Do parents really do this ?

[Unregistered]

Lets please have some common sense here people ... giving your kid a soda or even a Red Bull is not even close to giving them a methylphenidate pill without a prescription.

[Unregistered]

Are you kidding me. I thought this might be somehing parents should think about before giving their children stimulants. The side effects of stimulants range from mild to potentially fatal. Some of the common side effects of stimulants are stomach upset, anorexia, weight loss, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and restlessness. More serious side effects include increased risk for psychiatric disorders, cardiovascular problems, and of course, there's the risk for abuse. Brain development is also said to be affected with the use of stimulants. Do you really want your child to make a top team that you are willing to risk their lives. Wake up and realize club soccer is not that improtant in the grand scheme of life.

I think the biggest side effect is having a parent crazy enough to even consider giving an 11 year old girl some sort of "uppers" to improve tryout performance. Side effects of uppers is least of that little girl's worries. Imagine what the rest of her life is like if a U12 tryout is that big of a deal.

[Unregistered]

I think the biggest side effect is having a parent crazy enough to even consider giving an 11 year old girl some sort of "uppers" to improve tryout performance. Side effects of uppers is least of that little girl's worries. Imagine what the rest of her life is like if a U12 tryout is that big of a deal.

Insane !!

[Unregistered]

My son takes adderall (prescribed by a dr) on school days only to help with his focus issues. He has ADD.

When he first started, we gave it to him on the weekeds as well thinking it would help with his focworld'sHe point blank told us that it calmed him down and took away his already existing drive/focus when it came to soccer. I don't know how to explain it, but it took away that hyper energy he needed.

All that being said, I think it's completely absurd and ridiculous that someone would consider any drug, supplement or otherwise, in a young kid to give them an edge in sports.

There are numerous side effects and it took us a long time to reach the decision of using medication for our son to help him with school.

I too have ADD and stopped taking medication due to the side effects.

I thought some sports parents were crazy. I honestly would consider what the OP is suggesting as abuse.

The problem your son has in school is that the classroom is now structured for girls. I'm betting your son and a significant portion of males on drugs for ADD and ADHD are boys being boys. How else can it be explained that 85% of the world's supply of these drugs are prescribed in the US?

[Unregistered]

It happens everywhere that a team plays more than once / day. Some kids view it as a badge of courage, even at age 10 or 11.

http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Girls-.../dp/0743297555

[Unregistered]

The problem your son has in school is that the classroom is now structured for girls. I'm betting your son and a significant portion of males on drugs for ADD and ADHD are boys being boys. How else can it be explained that 85% of the world's supply of these drugs are prescribed in the US?

I understand what you saying above and believe that to be true of many boys who are labeled as hyper.

However, my son does not have the H in ADHD. He is internally distracted, has difficulty focusing and staying on task. That lack of focus has started to affect his school work hence the medication.

It is my hope that as he gets older, he'll develop coping mechanisms that will help lesten his need for medication.

I, my brother and my father have all been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD as adults. There is a genetic component to it. Having it also helped me to recognize the symptoms in my son.

My point of the long story is that there are some kids that genuinely have ADD/ADHD. It is a real condition.

That being said, public schools are definitely geared more towards girls and often don't tolerate out of the box thinking or learning.

The only way I can describe ADD/ADHD to a non ADD/ADHD person is like your brain being that of a race car engine vs a sedan. It's always going fast and non stop. I can read the same page in a novel 10 times and not know what I've read because my focus is on the hundred other things circling around in my brain.

[Unregistered]

I understand what you saying above and believe that to be true of many boys who are labeled as hyper.

However, my son does not have the H in ADHD. He is internally distracted, has difficulty focusing and staying on task. That lack of focus has started to affect his school work hence the medication.

It is my hope that as he gets older, he'll develop coping mechanisms that will help lesten his need for medication.

I, my brother and my father have all been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD as adults. There is a genetic component to it. Having it also helped me to recognize the symptoms in my son.

My point of the long story is that there are some kids that genuinely have ADD/ADHD. It is a real condition.

That being said, public schools are definitely geared more towards girls and often don't tolerate out of the box thinking or learning.

