ADHD Warning

[maranatha]

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Thought this was interesting:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/02/2/adhd.drugs.ap/index.html

Summary:
--ADHD drugs ordered to include new guidelines about heart, psychiatric risks
• Ritalin, Adderall, Strattera and all other ADHD drugs will include the advisories
• FDA discussion includes reports of increased blood pressure and heart rate

 

[50960]

Dead link.

 

[maranatha]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/02/21/adhd.drugs.ap/index.html

 

[maranatha]

Does anyone think this warning will make teachers and parents think twice before pushing their PCP and psychiatrist to put their kid on meds?

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Does anyone think this warning will make teachers and parents think twice before pushing their PCP and psychiatrist to put their kid on meds?

No--but it's going to make a lot of pediatricians bump these kids over to child psychiatrists...

 

[Chewbacca Jung]

No--but it's going to make a lot of pediatricians bump these kids over to child psychiatrists...

Which is the ironic part-- because most of the warning entails making sure that the patient doesn't have high blood pressure, a heart condition or an elevated stroke risk before putting them on an amphetamine.

If this really is the case (increased referrals to child psych), it shows that warnings like that really don't improve the way we logically or responsibly handle prescribing drugs. They just make us put off use of a drug, or shuffle the responsibility to someone else.

 

[whopper]

Does anyone think this warning will make teachers and parents think twice before pushing their PCP and psychiatrist to put their kid on meds?

Perhaps so, perhaps not, but it may make some people think twice.

This is something I think every psychiatrist should see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfRUMmTs0ZA

In short it shows the laziness of several teachers, and several examples of how the system is failing the kids.

 

[sdn1977]

On a side note.....I read a brief article about the numbers of adolescents who actually do not take the ADHD medications prescribed - a surprisingly low percent.

Where do you suppose these medications go, since they're filled on a routine basis by the parent?

Hmmmm....how did the kid get that new video ipod I wonder??? The school is a great marketplace & charges more per tablet than I do. So....this makes the ER guy's job hugely difficult when presented with a 15yo with hbp & cv sx who apparently has no hx, takes no medication - except for his buddy's Adderall (which he probably won't admit to).

 

[50960]

On another side note, Teachers and schools in general demanding medication, calling docs to ask fro changes etc.. creates a huge problem. Most PCP's will just do something to get the teacher off their back because they are so busy and do not have time to attend an IEP etc... I see this every day and am almost in a mini-civil war with schools because I do not jump when they tell me to.

 

[maranatha]

I see this every day and am almost in a mini-civil war with schools because I do not jump when they tell me to.

Do you ever find that you are more respected by some of the schools, teachers, and/or parents precisely b/c you don't give in?

 

[50960]

By school administrators etc...YES, but no by teachers or school psychs, who I often dislike very much. They are tools of the school, but believe they are real psychs....sigh.

 

[maranatha]

YES, but no by teachers or school psychs, who I often dislike very much.

Interesting. Why do you think school psychs would push meds? I would think it might be the opposite. (I actually thought briefly about being a school psychologist!)

 

[50960]

They don't really push meds like the teachers, but they argue that a child does indeed not have ADHD etc... because they are basically tools of the district to keep cost down. About every week I am fighting with one of them to accept the Dx I have given and help the child in an appropriate way instead of the easiest/cheapest way.