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

Prescriptions for psychiatric drugs among children became a more common practice in

the 1990’s and has had a substantial growth in the years following (Sparks, 2004.) Medicating

children is an often “murky” and “controversial” topic that raises ethical concerns amongst

scholars and parents (Barnett, 2018.) One side of the dilemma believes medicating children

enables their right to health, while the opposing side sees it as a form of child abuse (Beeker,

2020.) Beeker (2020) argues that the fundamental idea behind both viewpoints in the medication

dilemma is the best outcome for the child, which can be more easily determined when analyzing

what is best for the child that is receiving the medication.

The population of those that support medication for children express 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 (Oliviardo, 2022.) Psychiatrists often have a difficult time determining

whether or not to prescribe medication to children and adolescents with it being an ethical and

moral issue as well as a medical issue (Barnett, 2018.) As many medications prescribed for

disorders have side effects, scholars such as Roberto Oliviardo believe that the positives

outweigh the side effects. Oliviardo expresses 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 (Beeker, 2020.) 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 (Oliviarda, 2022). Not
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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 (Beeker, 2020.) Scholars and parents with

similar views expressed by (Rosann, 2022) claim that medications in treating ADHD in children

can hurt their brain and stunt growth along with a plethora of potentially unknown side effects.

With many known side effects in medications for children (Barnett, 2018) risks are taken when

medications are used. 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” (Barnett, 2018). Fear of medication altering children forever as well

as fear of drug dependency in children is a frequent concern of many parents (Oliviarda, 2022.)

More natural treatments for psychiatric disorders in children such as neurofeedback,

psychotherapy, and parent coaching are suggested by Dr. Roseann in her 2022 article.

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 the children (Beeker, 2022.) 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

(Barnett, 2018.) 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
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arising. 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.

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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-

referrals/

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