Ritalin: Is it okay for me NOT to give it to my child during NON-School days.

[Adam W]

Does anyone know if Ritalin is a type of drug that needs to be taken "daily" non stop in order for it to "work" OR is it a day by day "solution"?

Furthermore... Can it be dangerous to stop and start, or just take a week off?

Reason im asking:
I"m a recently divorced dad. My ex-wife found a psychiatrist to prescribe my kids with Ritalin (against my wishes). I prefer to try alternative ways to deal with my "mildly wild" otherwise "perfectly healthy" kids. In Coeurt, during visitation negotiations, this issue came up. She wants to force me to drug them even during non-school days. Can anyone point me to a link, or asciencee article, of where itspecificallyy addresses this issue. Thanks

[Max]

Taking it on and off will not effect them negatively health wise. Also it would be better for them not to take it constantly because it does have some adverse side effects and is addictive.

Just tell them they don't have to take it if they don't want to or get a second and maybe third opinion from more homeopathic psychiatrists and use that to fight it.

[ME 007]

You should be able to find many articles by doing a search on the internet. Ritalin is not a good drug to be giving kids. It is the easy way out for doctors that don't know nutrition. It is bad enough that the armed services of this country wil refuse to take you if you've ever taken the drug. There are much better, and safer, ways to control a child's behavior.