Academy of Pediatrics Giving The Okay To Give Children Cholesterol Medications
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
July 8, 2008 8:02pm CST
I don't know about you but I think this is really outrageous. Last night on the news I heard that the American Academy of Pediatrics is giving the okay and go ahead to allow doctors to give children as young as eight years old cholesterol reducing medications...like duh?
Yes it is true that there has been a dramatic rise in children who are overweight or even severely obese, and children are paying the price with health factors as a rise in diabetes and/or now having extreme higher level of cholesterol readings than ever before...but is giving medications completely the answer? On a video from World News Now...even many physicians are against this unless one-hundred percent absolutely necessary. Many of the medications, whatever they type are just plain not designed to be taken by children period.
I remember years and years ago, I had a high cholesterol reading even though I wasn't overweight..it was over 400! This was simply due to my eating more high fat and cholesterol laced foods. My physician wanted me to go on Lipitor. Now I'm not a medication fan....if I can find an alternative without all the risks of side effects that medications can give I'd rather do that.
Since I had read that almost all cholesterol meds work on the liver where cholesterol is stored, people can actually develop liver problems later on. So gee, great my cholesterol level might be reduced but might get a lousy screwed up liver in the bargain. So I bartered in a way with my doctor. I asked instead to let me radically change my diet and eliminate certain foods from my diet. He agreed and said come back in a month for a new blood testing. A month later after a real dramatic conscious change in my diet my cholesterol was checked again and just by changing my diet it had dropped down to about 245...still considered high, but now lower...after a few more months of conscientious eating habits my cholesterol dropped down to the "safe" zone and has been that way ever since.
Instead of now pumping kids up with meds to lower cholesterol...don't you think just a radical change in diet could also help...do you think it's right to now want to cram kids with medications that might have severe side affects later on...and don't you think giving such medications to kids as young as eighty years old is just a bit too young?
You can see articles and the video about this here.
The video is entitled "Are Cholesterol Lowering Meds For Kids?
The article is here
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=49934bb8-20a6-4d58-aa7a-3d198589d8ee
http://abcnews.go.com/search?searchtext=cholesterol%20drugs%20for%20children&type=
2 people like this
12 responses
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
9 Jul 08
I know this controversial but the problem is there is an epidemic of overweight children, and much as doctors tell the parents, the school tells the parents, the health care people tell the parents, the kids are just not losing weight. I imagine the doctors will just be using this medication when everything else has failed.
2 people like this
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Sure you can tell parents. Someone needs to tell the schools to offer healthier lunches - at least in the US they do.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
10 Jul 08
the point is still the point, as young children they are rarely out of the control of their parents or care givers,
you can blame tv, society and all those things, no one says that they are not factors, but if a two year or a four year old or a six year old asks for junk food, who gives it to them, the parent or the care giver, so that is still under their control,
no when the child is old enough to go out in the world, and is amongst other people not their caregivers then the control is lessened, the parents can then be strict at home but the child will go to a friends house or whatever and get it there.
Natrak I saw your point I agreed with it as the child is older,
it is true,
but the youngest of children are still fed by their parents or caregivers, so if you want to blame the babysitter,the grandmother, the neighbour or the lady next door that is taking care of the young children, that is fine with me,
a baby does not prepare his or her own meals, neither to most 4 year olds.
as far as pointless, sorry just because you do not agree with the point does not make it pointless,
you don't want it agree don't your choice.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Jul 08
winterose, Natrak...I go into a lot of detail of my viewpoints of what's going on in your response Natrak...but Natrak does make a point that a lot of the blame is what kids are eating in general nowadays--kids really ARE eating a lot of junk foods especially here in America...this is the junk food country of the world..LOL...heck when I was a kid, there wasn't that much junk food to begin with, or at least I wasn't allowed much and didn't even have a taste for it. Kids almost expect junk foods now...but look at my response to Natrak's
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
9 Jul 08
I don't think that we should totally blame the medical profession about this.
The medical profession can be separated in two categories.
1) They are face with the hoplessness of lazy people who don't want to listen.
2) They are taking advantage of the stupidity of people to make a fast dollar.
For the past 30 years... the anti-smoking lobby has told smokers about how bad smoking is for you... has given them all the facts... but it took 30 years to cut the smoking population by half... and people like me still refuse to listen and won't stop smoking.
Same goes for people eating the wrong food and eating far too much. Very few of them will listen and the crusade against obesity is only beginning.
All it takes is for the people to listen and do what they told. But this goes against everything we have been taught in the last 40 years.
We have been taught that we are free to live any way we want to live. That we have the right to freedom and privacy... and that no-one is entitle to tell us what to do.
