The dulling-down of children with psychotropic drugs ?

[Guest guest]

The dulling-down of children?

http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20031130-111244-6164r.htm

 

 

 

This is the second part in a series of editorials on the challenges

raised by the October report of the President's Council on Bioethics.

All parents hope that their children will be happy at home and

high-performing in school. To that well-intentioned end, parents and

teachers often provide pharmaceuticals which help to focus the minds of

easily-distracted students. But there could be hidden costs.

The use of psychotropic drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall to modify

children's behavior has skyrocketed over the last decade — a paper published

in the Archive of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine earlier this year said

that the overall use of such pharmaceuticals tripled among children during

the 1990s. Such medicines have proved a godsend for children who truly

suffer from Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), particularly

since they appear to be safe and non-addictive.

However, there is ample anecdotal evidence to suggest that such drugs

are over-prescribed, especially since the ADHD diagnosis is inherently

subjective. In addition, parents may be giving such drugs to healthy

children (or children may self-medicate, as some college students do) in

order to enhance their academic performance.

The non-therapeutic use of such drugs has significant social and ethical

implications for the practice of parenting which require consideration. The

council saw three specific areas for concern: " social control and

conformity; moral education and medicalization; and the meaning of

performance. "

Making rambunctious children conform to behavioral baselines though

medication could stunt the development of their personalities. If such

conformity becomes widespread, social tolerance for different personalities

could diminish, resulting in a society which has been irretrievably

dulled-down. As the council pointed out, " Diversity is not only a matter of

options and choice, but also a matter of innate inclination and temperament,

strength of desire and aspiration, and cultivated character. "

Medicalization could also have a negative effect on moral education. For

full development, strong character requires terrible temptation. Medicines

that decrease desire might also lessen willpower. In the longer-term,

pharmacologically reducing the pull of a child's negative impulses could

also diminish development of his moral responsibility.

In addition to reducing a child's moral agency, psychotropic drugs might

also lessen his or her sense of achievement. Pharmaceuticals offer a

short-cut to success. However, self-confidence and self-esteem are best

acquired from challenges which have been overcome.

Notwithstanding those concerns, the use of such drugs is certain to

grow, since parents will have a difficult time denying their children a

chance to raise their performance. Yet they would be wise to exercise

restraint. The dispensing of pharmaceuticals should not take the place of

character development.

 

 

 

 

Back to Editorial/Op