Drugging of America's children

Please don't EVER expect Dr. Chartock to confuse himself with the facts. He never let's them get in the way of his opinions.

I have suspected that was the case for several years now. It is easier to medicate these kids. I see a generation of zombies in the future.

Savage is an idiot. The spectrum disorders (ex: Aspreger's)is not a recent diagnosis made by Dr.'s or drug companies, it is from the 1940's. While I understand the point that drug companies think a pill is the answer to all of life's problems and that they will do anything to make a buck, up to and including kill people with un or under rported side effects of their drugs, For Savage to say that these kids are spoiled and just need to be told to straighten up shows he has no experiance with this population and NO CLUE about what he is talking about. I suppose he should have used a better example to make his point.

Savage introduced himself to certain writers in the North Beach area of San Francisco in the early 1970s.[6] He befriended and traveled with Beat poets Allen Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Stephen Schwartz, also an acquaintance of Savage from this time, reported Savage possessed a photograph of himself and Ginsberg swimming naked in Hawaii and used the photograph as sort of a "calling card."[1][6] Savage maintained a correspondence with Ginsberg consisting of ten letters and a trio of postcards across four years, which is maintained with Ginsberg's papers at Stanford University.[7][1] One letter asked for Ginsberg and Ferlinghetti to come do a poetry reading, so others could "hear and see and know why I adore your public image."[3] One postcard mentions his desire to photograph Ginsberg in a provocative way, though Savage states that this correspondence is actually a forgery created by gay detractors.[1] Another acquaintance was poet and author Neeli Cherkovski, who says Savage dreamed of becoming a stand-up comic in the mold of Lenny Bruce.[1] On his radio show, Savage confirmed this desire but contrasted this with his desire, as a child, to become a cowboy.

thanks wikipedia.

I think he has achieved his goal as comedian. Not as funny as Rush, but his views and rants are comical (at best!).

Berkman wrote:

I think he has achieved his goal as comedian. Not as funny as Rush, but his views and rants are comical (at best!).

Sorry...after spending a long career in mental health I have seen this over and over. Just give the kid a pill...that will bring him into line. We ARE over medicating these kids. Did you know there is a significant incidence of suicide in children taking Ritalin and its cousins? I have worked with several adolescents who had been medicated since early childhood.

The problem is that the medical world doesn't bother to put enough effort into figuring out if medication is even called for and making it a last resort. I've noticed that ever since the world has become a busier place for everyone what with people working harder and harder to make ends meet, the prescribing of these drugs has become more common. Could it be that when people come home exhausted at the end of the day, it's easier to give a child a pill to calm them down, rather than having to deal with the typical enthusiasm of childhood? Also, if children are more hyperactive than normal, maybe it's because they are trying harder to get attention from their parents because they don't see them as much as they would like to. I think that one parent of very young children should be able to stay home with them until they are at least of school age because that's such a crucial time in their development. I know it's not always economically possible, but this problem with hyper children seems to have arisen since our American households have become so much busier and thus overwhelmed with stress which the children will pick up on. A stable early home environment is also essential for raising healthy, stable children.

Tricia wrote:

The problem is that the medical world doesn't bother to put enough effort into figuring out if medication is even called for and making it a last resort. I've noticed that ever since the world has become a busier place for everyone what with people working harder and harder to make ends meet, the prescribing of these drugs has become more common. Could it be that when people come home exhausted at the end of the day, it's easier to give a child a pill to calm them down, rather than having to deal with the typical enthusiasm of childhood? Also, if children are more hyperactive than normal, maybe it's because they are trying harder to get attention from their parents because they don't see them as much as they would like to. I think that one parent of very young children should be able to stay home with them until they are at least of school age because that's such a crucial time in their development. I know it's not always economically possible, but this problem with hyper children seems to have arisen since our American households have become so much busier and thus overwhelmed with stress which the children will pick up on. A stable early home environment is also essential for raising healthy, stable children.

Very good post...very accurate as well.

I for one think the school system plays a big roll in these descisions. I'm very unhappy with my sons kindergarden and first grade teachers. I think teachers should practice more creative ways of teaching instead of screaming ADD because a child shows little interst or bordom in redundant teaching practices.
My son scored avarage to above average in all test and the school shrink is still claiming ADD! I told them we would exaust all other efforts before
drugs were even a thought. I suggest if any of you reading this have children do the same. Don't let the school system dictate what you do with your childs health. There are so many other options. Nutrition is the first step. Higher intakes of omega 3 is good for anyone but kids with ADD show improvement just from adjusting this one thing in thier diet. Also keeping things like artaficual colors and flavors helps as well.

artificial color and flavors, sorry.

For one, pharmaceutical's do not diagnose kids and broadening the spectrum would have nothing to do with medications.
Second, some kids needs meds and it improves their lives. My son is on medications and there is no zombie about him. I spent years rejecting the idea of medication but after I decided to try some to help him, I was sorry I didn't start this sooner for him. Kids with autism often suffer from other things. There is no such things as an 'autism' medication but for one that was recently approved by the FDA. That doesn't mean every parent goes and runs out and get's that RX, nor does itmean that one particular medication works for all people regardless of autism.

As for ADHD, it is a chemical inbalance and you know if a child truly has ADHD once you give that child medication. It'll show a difference right away, if it doesn't, it's not ADHD.

