GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

The world is a strange place. In many cultures throughout the world there is an African proverb that is commonly exercised. It is the theory that “it takes a village to raise a child.” Hilary Clinton, as many of you know, wrote a book about this proverb. The premise is just what you think it would be: Parenting is not just the responsibility of the two people a child is born to, but rather the responsibility to help raise and nurture our children falls upon all those involved with that child throughout it’s life; parents, teachers, coaches, neighbors, police officers, ministers, dance instructors and everyone in the community. The Gorilla agrees wholeheartedly with this theory, although, he feels the bulk of the responsibility should absolutely fall on the parents.

Why then, are so many parents relying on drugs- specifically antidepressants- as a way to handle their young children’s emotional needs? The Gorilla was astounded to read recently that the use of psychiatric drugs by preschoolers has increased by more than 50% in girls and more than 60% in boys, according to recent studies. Preschoolers? Are you kidding? We all know that Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) is rampant among kids and so the number one prescribed hyperactivity drug is, of course, Ritalin. The number two and three were Prozac and Zoloft. Again, this is for children ages 3-6.

Now barring severely emotionally challenged kids, who have a diagnosed psychiatric disorder, why are doctors allowing parents to put these very young kids on drugs? Surely there must be an alternative to this methodology. The question is: Are we medicating our children as a way to avoid the time it takes to parent properly when there is a problem? What did parents do 10-20 years ago when their 3-year old was acting up? We didn’t all run out an get a doctor to write a prescription now did we? No, we certainly did not. Is this a ”quick fix” for parents, who just don’t take the time to assess their children’s emotional needs? Yes, there are behavioral issues that sometimes are out of a parent’s control, but medical professionals and psychiatrists say that even severe cases can be corrected with proper discipline, and reinforcement from the parents that their kids are loved. (Hey the “Supernanny” has proven that!) But for those that don’t have access to one very in demand Jo Frost, it can be difficult. But still, not impossible.

Supernanny Jo, believes that most parents just don’t know how to parent properly when their kids have behavioral problems- even severe behavioral problems, and acknowledges that many parents resort to drugs as a way out. She claims that proper parenting and a tough-love approach is the key, and NOT drugging kids. Think about it; if your kids are depressed or acting out of control, why would you give them drugs that have warning labels on them that say “may cause thoughts of suicide?” Now does that make sense to you, parents? The Gorilla is not the only one who feels strongly about this issue. 

Child mental health professionals from Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center in Rhode Island and 11 other institutions have developed recommendations for specific disorders to help clinicians who are considering medications for children ages 3 to 6.  ”These guidelines emphasize the importance of a family-focused assessment by clinicians with experience working with young children, the use of psychotherapy as the first line treatment for young children with severe psychiatric disorders, and the value of careful monitoring of symptoms and side effects when treating young children,” said lead author Dr. Mary Margaret Gleason, of the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center. The guidelines were recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and are meant to decrease the use of  medications by using the applied guidelines laid out in the approach. These guidelines will be strongly suggested to physicians as a way to deter them from prescribing these medications.

With almost 15 million kids and teens using anti-depressants, it is about time someone got involved to suggest an alternative. And parents, there are options out there. Talk to the “village” who is in constant contact with your child. Talk at length to their teachers to pinpoint behaviors that can be addressed and corrected. Talk with parents of kids who your kids play with regularly, and have them be honest with you about your child’s behavior. Many times parents just don’t take the time and are embarrassed to ask questions or be vulnerable, but hey, when it comes to your kids, it’s worth the effort. For the most part, that “village” of people wants to help and cares about your kids too!