In 2001, PBS' Frontline series investigated concerns that a nation of children were being too easily diagnosed as suffering from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder), resulting in the prescribing of numerous drugs, including the signature pharmaceutical Ritalin. Revisiting the subject over a half-decade later, The Medicated Child offers an alarming update, pointing out that where children were once routinely diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, many kids today with identical symptoms are being labeled as bipolar (previously thought to be a mental illness confined to adults) and being given antipsychotic drugs. The Medicated Child features wide-ranging interviews with parents, doctors, and specialists on both sides of the issue, including Thomas R. Insel, director of the National Institute for Mental Health, who notes that the shift toward a bipolar diagnosis in younger children means moving away from one set of drugs, which were reasonably well understood and carried limited risks, towards another with "unknown efficacy" and "well-known risks." Other experts speak about the various problems related to treating kids with a bipolar diagnosis, including switching or tweaking prescriptions following government warnings. Although the range of opinions here might leave some parents confused and/or flustered, to say the least, this is a thought-provoking examination, overall, of a serious social and medical issue. DVD extras include a discussion guide. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)
The Medicated Child
(2008) 60 min. DVD: $24.99 ($59.95 w/PPR). PBS Video. Closed captioned. ISBN: 0-7936-9427-2. Volume 23, Issue 4
The Medicated Child
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