There's a special airing on PBS tonight called The Medicated Child. At Babble, we just ran an interview with the filmmaker, Marcela Gaviria, about what she learned in the course of making the documentary. The thought of four-year-olds taking Xanax is anxiety-making, but lots of kids don't respond to any other treatment, so it's a very complicated issue:The doctors from the Bipolar Institute in Pittsburgh say that it can take years to properly diagnose bipolar disorder. Yet there has been a 4,000% increase in childhood bipolar diagnoses in recent years.
There are a couple of things happening here. First, the doctors I interviewed say they are simply better at identifying bipolar in children today than they were ten years ago. They believe these kids have always existed, but that doctors failed to recognize the symptoms of bipolar and called these children oppositional or diagnosed them with ADHD. But, at the same time, because there is still confusion about how to diagnose bipolar in kids, many doctors I interviewed told me that it´s very likely that the 4,000% increase in bipolar includes some number of misdiagnoses.
This documentary was a follow-up to one that you produced in 2001 about the same topic. What changes have you observed between then and now?
I am surprised by how the number of children on psychiatric medications continues to rise. It seems as if ADHD paved the way for even more complicated diagnoses like bipolar. In 2001, the issue of medicating kids with psychiatric drugs was boiling over. There were heated hearings nationwide and the scientologists were actively protesting and shouting. The debate exists today, but it's on the internet, in blogs and chat rooms across the country. I feel this debate really needs to be taken to a different level. Six million children are on psychiatric medications. They deserve to have the research that tells doctors which drugs work best, what combinations work least, what is the long term impact of being on these drugs, can you outgrow some of these mental illnesses, what are the long term outcomes of some of these disorders. Right now we don't have these answers. And that is a tragedy.
Read the rest of the interview here (check out the extra ammunition against Dr. Phil on page two). And if you want to see the show, it's on tonight; check times here.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. Doctors are seeing ADHD and Bipolar because they want the pharmaceutical companies to foot the bill for their vacation in St. Bart's.
I'm betting 99.9% of these kids are just bored.
The Goddess Athena at 4:41PM on Jan 8th 2008
2. I remember Dr. Laura repeatedly castigated doctors, parents, and school districts because of the number of kids being medicated.
We have a son that is, according to Dr. Michael Popkin, a spirited child. He's very bright, but there are times that he wants to do his own thing.
We just remind him that since he hates it when we don't pay attention to him, other people don't like it when he acts as if he isn't paying attention, even if he is absorbing every word.
My wife and I are concerned that some teacher in elementary school will want him medicated, although I will not home school him. I'm a stay-at-home dad, and I will need my freedom from 8:30 to 3:00.
Kent at 4:54PM on Jan 8th 2008
3. Call something CLINICAL, SYNDROME, DISORDER, ADDICTION & etc., to make it sound scientific, and, you can bill their insurance.
Call something a lack of SELF CONTROL and SELF DISCIPLINE & etc., and you're accurate, but not rich.
Convince people that faith in your CULT of PSYCHOBABBLE is their saving grace, and you're a CULTIC PRIEST.
Lon Horiuchi V at 5:05PM on Jan 8th 2008
4. I'm bipolar. Have been since about age 13, although I wasn't diagnosed until age 27 because my mother failed to tell me that psychiatric disorders run in her side of the family.
While I am convinced that the hormonal surge of puberty triggered my bipolar, I realize that everyone is different. (But I will be paying close attention to my own daughter when she hits puberty in a few years.)
However, there is no way in HELL, Heaven or on God's green earth that I would EVER give psychiatric drugs to a child, much less a toddler. In my book, that is either just sicko, lazy parenting or parents who meekly obey a doctor's orders without questioning.
These are some serious drugs and their effects don't just stop when you stop taking the meds. One of my meds made me lazy and lethargic and was so subtle that it took me 3 years to figure it out and trace the problem back to when I started that particular drug. I've been off that drug now for about 6 months and while things have improved somewhat, I am still not back to the way I was before adding that drug to my daily regimen.
