Oppositional Defiance Disorder

Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) and other similar conditions including Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis are on the rise. As the patient population increases, medical professionals struggle to find a cure. Many are resorting to the use of drugs to control children's behavior.

According to an article in the St Petersburg Times, in the past seven years, the number of Florida children prescribed such drugs has increased some 250 percent. Last year, more than 18,000 state kids on Medicaid were given prescriptions for antipsychotic drugs. Even children as young as 3 years old. Last year, 1,100 Medicaid children under 6 were prescribed antipsychotics, a practice so risky that state regulators say it should be used only in extreme cases.

This alarmingly high increase in the prescription of mood-altering drugs to treat Oppositional Defiance Disorder begs the question, "are these drugs safe?"

These psychiatric drugs were originally approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in adults. However, through "the practice of medicine" medical professionals are permitted to prescribe FDA approved drugs for applications beyond their approved usage.

What does it all mean? Doctors and physiatrists are giving our children extremely powerful drugs that have been used to treat much more severe conditions without knowing or understanding the long-term effects on the child's development.

In that same article mentioned above, Dr. Ronald Brown, who headed an American Psychological Association committee that looked into the issue, stated that:

"The bottom line is that the use of psychiatric medications far exceeds the evidence of safety and effectiveness,"

Using drugs to treat behavior disorders should be used only as a last resort technique. I've chronicled my experience with drugs and behavior managment on my blog about Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Fortunately for me, behavior management has worked wonders. Mike doesn't have to take mood-altering drugs anymore and he is happier and healthier for it.