Rap 11:
James McGarry
This is a topic that hits close for me, the controversy regarding the medication of children,
having grown up from ages 6-18 on mixed amphetamine salts and methylphenidate for my ADHD,
without any real informed consent on my part. The controversy reigns between those that fear the
consequences of untested medications, and those that feel the consequences of not treating the disorder
at hand is worse and outweighs any hypotheticals regarding the use of medicines.
There can be no doubt that adolescence is when many disorders crop up, such as anorexia
nervosa, bipolar, and schizophrenia. For many children, balancing the stresses of life alone is enough of
a burden, and adding a cognitive disorder only compounds this burden. There can be no doubt that for
many of these adolescents, having the help of psychiatric intervention is essential, and may bestow a
modicum of normalcy to allow proper development (Singh et al 2012). While most disorders benefit
