Prescription Drugs and Diving

[NC Air Hog]

While working with the Boy Scouts last summer, one of our standard questions was "who here takes a prescription medication?" I, like many others I am sure, noticed that each year there were more and more of the kids taking a prescription for something. The problem that I have with this is nothing moral at all. I am a FIRM believer that if you are an adult, you can pretty much do anything you want as long as it does not hurt anyone else. With kids, it is different though. When it comes to prescription medication, I have not found any evidence that all of the ADHD medication will not have adverse impacts on young people during diving activities. I know that if the Doctor signs the paperwork though, I am just fine. I just wonder if it has an impact over time and if Instructors should be worried at all. With some of the recent court cases, I know that I am hesitant to work with the Scouts at all; let alone some kid that went to the Minute Clinic to get his form signed by a medical intern that has never been diving.

Any thoughts?

 

[RJP]

When it comes to prescription medication, I have not found any evidence that all of the ADHD medication will not have adverse impacts on young people during diving activities.

I can't find any evidence that apple juice is safe for young people during diving activities.

)

Stimulants - which is what I assume you're talking about - have been used to treat ADHD for nearly 50yrs now. They have an incredibly well-documented safety and tollerability profile.

What in particular do you think might be problematic about a centrally acting stimulant in diving?

PS - I'm still trying to sort out the double-positive/triple-negative of your post. "Yes I can't find any evidence that we don't have all the bananas."

 

[Hawkwood]

How do you know what medications they are taking?

 

[redacted]

I have to wonder, if you do have such concerns and you take them UW anyway; are you creating your own liability?

 

[NC Air Hog]

I can't find any evidence that apple juice is safe for young people during diving activities.

)

Stimulants - which is what I assume you're talking about - have been used to treat ADHD for nearly 50yrs now. They have an incredibly well-documented safety and tollerability profile.

What in particular do you think might be problematic about a centrally acting stimulant in diving?

PS - I'm still trying to sort out the double-positive/triple-negative of your post. "Yes I can't find any evidence that we don't have all the bananas."

I feel as though I may have worded this thought process poorly. Some of the kids were on ADHD medication and some were on, what they called, anti-depressants. All of them had a Doctor signature so they should be just fine. I cannot help but think that over time there may be some sort of adverse impact by taking all of the medicine. I just have a hard time believing that a medication that interacts directly with your brain could not cause an issue. HOWEVER, I am in no way a Doctor and did not stay in a Holiday Inn last night so they know better than I do. This is more of a general question than anything else. Something on my mind, thought I would share.

---------- Post added February 6th, 2015 at 05:48 PM ----------

I have to wonder, if you do have such concerns and you take them UW anyway; are you creating your own liability?

I wonder the same thing myself. I would default to the Doctor signing off. Good enough for them, good enough for me. Just curious if anyone else had thoughts on this.

 

[SubAquatix]

So, the Doctor Signs off, the Parents sign off. Are instructors and shops still Liable? it certainly has been called into question on the boards (meaning no legal precedent) with the BSA/ScubaDiver/PADI discussion this fall.

 

[Steve_C]

I think if they undergo normal activities with normal outcomes, then I don't think the meds impact diving unless it might be seizure medication or something to control panic attacks.

I do think there is a problem with over medicating kids. We had a rambunctous son that some "experts" wanted to put on long term "calming" meds in elementary school. We said no, spent a lot of time in teacher conferences and with him, and he turned out great. Learned to behave without relying on the drugs and kept his creativity.

NOTE1: I am a Dr. but not either of those kinds of doctors so just my personal 2 cents worth.

NOTE2: You cannot rely on Parent signatures for reassurance. As many posts on SB point out there are some parents whose focus in getting their kids included without thinking of the consequences.

 

[swimmer_spe]

As a scout leader, I know that if I allow a scout to do something they should not be doing due to variety of dangers, I am liable.

If I were diving with scouts, I would be asking the organization for direction. If they do not have any, I would err on the side of caution.

 

[eweingarden]

Food for thought: If you're concerned about adverse effects of diving while taking ADHD meds, you should also consider that if the meds were stopped, how would the kids function while diving?

 

[Storker]

I do think there is a problem with over medicating kids. We had a rambunctous son that some "experts" wanted to put on long term "calming" meds in elementary school. We said no, spent a lot of time in teacher conferences and with him, and he turned out great. Learned to behave without relying on the drugs and kept his creativity.

On a gut feeling level, I agree with you. OTOH, having seen the positive effects of ADHD/ADD medication on a kid who was struggling quite noticeably with keeping ahead in school, I have another, rather negative, gut reaction to the "we didn't need those fecking medicines" meme I hear quite often these days.

NOTE1: I am a Dr. but not either of those kinds of doctors so just my personal 2 cents worth.

To paraphrase Hunter S. Thompson: I'm a doctor, too. Just not that kind of doctor.

BTW, what happened to the concern a few years ago about a possible link between ADHD medication and oxtox seizures at fairly low pPO2? Is that correlation debunked, or is it still kosher?



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