Children's temper tantrums to be reclassified as {mental} disorders

well when there is a drug for everything already they have to look for the next target.... god this is so sad

I did something similar with my son, when he was around 4. He was pitching a fit and I told him he was doing it wrong, he wasn't kicking hard enough or making enough noise. It startled him enough that he stopped to think about it and we never had much trouble with tantrums after that.

What I think they are talking about here, medically, though, is more along the lines of kids erupting into fits where they hurt themselves or destroy things over relatively benign frustrations, where it is a recurring problem and can't be controlled or properly dealt with by parents or school officials. This is not a common occurrence, but it does happen, and it can indicate a more serious underlying issue. The goal is to try and catch mental health issues before they destroy people's lives. Unfortunately, given the history of this country and the actions of schools, parents, and doctors, it is highly likely this addition to the medical books will be used to over diagnose kids without real problems so that no one has to deal with standard disciplinary issues in order to maintain conformity. :(

Justme, Think about that scenario, though. What the kids needed was somebody to recognize that the problem did not originate in their behavior, but was instead rooted in something else, which you did, and which apparently helped up to a point. However, it is important to understand that mental health issues are not best treated with a pharmaceutical and nothing else, there is usually a need for intensive counseling. Your nephews did not receive counseling (I am assuming based on your post) and subsequently self-medicated with illegal drugs in addition to the legal prescriptions they received. If the type of tantrums they were having at the time were legally recognizable as a mental health issue by physicians maybe they could have gotten additional help and not turned to illegal drugs. Of course, early intervention is no guarantee that the treatments they receive will be effective, but it certainly increases their chances. This additional diagnosing capability won't guarantee that the doctor in question will be worth his salt and not just a rapid turnover pill pusher, but it will at least give some kids a better chance of being seen as having a real need, instead of just being brats who need more discipline.

If the type of tantrums they were having at the time were legally recognizable as a mental health issue by physicians maybe they could have gotten additional help and not turned to illegal drugs.

But Imo that's the whole problem - way too many times the doctors do not bother to really examine what is going on with the kids. Why would they when they can spend 5-10 minutes per patient writing out prescriptions and move 'em through quickly so they can make more money? They did it to my 2 nephews and 2 nieces. My one niece is on a rather serious anti-pyschotic medication and she's not even pyschotic! Even after my sister overdosed her on it, they still kept dishing it out.

She's been drugging her kids since they were around 4. Docs wouldn't always give her what she wanted for them so she would improvise with her own meds or meds from other people. When they got older the kids started getting into street drugs. Not such a big leap...they just go from legal dealers to illegal ones.

A former coworker of mine told me a somewhat similar story regarding her nephew. He had started acting out quite a bit and the mother took him to the doc. He was diagnosed with ADD or ADHD (can't remember) and the doc wanted to put him on meds. The mother really didn't like the idea of meds and fortunately before it became a real battle they found out he was being molested at daycare. He ended up getting help instead thank goodness.

This might give some kids a better chance at a diagnosis but then again it will also make it easier for the many many irresponsible doctors out there to push their drugs.

The school were my son was going to pre-k/daycare wanted us to take him to a doc to be 'evaluated' for adhd, add, etc... due to the daycare people having problems with him. We said no and moved him to a regular daycare. We told them about the problems that the previous daycare givers had with him. Not a week went by and the new daycare people were saying how wonderful and cooperative he was. They didn't have any problems with him, beyond NORMAL 4 year old stuff. What it boiled down to was the old daycare workers just didn't want to do their job. They didn't want to deal with the kids and that is what the problem was. Just like many parents do, they would rather medicate their kids instead of being a parent to them. I know there are true cases that require medication, friends daughter for one, but it seems doctors and parents are too quick to blame ADHD, ADD or some other ailment.

I agree that the parents also need to be looked at instead of just the child. How many problems are due to the parents way of, or lack of, parenting?

That doesn't happen nearly often enough. They wreck lives and often get away with it. My sister's kids are all fried already and will spend their lives on social security disability.

Excellent points, all. I would love to see more oversight of the diagnosis of children for psychiatric disorders. Four is entirely too young to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, as the behavioral cues are identical to typical pre-school behavior. In addition to that it has been generally true that almost all children diagnosed with this disorder have underlying learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, that go undiagnosed because of the accepted treatment with ritalin, adderall and vyvanse, all stimulants derived from methamphetamines. If the only goal is to get kids to sit down and shut up, then these medications are great. However if the goal is to actually treat the child and help him or her to learn then the use of these meds early on is a very bad idea. These medications can be used effectively by teenagers and adults, but really shouldn't be used in small children except as an absolute last resort, and then only temporarily. Something most doctors won't tell you, but that is true, is that stimulant medications for the treatment of ADD are supposed to be used only for a year or so, to help in establishing routines and habits for study and work, and then the patient is supposed to be weaned off of them and learn to maintain the habits they have established. Most doctors, schools and parents will put a kid on these meds and keep them on them for years with no thought about long term health repercussions. Anyway, I'd like to see a requirement that any child under 16 diagnosed with ADD or ADHD be required to see another doctor from a different medical group for a second opinion before being prescribed stimulants and the recommendation that they not be on the medications for extended periods of time should become a rule, rather than just a recommendation.

Great comments everyone and I think you have great points to ponder. I worked with elementary level children for many years. There are some children that simply have a hard time outside of their home environment and most teachers understand this and work with the child. I have medicated children with ADD and ADHD and found that it does help them focus and get a hold on their emotions. However, I have also seen where there are plenty of side affects that are very unpleasant for the child.

Parenting has a lot to do with behavior. I did a baby boot camp with a 3-year-old entering pre-school. Had she gone without two weeks of instruction I think the teachers might have thought she had a disorder. She did not and is smart as a whip and very easy to guide. The guidance was what she was missing at home and in public. Her mother would allow this child to pull hair throw things swear and act out. I felt the child was accommodating the mother as the mother was always talking about her "demon" child. It is a sad state of affairs when a parent (in this case mom is a psychologist) does not give a child proper guidance and structure so the child is completely lost as to how to behave.

I have heard and encountered so many adults taking their children's ADD meds. I just shake my head in wonder. So what is going on here do we have a whole generation still needing their "binkies and blankies" who cannot guide and raise children without a "happy" pill? I think this is proof that some of these "studies" are going too far. It kind of surprised me that this link came from a "Natural" sight. I'd think they of all people would look sideways at the study. I am suspicious that this study came for someone needing to publish quickly or lose tenure. All of a sudden natural acts and behaviors are "mental"? I don't think so and anyone going there certainly does not understand the human condition and the history of such.

and once you start giving them drugs they began to think that other drugs are ok too.

Absolutely. It's a natural transition from legal dealers (docs) to illegal dealers on the streets.