Antipsychotics in Kids: The New York Times Gets it Right - and Wrong

Her boy, incidentally, once jumped out of a van at fifty miles an hour.

And therein lies the rub. We have kids prepared to jump out of vans and windows, who are unable to perform well in school, who lack the emotional control to make friends with kids their age, who don’t get invited to birthday parties, who lose out on their childhoods, and who doom themselves to having no chance at a decent teenhood or adulthood, if they are not treated.

What do you do? How do you help these kids?

The New York Times would have you do nothing.

Please don’t get angry. Just think.

Update: May 14

This blog mistakenly creates the impression that anorexia is a trifling teen malady that does not rate medical treatment. Since posting this blog, I have researched anorexia and discovered that it is an extremely dangerous medical condition, with one of the highest death rates for mental illnesses. In certain situations, an antipsychotic is not only justified but may be the only viable treatment option. Although antipsychotics are not FDA-indicated for treating anorexia, the American Psychiatric Association, in its 2006 Practice Guideline for eathing disorders, recommends consideration of its use as adjunctive treatment in situations where other options are not working.

Thus, with regard to antipsychotics for kids, the NY Times was wrong on all the clinical issues.

Please check out my follow-up blog, Antipsychotics in Kids: The NY TImes Gets it Completely Wrong.