My wiki topic is medicated children. I decided on this topic because it seems that more and more children are being medicated with serious psychiatric drugs and given serious psychiatric diagnoses early in life. While some of these children do need to be medicated and receive diagnoses, it seems that many of these children fall into the category of "normal."
The top five things I learned:
1. Diagnosing a young child can lead to the child being stigmatized which can further any issues that child may have.
2. A possible reason for the increase of medicated children is the fact that institutionalizing children with psychiatric needs is happening less. (This is a GOOD thing!)
3. Through my readings on medicated children, I found that over 50 percent of foster children are on psychiatric medication. This statistic shocked me.
4. From watching several of the videos, I observed that parents seem to heavily rely on their chidrens doctors and do not consider getting a second opinion or look into alternate methods of treatment before medicating their child.
5. I was surprised to learn how embedded the drug companies are in the issue of medicating children.
If you only have time for one resource view this video. This is a documentary called The Medicated Child produced by the PBS show Frontline. I enjoyed this documentary because it covers many different situations in which children are medicated. It also covers a broad range of issues with medicating children along with the positive side. I would give this documentary a 4.5/5
2. Generation Rx
This is the trailer to the documentary Generation Rx. I highly recommend this documentary to broaden your knowledge of use of psychiatric and other drugs and their effects on today's youth. The downside to this documentary is that it does not cover opposing view points. I would give this documentary a 4/5.
(Note: As of 11/28/11 this video available on Netflix on demand)
3. Define "Better"
This is a music video/rap about children who are highly medicated. I enjoyed this video because it provides knowledge of some of the issues of medicating children with psychiatric medication that is intended for adult use. While I did enjoy this video, it seemed quiet one sided. I would rate this video a 3.5/5
4. Children and Parents in the Age of Medication
This is a video that provides several opposing viewpoints to the idea the children are over medicated. I enjoyed this video because it allowed me to see why people think their is a problem with over medicating children. I would rate this video a 4/5.
5. Drugging Our Children
This video presents some statistics about children medicated with psychiatric drugs. While I enjoyed this video, I wish it would have included that sometimes it is necessary to medicate children with psychiatric drugs. I would rate this video a 3.5/5.
6. Insiders Health TV Overview on medicating children
This video provides a brief overview on some of the issues young children who are medicated face. This video seemed very brief and not as informative as some of the the others I found but is a good starting point. I would give this video a 3/5.
7. Louis Theroux Americas Medicated Kids
This is the first part to a journalistic documentary. Louis Theroux is a British journalist who enters the home of Americans who medicate their children for psychiatric issues. I found this journalistic documentary to be up beat and informative. It is interesting to get an "outsiders" view on the subject. I would recommend watching the rest of the documentary as well. This is just the first of six parts. The other parts can be viewed on You Tube. I would give the journalistic documentary a 4.5/5
Medicated Children
My wiki topic is medicated children. I decided on this topic because it seems that more and more children are being medicated with serious psychiatric drugs and given serious psychiatric diagnoses early in life. While some of these children do need to be medicated and receive diagnoses, it seems that many of these children fall into the category of "normal."
The top five things I learned:
1. Diagnosing a young child can lead to the child being stigmatized which can further any issues that child may have.2. A possible reason for the increase of medicated children is the fact that institutionalizing children with psychiatric needs is happening less. (This is a GOOD thing!)
3. Through my readings on medicated children, I found that over 50 percent of foster children are on psychiatric medication. This statistic shocked me.
4. From watching several of the videos, I observed that parents seem to heavily rely on their chidrens doctors and do not consider getting a second opinion or look into alternate methods of treatment before medicating their child.
5. I was surprised to learn how embedded the drug companies are in the issue of medicating children.
1. The Medicated Child
Watch The Medicated Child on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.
If you only have time for one resource view this video. This is a documentary called The Medicated Child produced by the PBS show Frontline. I enjoyed this documentary because it covers many different situations in which children are medicated. It also covers a broad range of issues with medicating children along with the positive side. I would give this documentary a 4.5/5
2. Generation Rx
This is the trailer to the documentary Generation Rx. I highly recommend this documentary to broaden your knowledge of use of psychiatric and other drugs and their effects on today's youth. The downside to this documentary is that it does not cover opposing view points. I would give this documentary a 4/5.
(Note: As of 11/28/11 this video available on Netflix on demand)
3. Define "Better"
This is a music video/rap about children who are highly medicated. I enjoyed this video because it provides knowledge of some of the issues of medicating children with psychiatric medication that is intended for adult use. While I did enjoy this video, it seemed quiet one sided. I would rate this video a 3.5/5
4. Children and Parents in the Age of Medication
This is a video that provides several opposing viewpoints to the idea the children are over medicated. I enjoyed this video because it allowed me to see why people think their is a problem with over medicating children. I would rate this video a 4/5.
5. Drugging Our Children
This video presents some statistics about children medicated with psychiatric drugs. While I enjoyed this video, I wish it would have included that sometimes it is necessary to medicate children with psychiatric drugs. I would rate this video a 3.5/5.
6. Insiders Health TV Overview on medicating children
This video provides a brief overview on some of the issues young children who are medicated face. This video seemed very brief and not as informative as some of the the others I found but is a good starting point. I would give this video a 3/5.
7. Louis Theroux Americas Medicated Kids
This is the first part to a journalistic documentary. Louis Theroux is a British journalist who enters the home of Americans who medicate their children for psychiatric issues. I found this journalistic documentary to be up beat and informative. It is interesting to get an "outsiders" view on the subject. I would recommend watching the rest of the documentary as well. This is just the first of six parts. The other parts can be viewed on You Tube. I would give the journalistic documentary a 4.5/5