Refusing To Medicate

So, my child is out of control at home, school and all public places. He grabs, bursts & speaks without thinking. This goes on and on day after day, year after year. The voices in my head are shouting, "something needs to change here" but other voices fill the gaps with, "Do you want a drugged-out child?" What does a parent do?

We went down this path for a few years with our boy. They were difficult, miserable years but well-meaning friends/family would suggest he would out-grow this behavior OR he just needed tighter reigning. Of course, they knew best. They took him in the car, to the store, to school, to the dinner table. They meant well. Because they hadn't experienced exactly what we were living, they truly did not understand how challenging this was minute-to-minute. Nobody understood.

We did not blindly bolt for the pharmacy and a drug to change our baby boy. We agonized, sought counsel from many & prayed. Would our boy be safe on a sidewalk? Would he learn in school? Would he make friends? Would he destroy his home? These were the REAL QUESTIONS we asked ourselves for several years, while experiencing this day-to-day trauma. Another question plagued us. If Bobby had Type 1 Diabetes would we put him on medication? If he had any disease, would we seek treatment? Without a doubt.

The above situations molded our thinking and Bobby has been able to function more successfully since. Not a perfect solution but a tremendous change was seen and continues to this day. If I was going down the path again I would probably endure a few years again, just making certain I was doing the best for my boy. But, in the end, I would add medication to his program. No question. Anything less hurts him more in my opinion.