Question - drugs 101+angry difficult child?

[daralex]

I have never medicated difficult child before, but I'm thinking it's time. She is a very angry girl (mostly self destructive and angry words - no hurting others or animals) but she finally acknowledged this to me on her own. She is "afraid" that she is so angry all the time. She REFUSES to go to counseling or talk with anyone other than me.

So 2 part question:

1. Who determines what medication she would take? Doctor? Psychiatrist? local crack dealer?

2. Are there any medications you have used for yor difficult child's that was just bad juju? I am really afraid of putting her on something that will make her angrier or depressed.

She needs to be on something soon or I'll need to go find the crack dealer for myself!
-Dara

 

[Christy]

A thorough (ie, long) evaluation completed by a psychatrist or possibly a neuropsychologist evaluation completed by a neurologist (can find info at local children's hospital) can determine what conditions you daughter may be suffering from and if she would benefit from medication.

Medications affect individuals differently so it is impossible to say which will work for your daughter and which may cause adverse behaviors or side effects. Your doctor's advice and gathering as much information about the medication as possible on your own will help you monitor for possible side effects from a medication.

Here is a site that offers a pretty good overview of the types of medication given to children for psychiatric disorders and the possible side effects.

www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/medications/complete-publication.shtml

Good luck in finding help for your daughter,
Christy

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Dara,

a multidisciplinary evaluation at a children's hospital or an evaluation by a neuropsychologist is what I would recommend. Contact your local children's hospital or teaching university.

It is not possible to recommend a medication for your daughter because noone knows yet what her diagnosis is. That is the first step. Get her evaluated, do some research, and the rest will follow.

Good luck.

Sharon

 

[klmno]

In this case, I would shoot for an MDE- which is being evaluated by the people Christy mentioned, but as a team- so they all have a review and input and testing is done. It could be that counseling alone (with a different therapist) could help or maybe medications are needed- but you need to find out what is causing it first.

 

[totoro]

I agree!!! I have seen Pediatricians hand out medications... even before a diagnosis which is SO scary. I would try and get all of the answers first.
My Pediatrician only helps us while consulting with our psychiatrist. Or if she knows a Prescription is empty and like our old psychiatrist, he would not return out calls...
So almost all of our medications have through a psychiatrist.
Good luck it IS a tough decision.

 

[ML]

Be prepared that whatever decision you make will be criticized. Decided in your heart and soul (based upon the facts) and go with it. Don't announce it to family or friends, big mistake. Whatever you decide, know you have our support. It's so true, what works for some (or even most) won't necessarily be right for your difficult child. Good luck!

 

[susiestar]

I personally do not feel that pediatricians are educated or equipped to handle psychiatric medications. they do have samples, and limited info given by drug co reps to get them to push the medications on kids. I have gotten many samples from our pediatrician simply because no one in the practice felt OK prescribing them and my child was already prescribed them. The fact that they had so many samples (months at a time worth) was scary. But they pitched them if they didn't have a patient with a psychiatrist prescribing them. (doctor said they had no psychiatrists at the free clinic and did not feel OK giving them to that!)

With such an angry child the reality is that if you don't find a psychiatrist or other doctor tofigure out what is going on, your child may seek out the crack dealer (or other drug dealer) simply to get a break from the constant anger.

A full multidisciplinary evaluation is the best thing. Writing a Parent Report is essential. The format can be found on the index page in the Board FAQ section (I am pretty sure). It lets the docs all have the same info, and know what you know about your child. Be careful with what you let school have.

I am so sorry your daughter is so angry. It hurts a mommy heart to watch a child handle so much anger.

 

[daralex]

Thank you so much for the input - at least I have a better idea as to where I need to start. It is all so frustrating. I just want her to have the help she needs NOW. And I know the route we need to take is going to take longer than I would like it to. It's so hard to watch them walking around all "broken". I am a fixer and this has been so hard. I have fixed all I can to the best of my ability. But I know she needs more fixing than I can give her. I just wish there was a magic wand to make it all better - I know we all do - just having a littke pity party for a moment. I'll have to make a buch of phone calls Monday.
-Dara

 

[Sara PA]

I want to point out that just going to even a certified child and adolescent psychiatrist is no guarentee that your child will be carefully, thoughtfully and correctly medicated. Psychiatrists are pretty much medication managers. They have short appointments and many try to move patients through quickly. And it seems that they get most of their information from the drug companies, either directly or through things like ghost-written -- and inaccurate -- journal articles.

With a history of sexual abuse and abandonment (albeit throught no choice of his own) by her father, it is no wonder your daughter is angry. I would guess her age is going to make both those issue worse and cause the increase in anger that you are noticing. It doesn't sound like her issues are neurobiological but psychological. If that's the case, medication isn't going to make that anger go away. You have to find a way to get her to talk to a good therapist who deals with sexual abuse and parental abandonment.

 

[smallworld]

It is rare, but there are board-certified child psychiatrists who still do integrated care -- weekly psychotherapy with medication management. We happen to have found three psychiatrists who do this with our three children. We didn't feel comfortable having doctors medicate our children without making their own clinical observations week to week and getting to know them without a parental filter. This arrangement has worked well for us, and our children have made very good progress.

 

[timer lady]

I agree with Sara that there may be many abandonment issues; that along with a hx of sexual abuse you MAY be looking at PTSD. Combine that with adolescence & it gets very ugly.

And having said that, I am in no position to make diagnosis's or recommend medications. I can only share what has happened with my tweedles with abuse, attachment issues & the like.

We went through all the testing & addressed what could be addressed with medications; now we are deep into therapy (whether the tweedles want it or not - they don't get to choose). They have huge issues that need/must be addressed if they are going to survive in the big bad world out there.

You may be looking at a combination of neurobiological issues along with psychological issues. That's what we deal with here.

Just my 2 cents.