Parents: THINK, RESEARCH ON YOUR OWN, GET SECOND AND THIRD OPINIONS before giving any drugs like these to your kids!
FL Chick at 7:47PM on Jan 8th 2008
5. Kent I'm in the same boat. My kid starts school next year and my biggest concern is that they will attempt to medicate him. His daycare teachers suggested an evaluation because he never wants to sit with them for group time! Give me a break! He just gets bored easily! Too many kids are being unnecessarily doped up to make parents and teachers lives easier. I'm not saying there aren't any kids who need meds but I think they're definitely prescribed too often. And I have a hard time buying into preschoolers being diagnosed- some ADHD symptoms are also symptoms of being, well... a preschooler.
Heather at 8:02PM on Jan 8th 2008
6. Kent
A teacher cannot diagnose your child with anything. If she/he does, then you can basically make the school system pay for his treatment.
It is your job to help this child get ready for school. Teach him how to sit still, teach him how to listen to stories, do NOT sit him in front of the television all day, teach him how to act appropriately in a classroom setting. The ball is in your court, buddy.
les at 8:16PM on Jan 8th 2008
7. For SaveThePoles: There are several good websites that you can do an online quiz, and they will give you some idea what you are up against. Family history usually signifies potential problems, but a professional can help you best. Just don't allow them to put you on meds without being an informed consumer. That's why they are the doctor, and they need to take time to hear your concerns. Good luck!
Dustye at 9:39PM on Jan 8th 2008
8. In response ot the follwing comment:
A teacher cannot diagnose your child with anything. If she/he does, then you can basically make the school system pay for his treatment.
A teacher CANNOT diagnose...only a doctor can. And no one can make a teacher pay for a child's medical treatment. I do agree that some children are misdiagnosed, however, there are a lot of lazy parents out there. Teach them how to act civilized in society and stop saying, "they are just being kids." Being a kid and acting out of control and uncontrollable is NOT normal. Teachers, being in a politically- heated profession, cannot blame the parent but that is EXACTLY where the majority of the blame for the child's behaviors lies. Help your child become an asset to the learning environment, not one who takes everyone elses valuable time away from it.
TchrK at 9:53PM on Jan 8th 2008
9. For SaveThePoles: Please do research on the topic and get well informed. As the prior post suggested, many websites have quizzes to help you assess your own behavior. I am bi-polar and do know that such a condition can be managed, but will require you to get into therapy to gain the skills you will need to learn to live with it. I also am on very mild medication, which has made a world of difference in my own ability to manage my mood swings.
If you are already having experiences of at times feeling extremely energetic and then other times feel depressed, there is a chance you could be bi-polar. But PLEASE do not be alarmed. Having such a condition does not mean you are crazy. AND there are many wonderful ways to learn how to control yourself without having to resort to medication. But the first step would be to get into therapy, preferably with someone experienced in behavior modification techniques. It may be better to let a therapist evaluate your behavior and then refer you to a doctor if they believe medication may be helpful for you to take.
However be aware that therapists AND doctors can differ in their approach. So if you do not feel comfortable with a therapist or doctor, PLEASE continue to look for someone that you do feel comfortable with. I have gone through a number of therapists and doctors until I found the treatment and medication that worked the best for me. That is why I do recommend someone that specializes in behavior modification techniques.
mbkcash at 10:25PM on Jan 8th 2008
10. For SaveThePoles: One more comment. Your school should have a guidance counselor that you could first go to for advice.
mbkcash at 10:30PM on Jan 8th 2008
11. The doctors are the one's to blame. The parent's are crazy to believe everything they are told. What is it? They want the perfect designer child? They are NOT doing the best for their children. I belive the parents are the ones who should be prescribed those drugs.
boredwell at 1:53AM on Jan 9th 2008
12. I'm a gen-x father of three. I find I have to be patient and understanding. Very patient and very understanding (all my kids are under 5). I suspect some parents may find dealing with precocious children difficult in light of their own selfishness. I think the medication of small children is a logical consequence when slackers become parents.
