The Most Common Reason Teens Stop Taking Their Prescription Medications
(March 2009)
The death of a child is a true tragedy. We were all deeply saddened by the recent death of Jett Travolta, teenage son of actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family.
Published reports have suggested that Jett died from a seizure and that there was a possibility that he was not taking his anti-seizure medication. While the mainstream media focused on the family’s involvement with Scientology, there is another reason that teens do not take their medications, and that relates to their intellectual and developmental capability to understand the long-term implications of their actions.
Even with adults, only about 50% take medications as prescribed. But for teens, the problem is even more serious. Recent research clearly shows that teenagers who have a variety of conditions often do not take medications as suggested by their health care providers. This is true regardless of the condition being treated (seizure disorders, diabetes, HIV, cardiovascular disease, etc.), resulting in ‘drug holidays’ or simply stopping medications.
Research studies have shown that up to 100% of teens do not take medications as prescribed. The patterns may differ, but the effects are the same; lack of control of the condition and the potential for serious complications.
Developmentally, teens cannot understand that actions such as stopping medications may have serious effects. Parents often think that the teen is being willful and ignoring the facts. They know the facts; they just don’t think they apply to them. In addition, the peer group is the most important mirror for teens. They feel tremendous pressure to fit in, and youngsters on medications do not want their friends to know that they are ‘different’ even if the condition cannot be seen. They will often decide to skip taking their medicine as opposed to letting their peers discover that they are battling an illness. They feel that skipping their potential life-saving medication is worth the risk instead of being embarrassed in front of their friends.
What can parents and concerned adults do to increase the likelihood of a teenager taking their prescribed medication? The most important thing is to keep the lines of communication open. Don’t panic when your teen says he or she wants to stop taking their medications and don’t lecture. Discuss the reasons they want to change things, and see if there are alternatives. In the case of seizure medications, for example, some of the side effects are difficult for children. Other medications may be available that are more tolerable.
The passing of 16-year old Jett Travolta is a devastating loss to his family and friends. We don’t know if not taking medication was the cause, but far more children suffer consequences of skipping medications than those affected by Scientology. Hopefully we can all learn from Jett’s sad passing and help teenagers and their parents manage their prescription medications. That way, he would not have died in vain. |
