Drugs instead of better schools?
A New York Times article published this week suggests a growing practice of prescribing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs to low-income children who struggle in school.
The drugs, like Adderoll and Risperdal, can increase focus and improve a child’s behavior, but they are also addictive stimulants that can have negative side effects, including psychotic episodes.
Still, some doctors and parents believe it’s worth the risk, according to the article, because the consequences of poor academic performance are so great.
Does anyone have experience with anything like this?
It’s no secret that diagnoses of A.D.H.D have been rising and that many more children are medicated today than in the past. But the idea of prescribing drugs to students who may not really have A.D.H.D. just because it’s cheaper than addressing their behavior problems seems questionable.