What do you do if you have a third grader who runs into traffic, saying he doesn’t want to live, just because he doesn’t get his way? Although it’s still a controversial diagnosis, some experts say that outbursts such as that, when accompanied with other symptoms, might be a sign of bipolar disorder, according to a heartwrenching article in the Sept. 14 issue of The New York Times Magazine.
In the article, this child’s raging fits of anger and extreme aggression made school nearly impossible, and after trying a series of medications, the family finally put the child, who is now a fifth grader, on lithium.
As a parent, it’s difficult even to contemplate putting a child on antipsychotic drugs, which can have serious side effects (and often haven’t been tested or FDA-approved for children.) It’s even worse if experts don’t agree on exactly what symptoms warrant treatment or how common the disorder is in children.
Either way, parents who have children with abnormally aggressive or violent behavior—toward themselves or others—need help in the doctor’s office and beyond.
Here are seven places to start:
1. Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation The foundation’s learning center is rich with resources—links to online and local support groups, physician search, clinical trials, suicide hotlines, and information on Social Security benefits for eligible children. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, submit your needs or questions to the CABF’s Family Response Team. Joining the organization with a one-time donation of , or .95 a month, gives you greater access to content, including diagnosis, treatment, legal issues, and online forums and chats. If you find the organization helpful and want to pay back a little of what you’ve gained, you can become a volunteer, offering support to others in the message boards, chat rooms, or as part of the family response team.
2. About.com: Bipolar Disorder Although this site is not aimed specifically at children with bipolar disorder and their families, it does have hundreds of ongoing discussions on bipolar disorder in general. You can also browse topics, including Children and Teens, Family Issues, and Personal Stories.
3. HealthyPlace.com: Bipolar Disorder in Children This online community provides support for people with psychiatric illnesses and offers many different forums, including eating disorders, bipolar disorder in adults and children, and ADHD.
4. National Alliance on Mental Illness Founded in 1979, NAMI offers a good overview of the symptoms and statistics related to bipolar disorder in children, including treatments and potential side effects. Fill out the free registration form to access the active discussion groups.
5. Bipolar Significant Others Started as an informal place for members to share information, this site acts as a clearinghouse for bipolar information. The best feature is a comprehensive list of links to resources for just about every bipolar subtopic—books, articles, support sites, treatment information, personal blogs, online journals, and a variety of personal stories about mental illness.
6. SAMSHA’s National Mental Health Information Center Hosted by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, this site has detailed information on Systems of Care, which are community-based support services for children with bipolar disorder and their families. If you can’t find what you need on the site, you can call 800-789-2647 for information in both English and Spanish.
7. National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health This family-run group helps children with mental health problems obtain the support and services they need. Check out their family-to-family peer program to connect with other folks going through the same experience.
(ISTOCKPHOTO)
By Theresa Tamkins | September 23, 2008
No comments:
Post a Comment