Step Talk

Well said, Roy Allen!

I am a nurse, I am also a parent with 2 BKids and 1 Skid. My youngest daughter has been diagnosed with ADHD. Yes, I totally agree that ADD is way over-diagnosed. And yes, I had the belief that kids shouldn't be medicated - that parents just aren't doing thier jobs. Until I started noticing behaviors in my daughter. Medication has done a total turn-around with her. Able to organize, sit still, complete tasks to the entirety, grades improving, comprehension, etc. I had a long talk with my daughter about keeping her medication private. She doesn't want people to know, and right there is the difference. She doesn't want the appearance that she is abnormal.

ADD/ADHD is in my opinion it is way way over-diagnosed and may seem to others that it is an easy way out, but with proper diagnoses (more than one MD and with teachers observation ((teachers are not doctors, nor have been trained in the mental medical field) ADD is real and can be managed. The medication must be monitored closely and not be taken advantage of - or else it will lead to unpleasant results.

Just my opinion.

Stepwitch
Thank you Disney for portraying a positive image on all stepmothers!!!!

I really think some kids do need the meds. My neighbor down the street struggled with her son for so long. Finally when he was in like 10th or 11th grade he was diagnosed with ADD and put on meds. It was eye-opening to listen to a teenager be able to voice the difference the meds made. Hearing him tell what a difference they made - well, that made me a believer that ADD is real and some kids do benefit from the meds.

I have it and so do 2 of my 3 kids. The kids were medicated when they were younger but they have learned for the most part how to control themselves. I was never medicated but when I get stressed or have lots of stuff to do my ADHD is really obvious. Medicating your kids is a hard decision but it made the difference between them failing, being a problem in class and getting lots of calls or notes from the teacher to great report cards, the kids having more friends and enjoying school much more.

I think a lot of it (97%)has to with diet. Some kids are glucose/gluten intolerant which literally causes chemical changes/hormone changes in the brain.

I couldn't help but notice on a recent "Frontline" episode about kids with adhd and bi-polar, that the children were eating goldfish crackers loaded with yellow dye, corn dogs, blue gatorade, and the list goes on and on. Fact of the matter is, if the ingredient list has more than five ingredients, it's probably "feeding" the problem.

Home cooked meals are a thing of the past it seems. Mothers/Fathers willing to cook on Sunday and freeze wholesome meals for the rest of the week is a relic from the past. Everyone is eating fast food, eating out and gobbling down junk while sitting in front of the TV for hours on end.

We never had that sort of crap food in the 1950s. (well there was some "junk food" back then but it was a treat and not an every meal thing). There was WAY less chemical engineering of so called "food" than today. Television was a treat for about maybe 2 hours a week maximum. No video games to complete destroy children's attention span by literally stopping the reading of books and reinforcing that life happens in nanosecond video bytes.

Kids were simply energetic, were able to run around outside and during recess, with little fear of kid-snatchers or rampant pedophilia. They were taught to sit still in school and church; with the threat of discipline to make sure disruption was kept to a minimum and learning could continue. (sigh) I love the movie "Goodbye, Mr. Chips"