ADD/ADHD...to drug or not to drug

Today I had the opportunity to hang out with a bunch of great kids.  After a short amount of time I could clearly see one particular child that was having a difficult time; fidgety, easily distracted, working on anything & everything except the task at hand.  This child was absolutely beautiful, a complete little treasure but just struggling.  A child came to tell me that the other child takes a pill and probably didn't take it this morning.  I quickly dismissed the child because that was nothing that I really needed to hear or even be aware of.  The fact that other kids knew it and were encouraging the pills really broke my heart.  I know that ADD/ADHD is a sickness and many children are prescribed  medication to treat it daily.  I've seen perfectly beautiful children almost go into an almost catatonic state on these meds.  They don't eat, they're losing weight and all of this is a side effect of the meds. Teachers, please don't shoot me.  Just hear me out.  I'm not a medical professional, I don't work in a lab to create such things.  I know that your job is huge.  You must work to meet the needs of children with many different needs and personalities.  I'm just saying, there's something better.  Moms, there's something better than drugs.  You don't have to watch your child progress through their day with the demeanor of a zombie and then sit up all night because they are still so chocked full of meds.  Really, just what if this could all be combatted without a pill?  The ease of taking a pill in our world today just amazes me.   You have a headache, take a pill.  You can't sleep, take a pill.  You can't wake up, take a pill.  You have a runny nose, take a pill.  Enough already!  What in the world are we teaching our kids.  Drug use and addiction is at an all time high.  We're showing them that the answer to everything in life comes in a bottle.  This is not the way God intended us to live. We're fostering addiction in our children and then question what in the world happened when they end up addicted and off on a binge.  

An estimated 6.4 million children ages 4 through 17 have received an A.D.H.D. diagnosis at some point in their lives, a 16 percent increase since 2007 and a 41 percent rise in the past decade. About two-thirds of those with a current diagnosis receive prescriptions for stimulants like Ritalin or Adderall, which can drastically improve the lives of those with A.D.H.D. but can also lead to addiction, anxiety and occasionally psychosis..

A.D.H.D. has historically been estimated to affect 3 to 7 percent of children. The disorder has no definitive test and is determined only by speaking extensively with patients, parents and teachers, and ruling out other possible causes — a subjective process that is often skipped under time constraints and pressure from parents. It is considered a chronic condition that is often carried into adulthood.

The C.D.C. director, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, likened the rising rates of stimulant prescriptions among children to the overuse of pain medications and antibiotics in adults.

“We need to ensure balance,” Dr. Frieden said. “The right medications for A.D.H.D., given to the right people, can make a huge difference. Unfortunately, misuse appears to be growing at an alarming rate.”

Because the pills can vastly improve focus and drive among those with perhaps only traces of the disorder, an A.D.H.D. diagnosis has become a popular shortcut to better grades, some experts said, with many students unaware of or disregarding the medication’s health risks.

“There’s no way that one in five high-school boys has A.D.H.D.,” said James Swanson, a professor of psychiatry at Florida International University and one of the primary A.D.H.D. researchers in the last 20 years. “If we start treating children who do not have the disorder with stimulants, a certain percentage are going to have problems that are predictable — some of them are going to end up with abuse and dependence. And with all those pills around, how much of that actually goes to friends? Some studies have said it’s about 30 percent.”

This information is staggering to me.  I'm not a Mom who's ever been faced with the the challenge of choosing; to medicate or not to medicate.  I have been on this journey with some wonderful friends and it's horrible.  Let me just present another option without all of the side effects of the drugs.  There are several oils available, many combinations to try.  Isn't it worth a shot?  

If you're interested in giving the products a try I'm happy to add to my personal order or you're welcome to got to Young LivingYoung Living's site. On that page you'll decide if you'd like to sign up as a "Retail Customer" or as a "Wholesale Member".  One of the great perks as a Wholesale Member is reduced shipping on all orders and a 24% discount off of Retail pricing.