[DiannaK]

I may have to cross post this in the Psych Forum, if there is one ....

Last night, while doing time in Triage ...
I had a sweet 3 year old boy ...

I'm asking meds/allergies, etc. Turns out, the child was on Abilify and Risperdal. I give Mom the raised eyebrow ... "Why is he on these meds?"
She says, "Oh, he's bipolar...."

WHAT????
The child was 3 years old!!!!!!

Am I the only one who is FLOORED by these kinds of things?? How in the world could/would you diagnose a child that young with bi-polar disorder???


Dianna

[RunnerRN]

I'll be very interested in the replies - maybe this would be more appropriate in the Psych forum. I too have seen this many times, and each time I'm just as floored as the first. I tend to think that ALL 3 year olds are at least a little bipolar Isn't that just the way they're supposed to act?!

[mer_RN]

i work in ob so i was also totally in disbelief when i was floated to peds and had a 5 years old that was bipolar (and had been for a while) and the parents were also both bipolar. i wondered if this little boy truly was bipolar or was misdiagnosed due to his parents.

[Freshman RN]

People continue to amaze me when they medicate instead of parent. I agree how is 3 year old bipolar THEY ARE 3! What is more disturbing is that someone is prescribing, I think that the state should be called on that.

[prowlingMA]

I ask you , what 3 year old does not have bi-polar behavior? Every kid can turn on the tantrum and crying at some point.
I myself was incorrectly diagnosed bi-polar at 14y.o. ( what teen ager isn't bi-polar also?)
I think it all boils down to parents wanting to have a label to go with every action a child has and if they can deal with it or not.
I wonder what natural chemical reactions are these adult drugs preventing and changing and what the long term emotion health of these children can be if their parents are going to force pills with every " normal" emotional stage.

[Altra]

I'll be interested to see the replies in the psych forum.

This is a disturbing trend - the subsitution of psych meds for active parenting. The long-term collective consequences of this practice will not be pretty.

[DiannaK]

I did end up posting in the Psych forum as well .... haven't heard anything back from them yet. I'll keep you posted.

I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who thought this was very wrong .....

[Dixielee]

I, too, have noticed a huge increase in people in general diagnosed as bipolar. Our triage form requires us to ask about medical problems, surgical history, and psych history. I bet close to 50% say bipolar, depression or anxiety. I have also noticed a large number of these folks are collecting disability. I understand it is easier to get disability with a psych diagnosis than a physical one. Check please?????

[oljoern]

It's profoundly disturbing that a three year old is diagnosed as bipolar. I see that as an agenda on the part of the parents to avoid their responsibility or on the part of the psychiatrist for whatever bizarre reason or a combination of the two. Diagnosed and on medications at three years of age does not bode well for this child. You're looking at a life long consumer of health care services now.

I don't know what the solution to the problem is, but it isn't more of the same. At some point, people have to start saying "Enough!".

Joe

[moongirl]

When I was in school, there was no Ritalin. No one was dx as ADD. Sure there were a few kids with issues, but they made it thru. I lived in a small town and for the most part the kids I started 1st grade with were the ones I graduated with. My graduating class was 268. No one killed anyone else, no one committed suicide, no one came to school with a gun. When I did my psych rotation, I was in youth residential and was astounded at the amt of kids that are locked up, court order with dx of " depression" all the time I was there I was thinking " where are the PARENTS?" and how this all could have happened. I just dont get it.