forced meds

[SKay]

Did anyone else see FOX News last night? Hannity and Colmes had . . . uh oh, I forgot her name . . . John Travolta's wife on. She's here in FL pushing legislation for parental rights in deciding whether or not to medicate their kids. Ritalin was mentioned, but I don't know if this would be for all meds for all disorders. I also don't understand the need for it. My kids don't go to a public school. They were talking as if parents could forced to medicate their children if the kids are to continue in public school. The issue here is not medication vs. no meds; it is parental rights, and I'm all for that. Sean said that a teacher can demand that a child be medicated, but I didn't think that's true. Does anyone know if we can be forced to give meds if our child is ADHD?

[mothercat]

Alot of Senators are pushing for this type of thing with our kids. Have you ever read Hillarys book "the village"
it is basically a theory on how it would be better for the government to have legal guardianship over our kids and we just remain caretakers. Some folks sure have strange ideas on parenting..I say we are the parents and should have say on medicating..the schools have enough to do without minding our matters. I have to wander if the schools could go to DCFS over an unmedicated child with the grounds that the parent is denying a proper education?? I have no clue how it all works in the red tape world...

[Linda]

I am all for parental rights too...but I have seen first hand where teachers have taken it to extremes and have gone to social services and the child ended up on meds. The meds are administered at school.

[camismom]

Linda said:

I am all for parental rights too...but I have seen first hand where teachers have taken it to extremes and have gone to social services and the child ended up on meds. The meds are administered at school.

Sadly I have too Linda. Part of the old job I had at the middle school (before I moved where I am now) was to give the meds to our medicated students. I saw on quite a few occasions a teacher calling a parent and telling them that their child was out of medicine and until they got the child more, they needed to stay home from school! A few times she would tell me to call them and tell them. I refused to do it!! I remember one time she had a parent in tears because she didn't have the money to get it filled! I slipped the kid a 20 after school that day and told him to give it to his mom to cover their co-pay. It used to make me so d**n mad!

[kurs10b]

Not sure how they could enforce a law like that. There are laws protecting religious freedom so that those folks that dont believe in medicine dont have to have the immunizations. It should be a parents choice. Especially with the side effects that can be caused by different meds. If they did enact that law, and a few kids died because of the meds that were forced on them, I bet they would quickly repeal it due to all of the lawsuits.

[SKay]

I'm not sure I was clear; the law Mrs. Travolta is trying to get passed is FOR parental rights and for NOT forcing meds on the kids.

I haven't read It Takes a Village. I guess that's what some are pushing for now. The government thinks it knows what's best for our kids--yikes. I guess they would accuse us of not getting medical help for our kids if we choose not to medicate.

[mothercat]

I've never heard of a school forcing meds on a child..but I suppose in some places they do it.
Scary thought.. especially when so many different alternatives are available..like teachers aides and stuff.
I laid down the law about dispensing meds at Jareds school. I said it would be fine when the person dispensing the meds showed me her RN liscence or Dr liscence and until that day I would be happy as a clam to give my kids meds anytime they needed them. ( Ingrade school Bud was allowed to medicate himself in the office for tylenol or vioxx , but I wont leave the adhd drugs at the school as they have a street value.)

[camismom]

Skay I knew what you meant. By the way, Mrs. Travolta is Kelly Preston.

[kurs10b]

They are easy at your school. Here, I have to have the Dr. fill out a form saying my kid has to be given meds at a specific time, why he will be given them, and for how long. Then the prescription bottle has to have the time the meds need to be given printed on it. It cant just say "give once a day as needed". The only way to get around this is if I go up there and give him the meds myself.

The only thing my kids are allowed to carry and give themselved is cough drops.

[mothercat]

Same here Tylenol has to be left in the office but as far as giving the meds..I will do that myself before I will leave adhd meds at the school. It is nothin to either give it in the morning or stop by the school on my way out of town. Bud has carried his own inhaler since 1st grade when they denied him use of it while he was having a major attack and I threatened legal action. I get away with more because we have no school nurse.

Camis mom..who is Kelly Preston? I mean where would Iknow her from besides being Mrs Travolta..was she an actress (hey..I dont get out much ;D)

[SKay]

Kelly Preston is an actress (thanks Christy; I remembered the name in the middle of the night, although I don't know how because I'm not familiar with her--I'm with you, mothercat). Here's info on her.

www.imdb.com/name/nm0000593/

At our school, there must be an authorization signed by a physician. Then the school nurse will dispense the med. Otherwise the parent needs to go to the school and do it himself.

[Linda]

The Doctor has to fill out a form and tell what time the student is to take meds.

At the school where I worked we were lucky to have a nurse full time. The school where I am now there is no nurse...so it is usually the principal or secretary who dispenses meds.

The middle school where Paul attended we had a clinic right in the school.

[geewiznit]

I didn't see the show and don't want to comment out of ignorance, but it's important to know that John Travolta and Kelly Preston are Scientologists--consider the source.

[gabrielsmom]

This is what happens in NYC. Many parents(who don't know any better) were being forced to medicate their kids by the school system. This is how they do it. They tell the parents that if they don't medicate the child then the child can no longer attend the school. Many parents do not know that this is ilegal and also that it's BS. The school cannot deny a child an education under any circumstances. But, the parents don't know this. They believe the school personnel when they are told that they can barr the child from school if he/she is not on meds. They also threaten the parents with calling children's services and telling them that they are denying proper care to the child. Many parents believe this and get bullied into medicating their kids. The truth is that no one in the school system can properly diagnose a child for any kind of medical disorder. They can't evaluate a child without the explicit consent of the parent. So, legally they have no leg to stand on. I was exposed to this many times because I am so outspoken about my son's ADHD so a lot of parents used to talk to me about what they were going through. Once I would tell these parents that the school cannot force them to medicate their kids they wer so relieved. A few of them went so far as to use the information I had given them to successfully get the school off their backs. I have to admit that I was very surprised that a lot of the parents in my neighborhood did not know this information.

[Amsmom]

oh please!!!! i saw a quick spot last night on tv with kelly preston and kirstie alley about this. (although i am in favor of meds if needed, i am also an advocate for parents' rights.) kirstie alley was saying that "kids should not be put on meds like ritalin and i should know because i took cocaine and became addicted to it." WHAT!??!!!!!!! oh that annoyed me sooooooo much. how can she possibly compare the two ??!!!!! i highly doubt that she got the coke from her dr!!!! oh that annoys the hell out of me!!!!!!