The only way I can describe ADD/ADHD to a non ADD/ADHD person is like your brain being that of a race car engine vs a sedan. It's always going fast and non stop. I can read the same page in a novel 10 times and not know what I've read because my focus is on the hundred other things circling around in my brain.

But the point is, if the classroom was structured to accomodate active boys (active in all the senses of mind and body), there would be far less need for medicatoon. Simply allowing more time for physical activity would greatly help these children.

Out of my own curiosity, does your son notice if his race car brain slows down on the weekends without mefication after physical exertion? The brain is the first to tire for children without an ADD/ADHD diagnosis. You can see it in games as bad decisions become more frequent as the young athlete tire. It is probably more noticeable in multi game day schedules. This has always been one of the arguments against multi game day schedules.

[Unregistered]

But the point is, if the classroom was structured to accomodate active boys (active in all the senses of mind and body), there would be far less need for medicatoon. Simply allowing more time for physical activity would greatly help these children.

Out of my own curiosity, does your son notice if his race car brain slows down on the weekends without mefication after physical exertion? The brain is the first to tire for children without an ADD/ADHD diagnosis. You can see it in games as bad decisions become more frequent as the young athlete tire. It is probably more noticeable in multi game day schedules. This has always been one of the arguments against multi game day schedules.

I don't disagree. It's hard to say if the above would work without actually trying it. I have no doubt it would in some way.

Comparing weekends to weekdays is apples to oranges in my opinion. And I can't speak for my son 100%. Afterall, it's his brain. For myself, my brain is in race car mode constantly (weekday or weekend, active or not) unless I'm hyper focused on an interest. For me that's writing/art/design work.

Though I will say ADD helps my son in soccer as he loves it and is able to hyper focus and harness his energy towards that. Unfortunately, he can't hyper focus on school work without his medication at this point.

I won't lie. We don't love the meds. However, his lack of focus affecting his school work was in turn affecting his self esteem.

If you know anything about ADD, you know that most individuals are often very bright. They just have difficulty reaching their full potential. Nothing is worse than trying your hardest, knowing you can do better and not achieving the results you want or know you are capable of.

This lack of focus often carries over into homework at home before or after sports practice.

Would changes in the public school system help? Likely. Would it be enough that my own kid wouldn't need medication? I don't know. I have no doubt it would help some. Likely the more hyper kids. I don't know that it would help in our own particular situation given that focus is an issue at home with homework.

[Unregistered]

The problem your son has in school is that the classroom is now structured for girls. I'm betting your son and a significant portion of males on drugs for ADD and ADHD are boys being boys. How else can it be explained that 85% of the world's supply of these drugs are prescribed in the US?

I'm a former teacher and have seen much of this up close and person. This is absolutely correct. In prior generations they put the boys with "ants in their pants" into sports to burn off their energy. That is a lot of what recess was actually about. Now we medicate those boys instead simply because the women teachers in the grammar schools can't deal with them. The boys that are active and, heaven forbid, aggressive, are being systematically reduced to a pool of little cry babies who are afraid to even touch another person. It's really creating a mess that our daughters are all going to have to deal with as adults. Just remember that when your son in law is THE emotional wreck leading up to the wedding.

[Unregistered]

Rolos or Milky Way bar.

[Unregistered]

Rolos or Milky Way bar.

If you have to juice up your kid in any way whatsover, they shouldn't be there in the first place

[Unregistered]

I'm a former teacher and have seen much of this up close and person. This is absolutely correct. In prior generations they put the boys with "ants in their pants" into sports to burn off their energy. That is a lot of what recess was actually about. Now we medicate those boys instead simply because the women teachers in the grammar schools can't deal with them. The boys that are active and, heaven forbid, aggressive, are being systematically reduced to a pool of little cry babies who are afraid to even touch another person. It's really creating a mess that our daughters are all going to have to deal with as adults. Just remember that when your son in law is THE emotional wreck leading up to the wedding.

Thought this report today pertinent to the discussion.

BOSTON (CBS) — There are an alarming number of toddlers given medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, according to a published report.More than 10,000 American two and three-year-olds are now being medicated for ADHD, according to data compiled by the*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and*first reported by the New York Times.
Ta
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/05/2...ated-for-adhd/