I remain astounded that psychiatrists and pediatricians think it’s occasionally appropriate to prescribe adult atypical antipsychotic medications — like Risperdal — to children younger than age 5.
Last week, The New York Times covered the story of Kyle Warren, a boy who began risperidone (Risperdal) treatment at age 2. Yes, you read the right — age 2.
He was rescued from this unbelievable prescription by Dr. Mary Margaret Gleason through a treatment effort called the Early Childhood Supporters and Services program in Louisiana. Dr. Gleason helped wean young Kyle off of the medications from ages 3 to 5, and helped understand that Kyle’s tantrums came from his stressful and upsetting family situation — not a brain disorder, bipolar disorder, or autism.
Imagine that — a child responding to a family situation that is stressful and involves his two primary role models — his parents.
After carefully reviewing the limited amount of research in this area, Psych Central recommends that parents should never accept an atypical antipsychotic medication prescription for a child age 5 or younger. If your doctor makes such a prescription, you should (a) look for another doctor and (b) consider filing a complaint with your state’s medical board against the doctor.
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Take this post and bring it to the doorsteps of the alleged KOLs in C & A psychiatry, I know of one in particular in Massachusetts, and when they open the door, read it, and then try to rationalize, minimize, and validate the reasons to continue such inappropriate behaviors, well, just don’t carry lethal weapons on you during the discussion.
Oh, I forgot, the doctor will have one. His Rx pad!!!
Written by a psychiatrist!
I really hope this family filed a malpractice suit against this doctor. Not appropriate at all. If he really really felt that drugs were necessary he should’ve referred the family to a child psychiatrist.
Also, if the parent does not have time for therapy when their preschooler is out of control, then they frankly shouldn’t have had (another) child. Now if they don’t have the money or access or logistics to make family therapy happen, then that’s another matter that I hope we are working on fixing.
Dr. Grohol writes, “The answer lies in gaining better parenting skills, and getting the child into a child psychologist or other early intervention child care program that understands the value of examining a family’s dynamics to get the whole story.”
That’s it in a nutshell. Anyone who prescribes antipsychotics to toddlers and preschoolers should be required to work 8 hours a day in a room full of them for at least a year, before being allowed to hand out the first script. I worked for a year in a room full of 2 year olds, and I know for a fact that sanity in young children is nonexistent. They haven’t learned to be sane yet. Rapid cycling? Check. Delusional? Check. Fits of anger? Check. Physical violence against self and others? Check. Banging their heads, throwing themselves in the floor, pinching each other, clocking each other in the head, screaming, crying, you name it I saw it. Daily. 10 minutes later they’re just as happy and sweet as can be.
My nieces when they were that age would hit themselves and bang their heads when they got frustrated. I even remember one of them around age 2 pulling my sister’s hair when she was angry. With consistent, firm, loving parents they gradually gained more self control – without drugs. They’re happy well adjusted children today.
I have no doubt that had they been taken to a child psychiatrist who commonly prescribes to that age group that they would have been medicated. Frightening.
One issue consistently overlooked by these “oh no we’re overmedicating our children” articles is the fact that child psychiatry is the single most underserved medical specialty there is. Over 85% of child psych prescriptions are written by non-child-psychiatrists, as there are huge waiting lists to see these specialists, if you can even find one that takes your insurance (if you have insurance). Access to therapy, and patient willingness to engage in therapy, are also major barriers that drive overuse of meds. These articles create the impression that child psychiatry as a field condones inappropriate medication of children, which is simply not the case.
Evilrobot, I don’t doubt you’re right about most of the scripts being written by those who aren’t child psychiatrists. However, I would be interested to know what percentage of children who do see a child psychiatrist leave without a script. I would imagine that percentage is very small. It would be interesting to know, however. Regardless of who is doing the prescribing of antipsychotics to children, it’s sad for the children and their developing brains.
Technically, no one has been able to provide any empirical evidence that mental illness even exists as a chemical imbalance. With the exception of physical damage, like mercury poisoning, of course.
What happens when you take steroids? Your body stops producing it’s own. If you take melatonin at night, it’s benefit declines with use because your body stops producing as much.
Look at anyone – child or adult – on any medication of any kind taken long term and their bodies adapt to it as the body attempts to return to it’s own natural balance.
Like the taking of steroids, there is danger in long term use of any medication regardless of age. Antidepressants are labeled with the side effect “may cause thoughts of suicide” but not because the medication itself causes it. Because taking antidepressants long term causes the hypothalamus to decrease in size which has been shown to cause a decrease in self esteem which, naturally makes issues of depression worse and requires a greater dependence on drugs.
In my opinion, these drugs all have value. In moderation. But people need to stop looking at children and adults as machines to be manipulated. Use the drugs in emergency situations but never use long term.
On all this I speak from experience. I was on drugs between the ages of 8 and 18. When I finally took myself off the drugs about 10 years ago I was able to prove that I didn’t have any problems at all. I just grew up in an abusive household. It took me 10 years after taking myself off the drugs to recover from the chemical damage. Even 8 years old is too young.
Joseph Biederman is THE most cited psychiatrist responsible for prescriptions for “juveniles” (preschool aged.)
He uses his post at Harvard to do it.
Elliander-
You need to look at the research again. First of all, the small increased risk of new suicidal thoughts or actions is only during the first few months of the medication. Once a person is stable on the antidepressant, that’s not really a risk. They actually have a lower chance of suicide then someone with untreated Major depression. Furthermore, suicidal thoughts is a common symptom of Major Depression; so it’s difficult to tell if it’s really the antidepressant or the natural progression of the disorder.
Also, the research shows that antidepressants (and therapy) cause the hippocampus to increase in size over time and research has shown that antidepressants even stimulant new neurons to be formed.
As far as long terms use of psych drugs by children or otherwise, I agree that’s not an ideal situation and the length of treatment should be determined on a case by case basis, preferably by a psychiatrist and a therapist.
LS
Some people who were NOT suicidal before taking ssri’s experience compulsive suicidal ideation (and some carry it out).
Increases in suicidal ideation and suicide itself have been PROVEN IN CLINICAL TRIALS.
Help my two year old grandson who saw this doctor in one office visit was given risperidone for throwing tantrums. I am totally against this and very worried for my grandson. what can I do?