Government control

EXPERTS have warned that parents who don't medicate children with ADHD could be referred to child protection authorities under controversial draft guidelines being considered by the National Health and Medical Research Council.  .  . However, child psychiatrist and Monash University lecturer George Halasz says the situation should not be seen as unique to ADHD and parents who fail to manage serious conditions such as their child's asthma or diabetes could also be considered to be failing their duty as a parent. (source)


The guidelines, created by an NHMRC expert working group, state:
  • "Consideration should be given to the ability of the child/adolescent and their caregivers to implement strategies.
  • As with any medical intervention, the inability of parents to implement strategies may raise child protection concerns." (source)

If Australia heads down this path, we are no different to a police state. Some parents will be loose their rights to decide how to manage the health of their children.  This sort of thing really annoys me and probably annoys many others. ADHD is not a life or death issue and can be helped in many different ways, drugs is only one way. 

As a mother of a son with ADHD, it would have been terrible if we had lost the right to make our own decisions in how we managed our son's ADHD.   In some ways we did, the school he attended in the 1990's strongly encouraged us to medicate our son, we did in the end, but if I did it all again, things would have been very different. In the end we did take full control, altered his diet and took away the drugs. He can now function fully in society, go to work and getting married. He knows how to manage his ADHD and does a great job.

What is the next step - adults be forced to be medicated if they work in particular industries?

Earlier this year, a SWAT team raided the Detroit home of Maryanne Godboldo for refusing to medicate her daughter with dangerous psychiatric drugs. These thugs actually kidnapped the young girl, who was eventually released after it was determined that Maryanne had every right to choose her own daughter's medical care. (source)


Comments

  1. World is coming worse... Reading these news or hearing about Scandinavian countries (there situation with parents and children isn't normal!), I'm happy that I live in Central Europe.

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  2. I don't believe that parents should be forced to medicate their children. Before anyone takes any type of medication, they should do research on the drug and see if this is the best option for them. Any rational person would do this. I find this sickening that government officials would force parents to give their children medication just because "they think its best." But what about the child? What is best for him or her?

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  3. Hi Joluise,
    The decision to medicate or not should be based on your Doctor(s) advice,your own research and trial and error.
    I say this because I suffer from Panic and Stress attacks and have had to learn strategies to cope and lessen stress combined with medication. This works for me ...but not for everyone.
    Every situation is different..
    No one thing works for all....
    There needs to be flexablity when dealing with behavioural and emotional problems.
    As you found out with your son, there's often more than one answer to a problem.
    I'm so happy your son is getting married...you must be so proud of him.
    HHave a good week
    God Bless
    Barb from Australia

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  4. This is the same with several things regarding child-raising, not just medication... I mean, who has the RIGHT to tell me how to educate my child? Who has the RIGHT to tell me what chemicals my children have to be injected with or given to eat? Who has the RIGHT to tell me whether or not I can discipline my child? Who has the RIGHT to tell me what medication or treatment is best for my child?
    Our children were given to us from GOD, and He has given us the responsibility of determining how we will raise them - the government has absolutely NO business interfering. They are not parent-figures. Governments are there for a different purpose altogether, and they should stick to their OWN business.
    If governments want to be involved, they should implement strategies to help parents make good decisions regarding raising children - education, resources, advice... Whatever... But the final decision MUST lie with the parents/guardians of the child.
    That's my two cents.

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  5. "What is the next step - adults be forced to be medicated if they work in particular industries?"
    This already happens especially when people work with young children e.g. in child care facilities and some areas in hospitals. Staff are required to be vaccinated against certain diseases before they can work in these areas. In fact some child care centres/preschools/kindergartens will not accept children into these facilities without proof of up to date vaccination.
    I'm sure you wouldn't want your premature baby being exposed to a staff member who has a contagious disease when they could be vaccinated against it.
    Clara, God has also given most people common sense because governments protect the right of the person, in this case the person being the child. The stratagies they implement involve providing a safer environment for everyone to live and work in. Sometimes the child needs to be protected from the parent.

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