As a therapist, I often don’t know what to say when I hear about kids being on psychotropics. This article talks about how far it has gone recently. It fits somewhat with the last post about secrecy and the DSM IV. All I can say is that if a ‘professional’ says they think your kid needs meds, start by telling them no. If the conversation stops there, than it probably is for the best. If they keep talking about it, let them talk until you are totally comfortable with the idea before you back off your ‘no’ stance. Let them talk and talk and talk. Ask questions, let them talk some more. Just listen, until you KNOW it is the BEST thing to do among all the options.
Powerful antipsychotic medicines are being used far too cavalierly in children, and federal drug regulators must do more to warn doctors of their substantial risks, a panel of federal drug experts said Tuesday.
The growing use of the medicines has been driven partly by the sudden popularity of the diagnosis of pediatric bipolar disorder.
The leading advocate for the bipolar diagnosis is Dr. Joseph Biederman, a child psychiatrist at Harvard University whose work is under a cloud after a Congressional investigation revealed that he had failed to report to his university at least $1.4 million in outside income from the makers of antipsychotic medicines.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/health/policy/19fda.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Tags: psychiatry
