Rabbi Ross. I just came back from the doctor, and I’m shaking. He recommended that my son who’s in 2nd grade be medicated. He diagnosed him with ADHD and told me that it’ll take a while to figure out the correct dosage. I feel that he’s pushing medicine on my son as a way of controlling him. Isn’t it the Rebbe’s and teachers’ job to deal with this? You can reply to everyone, please leave my name off. Private – Cedarhurst
This is an excellent question, and I’ve received many similar ones over the past few years. The reason that I’ve been loath to reply is simply because every case is different. Therefore, please excuse me if this answer seems a bit vague. When I was a young boy I couldn’t sit still in class. I was unorganized and had the attention span of a flea. My teachers diagnosed me with a disease called “Ants in the pants.” They didn’t really have a solution, but my teachers used to give me some space. Sure, I was yelled at and even punished, but looking back, I think they were just confused. What do you do with a child that can’t seem to focus? Nowadays, Rebbeim and teachers are much more understanding. We are trained better and have more support from the administration. I vividly remember going to Rabbi Herzberg A”H in 1998 and asking what to do about a boy that couldn’t focus on any topic for more than 15 minutes. He replied, “If this was your son, what would you do?” “Well, I guess I would break down the subject into 15-minute increments.” He replied, “Great. He is yours. Make it work.” My first solution was to stop learning every 10-15 minutes and shmooze with the boys about something for a short while. The problem was, the other boys were losing out. Therefore, I began sending him out of class on errands, for example, to get copies. That worked much better since the other boys had fewer interruptions. Nowadays, that solution rarely works, since there isn’t only one boy with ADHD in a class, there can be quite a few of them! Now, let’s look at your question. You felt that the doctor was pushing medicine on your child. I have known certain doctors that were quick to medicate. That’s why it’s important to get a second opinion if you feel that way. Most doctors are very honest and are looking out for your child, and if they suggest medicating, they must feel that it’s necessary. As a general rule, if your child is learning well in school, has friends, and the main issue is his or her behavior at home, I would hold off for a bit. This might not be that easy. If your child truly has ADHD, after a long day at school he can really get out of control. He’ll need to unwind and might be very difficult at home. Still, if you can manage it, it might be worth the effort. However, if your child is disruptive in school, falling behind in his schoolwork, or is completely unmanageable at home, he should be medicated. There are many amazing options these days, and they can really help your child. He will be able to focus better, learn better, and will even behave better. Since every child is different, it can take some time for the doctor to find the proper dose, and he will probably want to speak to the Rebbe or teacher for their input as well. I want to reiterate that every child is different. There are some kids that can deal with ADHD or OCD without any help, and others that need all the help they can get. If your child needs medicine and you don’t let them have it, you’re not helping them at all. On the other hand, if your son is just a little rambunctious and you quickly medicate him, you’re not doing him any favors either. I would like to address the last point you made. It is certainly not the Rebbe’s or teacher’s job to deal exclusively with one child’s behavioral issues. We really do want every child to succeed. We do want to teach every child. However, we don’t want to babysit. You must understand that although discipline is a part of chinuch, it’s not something that we necessarily enjoy. When one child is constantly disrupting the class, it affects the education all of the other kids as well, and that’s not fair to them. Wishing you Hatzacha. YR
3 Comments
Ahuva L.
2/15/2019 08:37:44 am
Thank you for this. When my Dovid was 8, the doctor recommended medicine to help him focus. I agonized for a while, but ultimately did it. It really helped him and I don't regret my decision at all. I do know of some families that medicated their children to make it easier to raise them, and that I can't condone.
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Moshe Levy
2/15/2019 08:51:24 am
There are many doctors that medicate without doing proper research. The warning sign is if your pediatrician recommends medicine without telling you to see a psychiatrist. Medicating a child without a good reason is horrible.
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Ariella S
2/15/2019 09:04:29 am
It's a lot more involved than just the parents making a decision. The Rabbi and teacher and school doctor should join together for each child to decide. This simple-sounding decision can have long lasting effects.
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AuthorRabbi Yitzie Ross is a Rebbe and has been working with parents and kids for many years. You can read more about him in the "about" section. Archives
March 2020
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