Help!

Usha

hopethroughunderstanding
Hi,

I am new to this forum. I have an 18 year old daughter who we adopted when she was seven. past twelve years have been extraordinarily rough, with my daughter refusing to be parented. We somehow stumbled from year to year...hoping.. telling ourselves these are growing pains, it cant be easy being adopted....all the acting out will stop as she matures etc etc. After extensive reading and innumerable therapists with series of diagnoses, the picture is clearer. She suffers from PTSD as a consequence of severe childhood trauma, she is also dissociative and we have been exploring therapy for her in the US. In Singapore (where we live) and in India where we are from there is very little trauma informed care while in the US they seem better informed. Is there anyone out there with similar experiences and any advice on treatment, parenting and anything else that might help?
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
Hello Usha and welcome. My child doesn't have the same set of issues as your child but there are other parents here that have children with similar diagnosis. I'm sure they will be along. Have you ever explored the possibility of attachment problems with your daughter?
 

flutterby

Fly away!
Here is a link to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. It is geared for the states, obviously, but it is loaded with information.

http://www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=hom_main

Has Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) (Reactive Attachment Disorder) been considered?

Welcome to the board. I'm sorry you have to be here, but am glad you found us. We're a very supportive group with a wealth of knowledge among us.
 

Usha

hopethroughunderstanding
Yes, and all the information out there has helped me a great deal, ( I commit myself to being a better parent everyday and needless to say also end up feeling I have not done enough). The hardest thing for me is to see a child with so much potential being tethered to her past, ( nightmares, flashbacks, severe identity issues, rage, hypervigilance, reactive) and not be able to take advantage of the opportunities available. How do you parents in the US handle attachment issues?
 

flutterby

Fly away!
Usha said:
I commit myself to being a better parent everyday and needless to say also end up feeling I have not done enough

I think every parent here can empathize with that statement completely.

I'm not the parent of an attachment disordered child, but hopefully those that are will find this thread.
 
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