Health Care
Rio Salado College
PA's/Online Instructors Education
Assessment Technology, Inc
Social Studies Content Writer General
CORT
WAREHOUSE/DRIVER Construction
Komatsu Equipment Co
Mechanic General
CORT
Warehouse Supervisor

"When we do [an] evaluation, we're not just focusing on what medicine they need. In most of the children and teenagers, we recommend a combination of medication and therapies. We think they both help.

I'm able to prescribe medication, but this alone isn't going to help you. You have to do other things, too. Sometimes we have parents come, and maybe they're too focused on medication, and sometimes medicine is not the answer.

I think maybe [some children's therapists put] too much emphasis on the medicine, and the parents and teachers push for medicine sometimes. I have heard stories with parents where teachers have told them they can't have their child in the school unless they get them on medicine. Maybe some parents don't want to do anything else but give the medicine to the kid, so that can be a problem — too much emphasis on the medicine. Sometimes things are going on at home or at school, and that is why the kid is acting out or having problems, and the medicine will sometimes not help.

I don't see myself as [having] to make [patients] take medicine. I try to educate them, tell them some of the benefits [and] problems, and if they have questions I try to explain that to the parents and the kids.

Also, I try to explain to them that it's up to them. They make the decision. I just give them the information, and they can stop anything if it's not working out or if it's [causing] problems. You can start [medication] but it doesn't mean that you're stuck with medicine for life."