With kids who are on psychotropic medication, it is amazing how well they do in environments where there is structure, stability and where they are challenged mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.  It is a fact that kids who are consistently in these types of environments often need less medication and can sometimes be weaned off medication altogether.  I rarely hear kids in our program explain their negative behavior with, “I forgot to take my pill today.”  First of all, they know better and second, they are learning to take responsibility for their choices.  Medication sometimes assists decision-making; it does not make decisions.

Pills may have their place but they are so overprescribed.  Their place is not to replace commonsense which is often the takeaway kids have. We know what kids need: exercise, balanced eating, sunlight, creative outlets, the ability to dream, accountability, an energizing world that provokes them to safely experiment with who they are and what they can do.  Before we medicate them, we need to examine whether we are giving them the essentials they need to be healthy and successful.

I fear the long-term studies of so much childhood medication are going to show a number of things: 1) We will find that most of the current medications (which are adult medications downsized for kids) were not all that effective and other factors (like powerful, creative parents) are more influential than pills.  2) Kids, as they become adults, will develop health problems from so much overmedication; some problems will prove irreversible.  3) Some will still be explaining their bad behavior with, “I forgot to take my pill today” but they won’t be 13, they will be 30.