If I Give My Child Meds Am I a Failure?

Medicating Your ADHD Child

There are many parents out there that will have a struggle whether it is the right thing to put their children on medication to help control their attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Many will even ask, “if I put my child on meds am I a failure?” The answer to this question is definitely no!!! First, let’s look at some of the challenges that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD present their parents with on a daily basis.

School

Think about school for a minute. For students that have ADHD, in a school situation they are very disorganized and have trouble paying attention. They usually get in trouble a lot because of their hyperactive behavior as well. Children with ADHD are often at a disadvantage because of their ADHD symptoms interfering with the educational process. By medicating these children, we are giving them a fair place to start and we make it a lot easier for them to pay attention. We want all students to be able to succeed. If we give these children medication, their symptoms are much less noticeable and easier to manage. It is giving them a fair shot at learning.

Home Life

All of the symptoms of ADHD can be extremely difficult in home life. Parents may tell the children what to do and may frequently forget to do things. Since they are disorganized, their rooms tend to be very messy. They also need to be constantly entertained. Being a parent of a child can be very challenging and hard to deal with on a day-to-day basis. I compare it to having a toddler. Toddlers need lots of energy to keep up with. Having a child with ADHD is very similar. It can be very tiring trying to meet all of their demands.

Things To Note

You are not alone! There are many parents around the world who need to give their children medication in order to help control their ADHD. If you are still struggling with your decision, do your research and do consult with your child’s doctor. There is no need to feel guilty about giving your child with ADHD medication. It does not mean you are a bad parent. You care about your child and you want them to do well, by putting them on medication, it shows you care about them.

For those that ask, “If I give my child meds am I a failure,” you should have no doubt in your mind that you are not. Sometimes parenting skills and all the literature you read can just not be enough to help control your child’s symptoms of ADHD. It is definitely a challenging experience. You do not have to go it alone. There are plenty of medications that you can try that may help your child. Both you and your child will be happier once the proper medication has been found.

Disclaimer

I have used my own personal experiences as sources for this article.