My daughter was misdiagnose with the same thing. She was only 14 at the time. I did some investigating and had a chat with a pediatric nuero/endoncrinologist of all things. (She is also diabetic). He informed me that many kids are misdiagnosed as parts of the brain at a young age aren't firing yet so it's premature to call a child bi-polar. Suffice to say my daughter gave up those meds some other idiot put her on and has done extremely well. The only thing she uses is her insulin, period.
Honestly, sometimes I'd like to slap those people!!! :roll:roll
I did some investigating and had a chat with a pediatric nuero/endoncrinologist of all things. (She is also diabetic). He informed me that many kids are misdiagnosed as parts of the brain at a young age aren't firing yet so it's premature to call a child bi-polar.
I agree.
My youngest daughter has had some behavioral issues, leading us to counseling. Thank goodness we have found therapists willing to work with us on behavioral modification techniques rather than jumping to medications, which I would refuse anyway. She is 9, and we were recently told that even at her age it is too soon to "label" her with a diagnosis, as her brain and personality are continuing to develop.
She was a preemie, born after many weeks of treatment for pre-term labor. I can't help but wonder if some of the medications I took to hold off delivery may have affected her nervous system development.
You sound like you are doing an amazing job of raising your son!
I am definitely of the mindset that many of us in society overmedicate in general and I don't like to see kids on drugs unnecessarily, but in your son's case it sounds like there is a true need and that it's helped him. I am happy for your family that he is doing so well.
Yeah, I have heard of things like that before and met mothers who didn't think twice of putting their kids on those meds.
That is why I think Pediatricians, by law, should not be allowed to prescribe those kinds of meds...because that is where these mothers are getting the prescriptions.
No pediatric psychiatrist, who valued his license and his expensive home, would prescribe that to a 3 year old.
What a tragic world we live in where mothers think that is acceptable.
Specializes in Peds ED, Peds Stem Cell Transplant, Peds.
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
Sorry I am not floored, working at a major children's hospital, with a level 1 trauma unit in Chicago, this stuff isn't surprising.
I was having a a converstaion with one of the Pysch fellows, He told me in the last month he had 3 children under 6 were showing major bipolar schizopherinc behaviors, All stating they wanted to murder their family in violent acts. In all three cases it was found out in counseling that these children all seen some recent violent R rated movies and it appeared they were just acting out what they saw.
I have to say that I do agree with the fact the far to many children are overmedicated at the parents request. But therapy will NOT correct a chemical imbalance. It requires meds to correct and allow some people (children included) to be able to function "normally" (if there really is such a thing as normal). We would not expect a child with cancer to postpone treatment to see if the cancer was going to spread. Why would we expect a child who cannot function mentally to put off medication until his mind is fully developed? I would hope that eventually the child could be weened off (at an older age) and assessed mentally when he is capable of understanding his situation.I am not suggesting that with the first outburst or tantrum take the child in and get meds. But in certain circumstances - it's absolutely necessary (for the safety of the child and other family members) to medicate!Just my 2 cents...
Sorry - I know better than use NEVER, ALWAYS, ONLY in any sentence relating to the medical field. But please let me rephrase - SOMETIMES meds are very necessary in the treatment of mental illness. My mother was dx'd with agoraphobia / panic attack disorder, after years and years of thinking she was never going to be able to lead a normal life. She has tried years of altering diet, exercise, therapy and the only relief she found was meds. All I ask is that we please keep an open mind and understand that for some, medication is the only relief from the misery of mental illness. It is necessary to sustain life (or to keep you from taking your own life or the life of a loved one). But I am the first to admit that it has to be monitored extremely close and reassessed often or it can backfire and lead to even more problems!!!!
Mental illness is still taboo in this society. A previous comment was in regards to treating a child if had cancer. It makes you wonder if society is truly overmedicating or if just wasn't diagnosed years ago. If you read my long response earlier, you will find that my son is going to be a perfect candidate for mental issues,and drug and alcohol abuse. Mental illness, drug addictiona and alcoholism runs long and hard in my family. So my children and myself are prone to all of the above. Just like if a parent has diabetes, or any other disease their children are also prone to them. Genetics is a strong thing and I didn't realize how much until after I had a child with issues. I did everything my the book, I waited until I got married to have kids, didn't smoke, took multivitamins prior to becoming pregnant, ate an excellent diet, exercised and even breast fed for 6 months and still it happened to my son. He's doing wonderful now and I thank God that he had no adverse reactions to the medications as of now, and I would medicate again if I saw him suffering with life.
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.
i actually agree with this. every child goes through phases in their development and not everything has a black and white explanation. that's just the way they are. i can understand if there were other psych issues that were out of the norm and maladaptive in behavior, but i'm not sure dx a kid so young with such a difficult disease is quite the best way to go. *shrugs*
kstec - I truely understand and agree with your feelings. And thank God the mental illness that runs in my family affects females later in life and we have never had to deal with childhood mental illness. But I would not hesitate to medicate if it meant my child could have a better quality of life. Unfortunatley (even though we all work or are training to work in the medical field) it is impossible to understand the devistation of mental illness until it affects you or a loved one personally. So it is very easy for those who have never experienced it personally to say what they would or would never do. But I truely understand that a mother will do anything to give her child a better quality of life, and if meds will provide that, then more power to ya!!!! I am so happy that your child is doing well and coping with his devistating disorder!
talondora1
29 Posts
My daughter was misdiagnose with the same thing. She was only 14 at the time. I did some investigating and had a chat with a pediatric nuero/endoncrinologist of all things. (She is also diabetic). He informed me that many kids are misdiagnosed as parts of the brain at a young age aren't firing yet so it's premature to call a child bi-polar. Suffice to say my daughter gave up those meds some other idiot put her on and has done extremely well. The only thing she uses is her insulin, period.
Honestly, sometimes I'd like to slap those people!!!
:roll:roll