Thursday, January 08, 2009

The Scientific Method











So my kid comes home from school today and announces,
"Guess what I learned at school today?"
"What?" (Good to know they're learning something, anything....)
"There are a lot less kids at my new school with ADD then there were at my old school."
"Oh? How do you know this?" Shrink Mom's wondering if they do public surveys or something.
"I wrote with a Concerta pen all day and no one came up to me and said they were taking it. Tomorrow I'm going to try a Prozac pen."

Hmmmm.......

So the scientist in me thinks of all the options here:
1) Kids at old school were more open about revealing their psych histories
2) Difference between middle and high school?
3) Kids at current school less attentive to classmates' choice of pens?
4) More kids at old school actually did take Concerta.

I do recall that in the past, when my kids have taken pharmaceutical company pens to school, they've gotten personal as well as family histories offered ("Hey, my dad takes that!").

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

5)Kids less likely to disclose to the new kid.
6)Teachers at new school have better classroom management skills and less likely to label a kid ADD therefore fewer parents hauling kids to doctor for presciption.
7)Due to rising job losses and the health benefits that went with those jobs fewer people can afford the Concerta for the kids.

Anonymous said...

I have this neat little viagra (pecil case size) calculator. When you press the on button, it stands up.... all on its own. That might be useful for dull moments in physics class.... just an idea

Anonymous said...

8)kids at new school being polite to kid who writes with psych med pens, assuming that it is she who takes them not that there is anything wrong with that.

Really though, consider buying the child some pens.

Dinah said...

Thinking here.
Anon 1:
5) maybe. maybe not.
6) new school has more 'progressive' and tolerant approach, much less lecturing and memorization, so this is a distinct possibility.
7) asked kid, she knows of no parents who've lost jobs....kids would probably say "I used to be on that"

Anon 2: child probably really would enjoy having that viagra pencil case but I won't encourage such things, they seem to find them on their own.

Anon3:
8) I don't think so. Very focused kid, if concerta worked this well, everyone would be on it (it doesn't)... strangely high percentage of shrinks' kids at both schools...I don't know what that means other than lots of shrinks with lots of kids in our town.

I've resisted telling that husband carries Zyprexa coffee mug.
These are my disclosures.

Sarah said...

I love this blog post. So true and so sad, all the wondering. As a therapist, I'm unfortunately exposed to these situations without much surprise. I wonder how people outside of their field think about this. Is there less surprise to the general public now than there was 3 years ago?

Anonymous said...

RE:7) even people with jobs tend to reduce spending in difficult economic times-consumer confidence.Talk to Zyprexa guy.
8)the fact that kid is focussed is a non issue-it is the assumptions the other kids may be making.

Linda Suriyakham said...

Is it true that pharmaceutical companies are no longer going to be offering branded goodies to Dr.'s offices?

What will happen to the pen supplies?

-concerned.

http://lindasuriyakham.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

He/she switched from middle to high school?

I had a son on an ADD drug and once he got to high school that was it. He wasn't going to take that stuff anymore. I couldn't see myself wrestling him to the floor every morning to shove it in his mouth -- what kind of good Mom does that?

It's such a pain to go get the prescriptions and it's not cheap PLUS he refused to take it and managed to get good grades and stay out of fights so I waved goodbye to that without a qualm!