Steve-o at 7:24AM on Jan 9th 2008
13. Kent--I had that issue come up with my oldest child. We went through six truly annoying months of convincing her school staff that she was NOT ADHD. My bottom line to them was this--*I* didn't have problems obtaining cooperation, obedience, and respect from her at home because I by golly didn't allow her room to be sassy and disobey me. She was well aware that there were immediate consequences for bad behavior and, for the most part, behaved as well as any other child. School was a different matter. She was self-conscious of her physical gawkiness and so went through a stage of putting on a bossy, tough-girl, I don't have to listen to anybody front. The problem was that some of her teachers weren't particularly effective at controlling their students. They *suggested* a student quiet down, rather than bluntly informing them that they must. They *threatened* to punish, rather than immediately curtailing sassy student attitudes. You get what you reap, people. If you consistently demand full cooperation from children--including and especially what most of us would term "attitude", as in the facial expressions and physical body movements that can so clearly and inappropriately express disrespect to authority figures-most children settle in and tow the line fairly well. Perfectly? Heck no, no child can do that, they're CHILDREN. But they'll behave the greater part of the time and it will all coalesce when they grow to adulthood. The problem in this nation is that we want them to attain behavioral perfection on an adult level when they're KIDS...many parents refuse to invest the proper time and daily work (and yes, it's WORK) necessary to raise a child all the way through the childhood years to adulthood and the eventual ability to take over the caretaking of their behaviors and attitudes for themselves.
Hang tough, Daddy Kent. Make sure your child behaves and respects people while physically with you, insist that school staff work hard enough to obtain the same results there as well, and rest assurred that your child will certainly weather the growing-up years healthy and drug-free.
And might I add that during 16 years working as a pharmacy technician, it is truly shocking the particular families and children who come in to pick up ADHD drugs. We had so many issues with those kids strolling right back into the pharmacy proper, picking up controlled prescription meds and playing with them. Many times I heard a parent lazily announce "well, he does that, just wanders where he wants to go" while he or she continues to sit on their chair, reading a magazine and doing absolutely NOTHING to correct the child's social behaviors. I cannot count the number of times I physically dragged someone's "ADHD" child out of the drug stores and out to their indifferent parent. After years of seeing this play out, I found myself coming to the conclusion that there was little more wrong with most of these children than lazy, indifferent parenting. Granted, there were a few kids who appeared to need medication (most often those in the social services system, who were clearly psychologically traumatized), but very very few of the sum total that we were dispensing drugs to.
And did you folks know that Ritalin is so chemically similar to raw cocaine that our government allows them to be used interchangeably in human testing? Even with children as patients? 'nuff said!
Connie Rx Technician at 8:28AM on Jan 9th 2008
14. Let's not forget, when a health care 'pro' diagnoses the child with many things, the school gets higher funding for that child. Why do you think they are so quick to diagnose?
Jo at 9:44AM on Jan 9th 2008
15. I know that a teacher can't diagnose and medicate a child, but many school districts have a physician that will sign off on medication requests by a teacher. So then it becomes the school's doctor versus the kid's pediatrician.
Trust me. I started seeing an allergist at age 7, and he felt that I had no business going outside for P.E., especially since the bullies learned about my allergies and thought it was funny to constantly rub my face in the grass and watch me sneeze my head off.
The school nurse didn't care for my allergist's idea, even though he was board certified and presented papers regularly.
By the way les, we didn't let our son watch TV until he was 3, and he very seldom sits and watches a program. TV is basically background for him. Actually, it's kind of a pain, because I try to start dinner and want him to watch PBS, and he begs for me to play with him.
On the other hand, I could sit and stare at a TV for hours. Yet, I always listened to my teachers.
Go figure.
Kent at 11:12AM on Jan 9th 2008