So we cannot change people. People have to be willing to change themself.
@cblackink (969)
• United States
12 Jul 08
I agree about the laziness of people who don't want to listen, but I don't think the anti-smoking movement affects children that young. It's just plain bad diet and lack of exercise. And parents who ARE too lazy to make sure that they and their children are eating good, healthy food. It's too easy to drive through McDonald's and pick up a "happy meal" for your kid, rather than go home and make a meal that's healthy. If you teach kids to eat well at a young age, they will maintain that through the rest of their lives. To top that off, we live in a society (in the West) where children engage in sedentary activities, like sitting in front of a computer for hours or a video game console. But if your kid is going to sit in front of a computer and cram food into his face, maybe it could be celery?
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
12 Jul 08
Well... that too.
We have become the pop pill society.
I still cannot help thinking that the obesity problem started when the anti smoking campaign started.
People started eating instead of smoking.
We are going to have far more health problems with obesity that we ever did with smoking. But it is not my problem. lol
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
12 Jul 08
Also I think the problem is that our society has gotten too use to the cure-all for everything is to pop a pill. If it gives you detrimental side effects, take another pill to combat that..more side effects??, why take another pill to combat the side effects of the second pill which is combating the side effects of the first pill.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
9 Jul 08
to my way of thinking kids of any age shouldnt be given this meds. Ya have to think of where their parents are taking them to eat. Mc Donnlads being the worst place in the world to go also most fast food palses they do that almost every day the kids get fat! I am for them changing their diet also
I eat Cheerios every day and in winter oats that is surpose to help but now they have me on a pill for it since the heart attack never had my cholestrol check ever before this. last time to the Doc was way down and should stay down but he said to take the pill to keep it down since iI had the attach from what he said it was normal for one that hadnt had an attack like I did.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I think it is more the norm in this country for kids to be fast food junkies, probably the most fattening foods in the world, so then people wonder why their kids are overweight?? I don't even eat at fast food places anymore (one think most of the food taste like drek..LOL)..but back when I did, it was a once in awhile thing...today many kids eat that everyday. I'm glad to hear your cholesterol has gotten down...yes, things like Cheerios and oatmeal are one of the best things for that...nature's natural remedy, right?
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
9 Jul 08
That is totally outrageous! For the most part, cholesterol can be controlled with diet - as you have found out. Today we are into the fast fix - wether it's food or anything else. We eat too many "prepared" foods instead of fresh meals. I think we'd do much better to go back to cooking a "real" meal every night and packing lunches for the kids. With both parents working, sports, and clubs we just don't want to take the time for that. Now, the children will be on the liver transplant list in their mid-30's.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
15 Jul 08
Oreo and Pye - you make some great points. For the last few weeks my husband and I have been too busy to get to the grocery store and make our dinners - we've been eating out a lot. It really shows in our waistlines - and my husbands bloodwork. We are back to making dinners again - with plenty of veggies - in hopes of getting his results back in line for his bloodwork again next month.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Jul 08
You make a good point reinydawn..what a lot of people don't realize is that in restaurants they probably use a lot more oils to cook in...raising the fat content.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I think I perhaps give a really good overall response under Natrak's reply to this discussion....but yes, so much is the fast fix as far as foods...I mean in our society today it's rare for anyone to really cook anymore and just more convenient to plop in some frozen dinner, laced with chemicals, preservatives and chock full of salt into the microwave. I give the example in that reply too, how kids just don't exercise anymore to the point of not even walking much...When I went to school I had to walk ten blocks to it...yes, ten...today the kids are picked up in front of the building to go to that same school by school bus
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
12 Jul 08
I had heard about this the other day, I am a bit behind with my emails at the moment so pardon me for being so late with this one. I had just been reading this discussion of yours and drinking my coffee when I got to the part about giving medications to kids as young as eighty years old and lost my coffee! LOL laugh, I nearly wet myself!!!!
SO, now I have to get my splurted coffee cleaned up, but cheers for the typo it was hysterical! MORE MORE. Oh and yeah I agree with you that it is ridiculous!
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Jul 08
No problem...I'm way behind here too...LOL--I'm trying to catch up responding to all my discussions..hehee
Oh how I wish there was an edit button..why is it I don't catch my typos until after I've posted the discussion...
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Jul 08
I would have to look back, but did you catch my discussion about cherries? I asked did you know that cherries are good for....goat? I meant gout of course...
