Grades and Ritalin
Can a pill make students smarter?
Self-Diagnosis is Dangerous
Most caring and concerned parents want their children to perform to their best ability in school. The pressure of getting into good schools is a reality. When top students begin to have grades slip in middle school, some parents begin looking for a pill that will fix the problem. They are sure their child has ADD/ADHD.
The Middle School Brain
Students in middle school are going through tremendous changes. Brain development is sporatic at best. Boys seem to develop later than girls and this leaves boys lagging behind girls. The symptoms that are normal for middle school age children may be quite similar to ADD or ADHD. Parents are going to doctors asking for Ritalin or other medications to assist the brain in working better.
While many would dismiss this as poor parenting, there is something to medications making the mind sharper. There was a scandal a few years ago where doctors were prescribing Ritalin to their own children prior to taking the ACT or SAT tests. The medication did indeed make the test-takers somewhat sharper. And, the medication Wellbutrin XL has a side-effect of helping students stay more alert in school.
Side-Effects
All medications have side-effects and stimulant medications are no different. When parents learn that their child does have ADD or ADHD, it is a difficult decision to place them on medication or not. These medications have been found to have multiple side-effects: blurry vision, nausea, dizziness, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, irritability, stomachaches, headaches, drowsiness, tics, tremors, growth delays hallucinations, and even psychotic behavior. Placing a child on a stimulant medication is a difficult decision hoping that the benefits will be greater than the side-effects. In many cases that is the case.
Other Reasons for ADD Behaviors
When children can not focus in school, there could be other reasons.
- Lack of Structure. When there is little structure in the home, children may exhibit ADHD behaviors. Children crave limitations and when they don't get them the effects maybe hyperactivity.
- Exposure to Chemicals. Some children are very sensitive to cleaning chemicals. Their nervous system is overstimulated and their behavior may show signs of ADHD.
- Food Allergies. Some children are so sensitive to food dyes, additives, or certain foods that the body behaves as if the student actually had ADD.
- Cuts in Activity. Boys need more activity than girls. NCLB is causing many schools to cut PE and recess and fill that time with more academics. This deprives students of the time they need to move.
- First Borns are Dreamers. A frequent characteristic of a first born child is to daydream.
- Right-Brained. Right-brained children are creative and tend to be easily distracted.
- Exposure to Illegal Drugs. Students that have inhaled illegal drugs from being exposed to them in the home may exhibit strange behavior.
- Bullying or Distractions. Severe bullying can make it impossible for students to focus on academics. It has also been found that boys are distracted by girls and girls are distracted by boys. Many same gender charter schools are opening throughout the country offering same sex schooling.
While ADD/ADHD behaviors may be common, this does not always result in an official ADD/ADHD diagnosis. Let's not attempt to fix everything with a pill.
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2006 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
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