Child’s Ordeal Shows Risks of Psychosis Drugs for Young
When I saw this article in the NY Times, it struck a chord in me. That's because I have seen over and over again children who are misunderstood: by their parents, by their caretakers, by the professionals that treat them. I think the missing piece is the understanding that children don't want to act in a way that gains them negative approval, censure- that causes those around them to like them just a little bit less.
When faced with a child who acts out so severely, professionals need to ask themselves, "What is this child trying to tell me by this kind of behavior? And why does he feel the need to tell me in such an extreme, self-injurious fashion? Ths sad thing in this case is that anyone who would have done an hour-long observation should have seen instantly what the problem was. Kyle at 3 was barely even speaking single words. Even at 18 months such a severe speech delay is quite noticeable. A half-hour follow-up discussion with the mother would most likely have revealed an inexperienced mother who needed support and direction dealing with a child who would be a challenge even for an experienced parent.
Unfortunately, it all comes down to money; it's a lot cheaper to medicate, than it is to put in the type of family supports a child like this needs in order to be successful. But I have to wonder if in the long run such reliance on medication alone is truly cheaper: add up the cost of Risperadol an all the other medications this child's insurance company was paying, and multiply that by the number of years Kyle spent heavily medicated. I have a feeling the two treatments are a lot closer in price than many would like to admit.
So what it comes down to is parent awareness, and parent advocacy. Just because you don't know the answer, don't assume that every professional who treats your child does know. If you feel something isn't quite right, get a second opinion, from other professionals, and from other parents who are in your situation. In the end, you know your child best.
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