Having once heard "Savage Nation," when Weiner-cum-Savage ranted about Madonna studying the Kabballah, which caused my Born Again anti-semitic landlord to say, "Madonna's a Jew" and then spit on the floor at my feet, it was just enough to know I would prefer to stand in the company of "Dr." Chartock (since the letter writer is massaging our perception of character by using the honorific, we might as well play fairly) over Weiner--er, "Dr." Savage.

Be that as it may, I've seen instances in my own family where having an autistic child was something like having a pedigree Pekingese or Shelty (damn chirping four legged roosters). I would even go so far as to say that in some cases, perhaps many, autism is an expression by the child of an unconscious expectation of the parents, and I wonder if there might be some correlation to socio-economic indicators. With special needs comes special attention.

By the way, I worked for many years as a mental health counselor with profoundly developmentally delayed adults, who I wouldn't remotely consider "spoiled" or needing extra attention they didn't deserve. I think there is a category of autism that's a learned coping strategy, and can be chaotically effective at manipulating the environment.

Michael Savage (Weiner)'s comments were not misrepresented. He called autistic children "brats, idiots and morons". There is no way to misrepresent such ignorant, hateful words.

As for being a "Doctor", Mr Savage may well have a medical background but he sits in front of a microphone all day not in front of hospital beds or patients. As the father of a 12 year old severely autistic boy, actively involved in the care of my son and autism advocacy I say that Mr Savage knows nothing about autistic disorders.

newsketeer wrote:

Having once heard "Savage Nation," when Weiner-cum-Savage ranted about Madonna studying the Kabballah, which caused my Born Again anti-semitic landlord to say, "Madonna's a Jew" and then spit on the floor at my feet, it was just enough to know I would prefer to stand in the company of "Dr." Chartock (since the letter writer is massaging our perception of character by using the honorific, we might as well play fairly) over Weiner--er, "Dr." Savage.
Be that as it may, I've seen instances in my own family where having an autistic child was something like having a pedigree Pekingese or Shelty (damn chirping four legged roosters). I would even go so far as to say that in some cases, perhaps many, autism is an expression by the child of an unconscious expectation of the parents, and I wonder if there might be some correlation to socio-economic indicators. With special needs comes special attention.
By the way, I worked for many years as a mental health counselor with profoundly developmentally delayed adults, who I wouldn't remotely consider "spoiled" or needing extra attention they didn't deserve. I think there is a category of autism that's a learned coping strategy, and can be chaotically effective at manipulating the environment.

As another mental health professional I totally agree with you.

political action wrote:

I for one think the school system plays a big roll in these descisions. I'm very unhappy with my sons kindergarden and first grade teachers. I think teachers should practice more creative ways of teaching instead of screaming ADD because a child shows little interst or bordom in redundant teaching practices.
My son scored avarage to above average in all test and the school shrink is still claiming ADD! I told them we would exaust all other efforts before
drugs were even a thought. I suggest if any of you reading this have children do the same. Don't let the school system dictate what you do with your childs health. There are so many other options. Nutrition is the first step. Higher intakes of omega 3 is good for anyone but kids with ADD show improvement just from adjusting this one thing in thier diet. Also keeping things like artaficual colors and flavors helps as well.

I agree...an active, curious, adventuresome child usually grows up to be a very successful adult. This is the child who challenges teachers to find ways to help them attain their full potential. Unfortunately, these children become bored easily, that leads to obstreperous behavior. The behavior then becomes the problem...the answer today? Give them a pill, bring them into line, make them part of the crowd, discourage their individuality, just keep them quiet. If these drugs were available, we would not have had Einsteins. These kids take more work and energy on the part of parents and teachers...not drugs. It is a frustrating path, but, in the end it will be more than worth it.

friend wrote:

For one, pharmaceutical's do not diagnose kids and broadening the spectrum would have nothing to do with medications.
Second, some kids needs meds and it improves their lives. My son is on medications and there is no zombie about him. I spent years rejecting the idea of medication but after I decided to try some to help him, I was sorry I didn't start this sooner for him. Kids with autism often suffer from other things. There is no such things as an 'autism' medication but for one that was recently approved by the FDA. That doesn't mean every parent goes and runs out and get's that RX, nor does itmean that one particular medication works for all people regardless of autism.
As for ADHD, it is a chemical inbalance and you know if a child truly has ADHD once you give that child medication. It'll show a difference right away, if it doesn't, it's not ADHD.

I strongly encourage you to be very aware of the risk of suicide in children who have taken these drugs over an extended period of time. Especially when they become older adolescents and young adults. As a mental health professional I have seen this for myself.

emerald wrote:

<quoted text>I strongly encourage you to be very aware of the risk of suicide in children who have taken these drugs over an extended period of time. Especially when they become older adolescents and young adults. As a mental health professional I have seen this for myself.

I am well aware of risk factors, why do you think it took so long to even give them a try? Not all medications have this risk factor, either.

"As for ADHD, it is a chemical inbalance and you know if a child truly has ADHD once you give that child medication. It'll show a difference right away, if it doesn't, it's not ADHD."

Was this methaod based on an actual clinical trial?

Ritalin is a stimulant, when given to an ADHD child they CALM DOWN. In a person without the chemical imbalance it would stimulate. That's how you know.

As to Savage. He's a hateful fool who should be blessed by having a close relative of his have an ASD. Then he can test his stupid "theory" and yell at the child to straighten up and stop acting like a brat. I wonder what he'll do when that doesn't work?

Maybe the SIDS "Back to Sleep" Campaign caused the Autism/ADHD epidemic.