ARGUE UNIT

Argue Unit: Medicating Children

Zoe Martindale

Department of Writing, Appalachian State University

RC 2001: Second Year Writing

Professor Clarice Brown

March 25, 2022

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The Ethics of Medicating Children

Medicating children has been a frequent topic of discussion within the psychology

community, many people with vastly different viewpoints on the matter have been debating

about it for years. The topic of medicating children brings up ethical and social issues that have

many pros and cons. While those who are pro-medication endorse its usage for the betterment of

the mental health of their kids, many oppose it, believing it to be unhealthy and unnatural. In

many situations, the ethical question arises of whether or not the pros of a certain medication

outweigh the cons. Many side effects of medications can cause problems that some might argue

are worth enduring for the effectiveness of the medication. Many arguments concerning

medicating children are centered around children with ADHD as it is one of the most commonly

diagnosed disorders in children (Oliviardia, 2019.)

Those who support medication for children also have a variety of views as many

situations in which kids would need to be medicated for disorders exist as well as a variety of

available medications. Psychiatrists often have a difficult time determining whether or not to

prescribe medication to children and adolescents as it is an ethical and moral issue as well as a

medical one. As many medications prescribed for disorders have side effects, those who are on

this side believe that the positives outweigh the side effects. They also believe that by denying

children the right to medication they are denied access to public health. Other options, such as

therapy, in treating disorders in children are not always entirely effective. Medications that are

approved for children have been proven to be effective in treatment in most cases, making them a

viable option for those seeking treatment. If a medication is making a child act worse or

abnormal, it is a likely sign that it might not be the right medication for that individual
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(Oliviarda, 2018). Not every personality change that occurs when using medications such as

psychostimulants is a negative one, many are a result of treatments successfully working.

Those that oppose the usage of medication in treating disorders in children often do it out

of distrust of the medication and its side effects. Many claim that medications in treating ADHD

in children can hurt their brain and stunt growth along with a plethora of potentially unknown

side effects (Roseann, 2021). People who tend to gravitate towards this side of the debate also

tend to weigh the pros and the cons, determining that the cons outweigh the cons. Arguments

have been made that state that giving children medication for disorders is child abuse (Beeker,

2020) claiming that medication might change their kid entirely or turn them into a “zombie”

(Oliviarda, 2018). Fear of medication altering children forever as well as fear of drug

dependency in children is a frequent concern in this viewpoint. Natural treatments, such as

therapy, are believed to be far less risky in this viewpoint.

While both sides have fundamental differences of opinion, their beliefs align in the core

values of their viewpoints- both sides just want what is best for kids. With this being kept in

mind, it is much easier to come to a middle ground between the two opposing views. When done

correctly, therapy can be a very useful tool in treating disorders in children. If therapy is

successful in treatment without medication and the child is in the best state it can, there is not

much of an ethical or moral dilemma. However, many, more extreme disorders cannot be treated

solely through therapy. Having an untreated disorder puts a lot of stress upon the child as well as

the caregivers, and in some cases a combination of therapy and medication is the only hope at

improving the conditions (Oliviarda, 2018). Regulated and minimal usage provided by a

caregiver or a doctor can also help prevent potential issues from arising.
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The arguments for and against medication usage in treating disorders in children often

vary from each other by different degrees. With the amount of uncertainty, pros, cons, and

unknown factors, deciding which side is more or less ethical is a very layered process which

would likely be more easily determined when applied to individual cases.

References

Barnett, J. (2018). The ethics of making or not making medication referrals. Society for the

Advancement of Psychotherapy. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from

https://societyforpsychotherapy.org/ask-ethicist-ethics-making-making-medication-referral

s/
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Beeker, T., Mills, C., Meerman, S. te, & Witeska-Młynarczyk, A. (2020). Psychiatrization

of, with and by children: Drawing a complex picture. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2043610619890074

Olivardia, R. (2022, January 19). The choice to medicate for ADHD: A clinician's guide to

navigating parental concerns. ADDitude. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from

https://www.additudemag.com/pros-cons-adhd-medication-decision-clinicians/

Roseann. (2022, January 30). 5 reasons why you shouldn't medicate your child with

ADHD. Dr. Roseann. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from

https://drroseann.com/5-reasons-to-not-medicate-adhd-in-children/

Sparks, J. A., & Duncan, B. L. (2020). The ethics and science of Medicating Children -

PsychRights. Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from

http://psychrights.org/Research/Digest/ADHD/MedicatingKids.pdf