I would like to see some data on who "they" are. My observations in my childrens'
schools suggests that there is a lot of pressure from teachers and other professionals
there. Some of that is what we expect - "Your son is disrupting our class and needs
medication." Some of it has a different tone - "Your child might benefit from ...."
The kids that I have encountered in this second class are typically good kids (some
are on the active side but others are not) who are doing average work. I wonder if
some of this medication is to provide an academic adavantage rather than to remedy a
problem.
Dennis
Randolph-Macon Woman's College
Lynchburg VA
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul C. Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Fri 1/17/2003 1:06 PM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences
Cc:
Subject: Re: from former APA Prez ....
> > We have lost our sense of the range of normal behaviors in children, as
well
> > as adults, and we are in a hurry to medicate away any perceived
deviance.
> > DOROTHY W. CANTOR
I wonder if there's anyone willing to fess up to being the "we" in this
situation. Who exactly is demanding that medication? What are their
arguments for doing so? Is there anyone making a conscious argument in favor
of medication, or is it just somehow slipping in as unintended consequence
of some other decisions?
Of course our natural tendency is to blame the drug manufacturers, and of
course we may be mostly correct in doing so. But if that's the problem, how
exactly is it getting propagated down to the level of the individual child
being given medications? After all, Eli Lilly isn't sending dealers to
school playgrounds...
I've heard the complaints about over-medication of children so many times
now that I'm really curious about the nature of the "pro-medication" side.
Paul Smith
Alverno College
Milwaukee
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