difficult child Admitted to psychiatric hospital last night

[tessaturtle]

So, difficult child got admitted to the psychiatric hospital last night. While the most recent stealing even has not even concluded (police still deciding what to do and our consequences had just started) he went back to school with the same behaviors he had before vacation. We got a phone call from school yesterday morning that he had put his elbow through a window in anger. While husband went to meet them at the ER for the stitches (turned out he didn't need any, just bandages) I called difficult child's psychiatrist and he said difficult child needed to be put in the psychiatric hospital. So began the 12 hour (!) process of having him evaluated and eventually brought over to the psychiatric hospital (the longest it has EVER taken). The evaluator, even given everything we told him and difficult child himself saying he felt that he needed to go, was not going to admit him until, thankfully, he spoke with difficult child's psychiatrist who convinced him. (psychiatrist said to me earlier in the day that difficult child's next step was to throw himself off of a building). psychiatrist also corroborated what we told the evaluator that all of difficult child's other psychiatric hospital admissions (this is #4) have occurred during this time of the year. Interestingly, when I reviewed our records in prep for our IEP mtg today, all of his psychiatric hospital have been in even years and were separated by 2 years except this time was 4 (although he needed it 2 yrs ago but they were full). 2004, 2006, 2008, and now 2012. Weird.

So, we will see what comes of it this time

 

[buddy]

Sorry. Keep us updated. Hope they can help and medications can be stabilized. HUG

 

[TerryJ2]

Big sigh. Wow.
Yes, I've found that actually having the psychiatrist or therapist initiate the admission works wonders.
Fingers crossed.

 

[Wiped Out]

I'm glad he is where he can get some help and you can get some rest.

I'm sorry it was such an ordeal to get him admitted. We're fortunate that if our psychiatrist says he goes to psychiatric hospital there is no other evaluation needed. (((hugs)))

 

[StressedM0mma]

So sorry. I hope he gets the help he needs. And so sorry you had to wait for such a ridiculously long time to get him admitted.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Tessa,
I'm glad he's safe and in a place where hopefully he can get some help. Hugs.
Sharon

 

[crazymama30]

I second Sharon. It is interesting to see a pattern isn't it? Hugs.

 

[susiestar]

(((((hugs))))) Interesting pattern. I wonder if you kept a diary of his life if you would find other events that follow a 2 yr pattern?

I am sorry he needed it, but at least they didn't send you home. I just HATE when you know your kid needs to be admitted, your kid even knows and SAYS that it is needed, but the evaluator thinks you should take him home.

 

[DDD]

Sending supportive hugs your way. DDD

 

[rejectedmom]

Sorry he is doing poorly again. I had a thought about the timeof year. I wonder if his vitimin D levels are low and also if he has a case of SAD on top of everything else. -RM

 

[tessaturtle]

Thanks Everyone
@ RM - SAD was mentioned by his outside medication prescriber during the 2008 psychiatric hospital and after episode. After consultation though, they did not want to try the specialized indoor light boxes for it due to a concern that it would swing too far the other way and make him manic (ahh the joys of trying to figure out bipolar!). We did have him take vitamin D pills for a while - but now that you mention it, he hasn't taken any for months. Definitely want to restart that again.