Posted by John Edens on February 12, 2003 at 15:02:56:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: When things seem to posted by ZNC on February 12, 2003 at 09:53:57:
". The fact that AD/HD, as you call it, is a disorder is a matter for debate. I know of a child who was diagnosed by mistake with this "disorder" This childs life, as well as the lives of his parents were ruined by school counselors, psychologists, and administrators."
-ZNC
That's wonderful. I know, personally, around twenty to thirty children who have been misdiagnosed with AD/HD. AS I stated in my previous post, misdiagnosis of AD/HD IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.
However, the frequency of diagnostic error, whatever the motives behind it may be, by parents, doctors and teachers does not have anything whatsoever to do with a treatment's effectivity with a patient who is correctly diagnosed. Using this line of logic is like saying that the existence of the common cold is a matter of debate because doctors diagnose too many patients as having it.
"Just because a child is active, "hyper" or inquisitive, is no reason to medicate him/her. These are hardcore drugs. Basically you are giving a child speed! Since when is that a good solutiuon for anything."
-ZNC
Yes, you are giving children (and adults) "speed," as you call it. It is a prescription drug, administered in EXTREMELY small doses. ZNC, do you drink coffee? Soda? Tea? Caffeine is also a powerful CNS stimulant. The amount of "speed" entering any given patient's system is less than the amount of caffeine in the coffee that millions of "normal" people consume every day.
"Why must people make up constant excuses for themselves. From what I can gather from my "ignorant" observations, and I thanks God everyday for my parents who were skeptical about me having AD/HD, this is a tool to make children easier to control, epecially male children. Just because a boy is acting like a boy, is no reason to medicate him. A good dose of discipline, and parents teaching their children right from wrong, is the best solution you could ever hope to come up with. This may sound cold, and unfeeling, but I really don't care. The harmful side effects of this treatment far outweigh the positive aspects of it. To me that doesn't seem like much of a choice to me."
-ZNC
You have reason to thank God for a lack of a misdiagnosis, as you do not have AD/HD. As for your comments on discipline versus medication, you are not seeing the whole picture. Yes, good, solid parenting is ESSENTIAL to ANY child's development. However, even the most patient and logical parents cannot change the physiology of their children. Do you assume that I, along with all the other people who are struggling every day with a very real mental disorder were not taught right from wrong? Statements such as that are what label you as "ignorant."
Yes, the harmful side effects of CNS stimulant use far outweigh the benefits IF GIVEN TO A PERSON WHO DOES NOT NEED THEM. The negligible side effects of such medication, however, on a patient who truly needs it are competely outweighed by the positive.
"You can call me ig norant, which I can almost guarantee that you and many others will, but that just shows your ignorance sir. You know what the definition of ignorance, a racist, bigot, or any other of these pet phrases is? Anypone winning an argument with a liberal."
-ZNC
I am going to let the logical inconsistencies in this statement speak for themselves. You put into words a better example of what is wrong with your argument than I could probably have come up with.
John "whose first post was not made in the intention of starting a flame war" Edens