Comments on: Psychiatric Medications, Stigma, and Rebecca Riley

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:50:38 +0000

HEy guys I was up late again and I am glad my experiences gave some hope that there are real people out there who have doubts and even high hopes that they have all the right answers.
I’ll be honest school is finally out so I dont have to deal with the screaming fits at 6 am. however I so fear the summer to be honest . I fear for the safety and sanity of the other household members. GOd answered a prayer though HE has been invited to stay for a week with the Bible school teacher. This gives the rest of the family piece of mind that we can regroup and prepair for the next blowup or incident.I wish there was a majical remedy for the symtoms and the rage that comes from thease little children. I will be honest though even though so many parents have seen improvements with diffrent meds and trials one thing I have noticed. The changes and positive things slowly sease about the 3rd week of any new meds or adjustments . why is this ?????
Hey Im just a parent not a Dr. id love to have a support ring for parents with same issues anyone know of any good ones online ? or anyone just drop there emails let me know thanks !!- Tiffany

By: james Freeman, MD

james Freeman, MD — Thu, 31 May 2007 22:26:43 +0000

There is far too little stigma at times with youths being on psychiatric medications. It should be a difficult decision. I’m a child psychiatrist, and am amazed at the level of anger I recieve from some families when I suggest that their chil’d problems may not be a lack of medications or due to a “chemical” problem. It seems much easier for families to see these as the cause of problems rather than social or family issues.

By: Sam

Sam — Sat, 19 May 2007 00:54:53 +0000

Tiffany,
Thank you for the most comforting words I’ve heard since my child was born. Thank you!!

By: Autism Vox » Antipsychotic Drugs, the Drug Indrusty, and Children

Autism Vox » Antipsychotic Drugs, the Drug Indrusty, and Children — Thu, 10 May 2007 18:03:32 +0000

[...] a parent whose child takes psychatric medications—-Risperdal and Zoloft—-my sense of righteous indignation came quickly to the fore on [...]

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Fri, 04 May 2007 23:20:30 +0000

Im glad there are real people out there too any time Im on all night as I dont sleep much heheh – let me know how to reach ya if anyone wants to chat and exchange war stories or even just have someone to vent to

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Fri, 04 May 2007 21:08:53 +0000

Tiffany, thanks for your powerful words—–

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 04 May 2007 20:10:51 +0000

Tiffany–God bless. We are all battling demons. Our children are people, as are we, and it is hard to get that through at times. You said it so well, with things that happen every day. Let’s talk!
Beth

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Fri, 04 May 2007 18:27:23 +0000

First hearing of this story made my heart sink! then I hear that the parents ordered hundreds of extra pills and gave them to other siblings.That is inexcuseable and certainly deserves the highest prosecution. I am a mother of a child who is on clonidine, depakote , abilify and Focalin my child is 8. If I had a quarter for every outsider who wispered there isnt anything wrong with him or he is so well behaved then Id be rich. All I can say Is he has wonderfull Dr’s who I trust. I cant tell you how many nights I dont sleep until 3 am becasue I make sure my son is still breathing – it is very scary the side effects of thease meds. However I am presented with the other side of the coin my child is not chemically balanced For me to refuse the meds. Do you take the risk of an 8 yr old cutting his throat because he had an impulseive thought?
or yet stabbing his siblings? yrs ago the bad kids were just bad and put away in Juvenile for aggression and violence and setting fires. Now there is research showing that the children who are filling our correctional facilities had issues that were never addressed. Or worse the Virginia Tech tragedy — Do you give a child a fair shot of living in society by making a responsible and UNselfish decision to treat and medicate and ask for help when you see odd behaviors? Even if it means the meds may kill him just by side effects alone? Or do you ignore the problem and bury the other sibling he lashed out against or worse beg the judge not to throw away the key because no one understood him and only you loved him all of his life while everyone else walked away? My heart sank because I feel for the parents who HAVE trusted Dr’s to give us hope for our children – The angry parents who say you just arn’t a good parent obviously you have no idea what it is like to go to sleep wondering if it is your last night with your child or go to sleep and wonder did I put up all my candles because he might wake up and decide he wants to make the family breakfast at 4 am ? Or do I not know how to be a mom because I didnt put a gate infront of his door or lock him in there so he cant get out ?
Instead of concentrating on negative results from side effects I have chosen to teach him daily about love acceptance and consequenses. Hopefully along side the proper medicines he has been prescribed this will be a good outcome in the yrs to come. If the lord decides it is his turn to go to heaven I will know in my heart I at least gave him a chance to be a kid and laugh and play.
For the parents who daily patch holes in there walls – or re attatch doors or clean up the urine or dont put the shoe laces exactly right when tying there shoes my heart goes out I am one of you. To the parents who need a break so bad becasue you havent had time to bathe or put on a stitch of make up I am one of you . to the parent who has lost there second job because of so many Dr appointments I am you. to the parents who are begging the government to help with financial burden I am you .To the parents who pray for normalcy I cry with you even though you dont think anyone else exsists.
To the parents of the little girl that died I cannot understand how you could be that selfish to over medicate for a moment of peace however I cant say as If I have not had the thought. The diffrence between you and I is you thought you had a majic pill – THERE is NONE now you have a lifetime to think of the broken doors and screeming fits. I hope they eco in your brain .
God Bless the children and give the parents strength that are walking in our shoes. It is so hard eather way you have decided to deal with the disability of a child who is afflicted with chemical imbalanced children . The diagnoses and symptoms are mostly the same —– just spelled diffrently for those that need a diffrent explanation if you think about it.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 03:50:09 +0000

Beth said: “it leaves the rest of us responsible parents using the “horrible” drugs for our kids to handle the fallout.”

People expect too much of drugs, as if they are a “magic pill.” My father is a pharmacist and I grew up with him constantly saying, it’s just one thing and there’s so much else involved with all of these medicines.

He also used always (still does) say to me, that he knew a lot and just enough to get scared.

By: Kassiane

Kassiane — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 02:28:31 +0000

It’s not easy to BE a special needs child, either.

There needs to be a lot less destigmatizing, a lot MORE education, and more people willing to speak up when cases like Rebecca Riley’s come about–BEFORE tragedy happens. It’s not like she died of a random, swift drug allergy…

The whole thing is really sad, because it makes life much more difficult for the next 20000 parents who have a kid who really IS bipolar & ADHD in that part of the world…and of course people will keep shutting up for the ONE next Rebecca because it makes her easier for them to handle *shakes head*