Something is Wrong with my Child - The age of instant gratification

Are we over diagnosing children?

Take a moment, imagine you had a child. This child is always on the go, never wants to take a break, constantly chatting your ear off, and fidgets if made to sit still. What would you label this child? Would you consider him rambunctious, or ADHD?

If you're thinking ADHD you're probably part of the ever increasing insistence that 'something is wrong with my child.' It is becoming increasingly common for a parent or teacher to automatically assume that when their child is not behaving like a quiet, calm, obedient, drone, that there is something wrong with them. If your child is quiet and socially awkward, you would be incorrect in thinking he is shy. You're child has autism. Is he slightly klutzy and has the tendency to knock things over? He has a gross motor deficiency. What happened to letting kids be kids? The moment our child goes the slightest bit off track developmentally it is of automatic assumption that 'Something is seriously wrong with my child.'

We have entered an age of paranoia and medication. How many people do you know who are on a prescription drug? Better yet, how many people do you know take aspirin at the slightest twinge of pain? Instant gratification. We rather pump our system with drugs than try a simple massage or cold cloth. We rather pump our children with drugs than actually have to parent the child. Heaven forbid we have to work a little more than normal to teach our children a calm set of behaviors and to use their indoor voices. Too much work, we want results now rather than later. Shove some Ritalin down that kids throat and sit him in front of the tv. Don't forget to make sure the parental block is on, don't want to actually pay attention to the child and make sure he isn't watching something he shouldn't. I know I don't want to take time out from my phone conversation to glance at a tv screen!

These behaviors are more common in the parents who know nothing is 'wrong' with their child, but wants them medicated to make their job easier. They don't want to listen to the school calling to complain that their daughter shoved her classmate in the mud, or how she often acts out in class. Instead of sitting down and discussing it with the child, they're shoving drugs down their kid's throats so they will sit still.

Now obviously there are kids who actually do have these medical problems and need help, maybe even drugs. This isn't directed at those children. Nor is it directed at the parents who truly do have an unruly child that no matter how hard they try, their parenting cant control. This is directed at the lazy, instant gratification parents.

My question to you is, do you think children are being over diagnosed, or is there truly a rise in psychological problems in children? If confronted with a situation where you truly don't think anything is wrong with your child despite the school psychologist's insistence, will you take the easy way out and buy needless prescriptions, or will you take responsibility for your kid?

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