teachers: RITALIN?

Subject: RE: Parents/Teachers:RITILIN??
From: Amos
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 12:30 PM

I hate the current popularity of Ritalin as a substitute for one-on-one understanding. I probably would have done wellw ith a few doses of Ritalin myself when I was in grade school, and I am glad I escaped such a fate, but I was a bit much to handle. I believe Ritalin suppresses issues rather than resolves them. (That is just an opinion and I am suire there are cases who would swear by it.)

I wish there were established non-invasive methodologies for resolving these things. Like, say, communicating?

A

Subject: RE: Parents/Teachers:RITILIN??
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 12:28 PM

This lad is not hyperactive. By saying he was " a little too hard to handle" I was meaning that he was socializing with the others in class and not focusing on his work. He still cannot focus on his work. He seems to be totally overwhelmed by the work load in Gr. 8 and has just given up. He can't remember instructions and his memory is very poor. I will stress again that he is a good kid, likes to go to school but just doesn't seem to be able to do the work.

Subject: RE: Parents/Teachers:RITILIN??
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 12:26 PM

No, he is medicating the kid for the sake of the thirty or so others in the class. Also, I know of no doctor who drugs children because the teacher said to.

Subject: RE: Parents/Teachers:RITILIN??
From: Jeri
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 12:14 PM

If I were growing up today, I'm positive someone would suggest Ritalin for me. I was more than 'a little hard to handle'. I lucked out and got a teacher had the patience to try to teach me how to control myself. The thing was, I COULD. I wasn't that hyperactive, but I didn't focus. ADD is often beyond a kid's ability to control, and they can benefit from the drug.

I agree with Morti: go back to the doctor. If the doctor put the child on the drug simply because a teacher recommended it...I don't know any other way to put it - it's wrong. He's medicating the kid for the benefit of the teacher, not the kid. It sounds like he's getting too high a dose or he perhaps doesn't have a condition that would warrant it in the first place.

Subject: RE: Parents/Teachers:RITILIN??
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 12:08 PM

Where I work(a Middle School) teachers cannot suggest or reccommend drugs. In fact most teachers are not in favour of drugs for students as the drug often covers up a more serious social problem. It is often given for so called ADD but many children are misdiagnosed simply because no one wishes to accept respeonsibilty for what may be home induced problems.
   I also felt "too difficult to handle" should be applied to any students who seriously disrupts the schooling of others.
   A very complex problem indeed, with no easy soloutions.

Subject: RE: Parents/Teachers:RITILIN??
From: Morticia
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 11:53 AM

so go back to the doctor.........I've worked with kids on this stuff and too high a dose tends to show exactly what you are describing. What does a little too hard to handle mean, anyway, I wander? Have any other approaches been tried?

Subject: Parents/Teachers:RITILIN??
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 11:47 AM

My partner has a 14 year old son who is on Ritilin. He is in gr. 8 and is having trouble with his school work. He lacks motivation and drive and does not complete his assignments. He cannot remember things and his concentration is severely hampered. He is currently working at 26%. I'm wondering if it's because of the drugs that he is having so much difficulty. Does anyone have experience with this and is there any hope for these kids on ritilin to do well in school? He's a good, kind hearted kid and my heart breaks for him. It was recommended that he go on this drug over a year ago by a teacher who found him to be just a little too hard to handle. He's a very complient child now...just a very poor student. Any help would be appreciated.
LL