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
16 Jul 08
I am glad there is not, because I howl laughing at some of YOUR typos and if there was an edit button then what would I have to laugh at and brighten my day LOLxx
1 person likes this
@revellanotvanella (4033)
• United States
17 Jul 08
Pye, Im sorry I did not read your discussion post first but I couldn't hold back with this one. I saw this in the paper and my jaw just dropped--oh yea, med industry is just found their new market--OUTRAGEOUS!
If my doctor ever said my child should take some medicine like that--which they do not even know is safe because its so early!--I would drop that doctor so quick which I have with one doctor that felt vaccinations was not my personal choice (I wanted to hold off as long as possible) and TOLD me when they would get them.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
9 Jul 08
I saw people in the store two days ago buying all against the rules. It was family of four , all obese.
My thinking was "do they have straw brain?"
All junk food you can imagine was in the shopping cart.
The shopping card was full. I was in the line to cashier just behind. The total bill for them was $380....(!!!)
They paid with link card, Illinois food stamps card.
The family needed assistance outside. The mother was walking with the keen, because too heavy.
Obesity is the sickness and probably it made her disable.
She didn't learn. I would eat anything for her shopping card. For me it was all junk.
I didn't see even one item with nutritional volume.
Kids about 10 and 8....twice my weight...
I am against all medications. What we need is education for parents given in doctors office.
New generation is more that couch potatoes, they are sitting in the front of computer with junk food.
Cholesterol lowering medications will not change bad habits, but will drastically change all body function for worse.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Jul 08
Look at my response to Natrak's reply...one of the things I point out is how immobile kids are today always in front of the TV or playing video games or in front of a computer...and I too give an example of what is in the average shopping cart that a parent has while towing along their kids. I have a neighbor in my building who has always been obese--so sounds like the mother you're talking about...she was coming home from grocery shopping...I was able to see what was in her shopping wagon..ten bottles of soda, a few boxes of cookies and an Enterman's Chocolate Fudge Cake...uh, duh? Then she wonders why she can't lose weight..
But kids are being given this same crap and then parents wonder why they have a chubby child
Then she wonders why she can't lose weight.. But kids are being given this same crap and then parents wonder why they have a chubby child
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
14 Jul 08
I read this too and was outraged. I’m sure many parents will allow their children to take this medicine. I won’t be one of them- If my daughter is having problems with her cholesterol that will be the first thing we do- change the diet and more exercise. Medicine is not the way to go with things like this in children. It’s like giving the parents the ok- to feed their kids CRAP.
I mean come on--- I can’t believe the amount of parents that give their kids ADD and ADHD medicine- when the child is a little overactive. It’s like an out for some parents. Now I know that some kids really need these types of medicine- but not all of them. It’s the parents that don’t care- bad parents per se. I’m sure people will disagree with me—but it’s my opinion.
So my answer would be a NO- never. Yes I’m sure it will cause more problems for these kids later in life. Change the diet just as you said.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Jul 08
Yes that's another med I'm totally against about...yes maybe some kids are genuinely ADHD or autistic, but for too many, parents and doctors are cramming these meds into kids for any slight behavior problem, when maybe it's just a case of too much sugar in the diet or if not sugar, the substitute aspartame...if you ever read the potential health hazards with that one wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole..aspartame can even be in children's vitamins....sheesh
@greysfreak (1384)
• United States
9 Jul 08
That is a bit scary. I think in any case that prescription medicine should be avoided, especially with kids at such a young age! If it were adults I would say maybe they could try some of the vitamins and dietary supplements that are said to help reduce cholesterol, but with kids, that is probably a bad idea as well.
So yea, if possible the best way to go would obviously be changes in what they were eating. But for some reason if that didn't work, or if they can't change the way the kid eats, then I would say the only thing that could be done is to take the medicine.
So I guess I feel like it's a last resort situation.
1 person likes this
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I don't think our kids need to take medications unless it is absolutly neccessary. If it can be changed by diet, or something else natural that would be great, why get kids hooked on meds so early in life if they don't really need them.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Jul 08
I think the main problem is that we've gotten to be a society who believes everything can be solved by taking a pill, rather than changing lifestyles
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
9 Jul 08
Hi pye-
I really don't know what this world is coming to? Can't children be children and not be pump with all this medications? if the parents was gaven proper education on how to feed thekids in the first place they wouldn't be in this sisuation, too many fat food for a start and easy cooking on the parents part. Stop selling them I'd say. I do really think its taken too far, would the children have take inoculation for the side affects in the future I wonder.
Bless
Tamarafireheart.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Jul 08
A lot of kids are pumped up with medications if they have the slightest behavior problems...like yikes kids aren't allowed to be kids anymore are they? If kids are given these cholesterol meds..how will it affect them years from now? I suppose they'll have to take even more medications then
