Ok, so phospital was useless for friend's kid...and court?

[BusynMember]

So my friend, with the poor little 7 year old who can NOT get any help, finally put him in the hospital. And guess what? After one day, he is leaving. She called the nurse's station and found out that he was put on Seroquel. That's a good thing because he's hearing voices, although the nurse kind of indicated that she didn't believe it. She said "You know, kids hear things at night and think it's a ghost..."
This isn't the case with this little boy.
My friend was told her son would see a neuropsychologist, but guess that won't happen. When she asked the nurse why they are putting her on on Seroquel, what his diagnosis was, she said, "Oh, there IS no diagnosis."
Tomorrow, after he comes home, he has to go to court. The Judge is going to remand her seven year old about threatening to hurt himself and others and will take further action if he does it again. My friend doesn't think that will do any good. She is hoping that the Judge also gets him in to see somebody who can really help him. So far she keeps getting the runaround from Social Services, and there are huge waiting lists for the area's NeuroPsychs.
I think it's kind of silly to send a seven year old to court, especially one like this child. He is very "out of it." Whatever else is wrong with him, I believe Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is one of his problems (he lines up his toys constantly and is very quirky). I don't think he will "get" the judge's remand and I don't think he can change his behavior. Nor does my friend.
He is starting out on 25 mg. and going to 50 mgs. Then he's going home.
I can't believe how fast they throw the kids out of the hospitals and how dismissive they are of the parent's observations of their children.
Just an update.

 

[smallworld]

I must have missed Part 1 of this story. Why does he have to go to court? Why can't he get in to see a child psychiatrist to help with the voices (honestly, 50 mg Seroquel may not do a whole lot)? If he got into a psychiatrist, the psychiatrist could refer to a neuropsychologist (ours did).

 

[Janna]

Um, wait! NO diagnosis, but threw him on Seroquel? Pardon me, shouldn't a 7 year old CHILD have some type of DIAGNOSIS before being put on an antipsychotic? Wow

Dylan's stay was 7 days, but the psychiatrist there just copycatted the previous psychiatric evaluation LOL! They chose Seroquel, too (with Depakote, which we took him off of not long after).

I'm not a big fan of psychiatric hospital stays, just from our own experience. You can't do anything in 7 days, and even *if* that psychiatrist would have given this kid a diagnosis, it would have been a bogus one, because you cannot truly diagnosis a 7 year old kid like this in 24 hours. C'mon.

I'm really sorry, MWM. I hope they find this boy some help.

 

[TerryJ2]

I would report the hospital to the state board.

Meanwhile, I'd also get the court appointment out of the way and get on with-my life. There is no need to involve the court system or SS (unless he's a foster child?) when they are not only useless, but intrusive.

I, too, don't recall why this child was sent to court.

 

[BusynMember]

Yes, they said, "He has no diagnosis." But they put him on Seroquel maybe because my friend complained that he is up all night, every night (he pretty much is).
My friend has no idea how bad it could be to go to court, or else she is so worn out she doesn't care--she just wants help. I think it's silly to bring this little guy to court. Like that will change him. I do think my friends are going to meet Child Protective Services, but on the good side, maybe they WILL get respite and some help as they wait out the long lists for getting a neuropsychologist evaluation. To make matters worse, they adopted his sister too, and she is every bit as disturbed and they can't get help for HER either.
I'll hear more later on.

 

[TerryJ2]

Oh, dear.
I wish them luck and strength.

 

[BusynMember]

Thanks, Terry So do I.

 

[ML]

I am sorry to hear about your friend and her little boy. It terrifies me what is out there in terms of the mental healthcare system.

 

[klmno]

Did they just get the kid in with a tdo for a 24 hour hold? If so, and the parents didn't sign a parental placement, that could require a court appearance. Some of that varies from place to place, but here, if the parents or child sign a voluntary admittance, then it voids the tdo and the need for a court appearance. I take advantage of the tdo to get help transporting my son to er now that he's bigger than me, but then sign parental placement once we arrive at psychiatric hospital.