On Feb 1 this year, I turned up for a speaking engagement to NAMI San Diego. But first, the person who runs these meetings had two sad announcements: An individual who attended a nearby DBSA support group had committed suicide, and an advocate involved in NAMI in California had died of anorexia. &n...
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Antipsychotics and Children/Adolescents
Conni
Monday, May 14, 2007 at 10:31 PMI think what many, many people either forget or just flat-out don't understand is that MOST psychiatric medications are considered "experimental" when used in children and adolescents. Lithium probably has the most scientific data in regards to pediatric patients, but most other psychiatric meds do not---especially antipsychotics. Heck, there are still oodles of doctors out there that don't recognize pediatric early-onset bipolar disorder at all! My youngest daughter's psychologist/counselor is always second-guessing her psychiatrist saying "We can't really put our finger on Bipolar Disorder and diagnose it 100% in kids. I'm still concerned she is taking too many meds--what about just taking Ritalin for the ADHD part of it." However, when we talk to the psychiatrist, she says "How clear do the symptoms have to be? It's obvious she has Bipolar Disorder. We aren't medicating her for the fun of it. She's ill." If the medical community can't come together and even somewhat unite on this issue...I guess I can't expect the journalism community to "get it" either. I just wish both entities would listen more to the experts who are---the patients themselves and the parents. Spend a couple of days with my youngest daughter and it is clear that it isn't just sketchy parenting, ADHD alone or lack of religion. The kid has Bipolar Disorder. She takes Seroquel (one of the "dreaded" antipsychotics) as well as a couple of other meds. They HELP her. I really wish I could shout that to the world and make people listen! But for right now, I gonna go drink a Dr. Pepper and watch Iron Chef...
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Hi, Connie
John McManamy
Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 12:28 AMYou're so right. I always tell skeptics, Just talk to the parents. You guys are the true experts. I do acknowledge there is room for legitimate expert disagreement on what exactly the diagnosis is supposed to look like and various treatment strategies. But those are minor quibbles.The major quibble is there are too many people who only listen to the sound of their own voices. -
hospital stay
jim
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 09:38 AMmany states opted in for the federally/state financed mental health waiver program that allows the Medicaid program to see the child as a eligible entity w/o consideration of the parent's income. Medicaid pays for long term MH hospital stays that are needed for these conditions. It is worth consulting with your local Medicaid office. Some larger hospitals have intake Medicaid coordinators.
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