I have been following the development of the story on bi-polar illness in children. This past week, there was a story on the local television news making it sound as if there were hordes of children who fit this category and that atypical antipsychotics were the magic bullet to turn possessed children into complaint angels. That's disheartening enough then today I read in CP&P the range of disorders these drugs are being used for in kids :
As part of the survey, psychiatrists were asked for which disorders they prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications. Among those who prescribed atypicals (Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, etc.), here's the percentage who reported prescribing them for various conditions
81.8% bipolar
30% depression
25.9% eating disorders
51.2% ADHD
74.7% poor frustration tolerance
35.9% insomnia
89.4% pervasive developmental disorder
51.2% oppositional defiant disorder
59.4% conduct disorder
Poor frustration tolerance?? Insomnia??This is cause for heavily medicating a child? With drugs which have serious side effects??
The mental health centers in my state are having serious financial problems. I heard tis week that one of them is seriously considering getting rid of all their clinical social workers( LCSWs) and replacing them with bachelors level social workers as case managers. So the staff would consist of psychiatrists and case managers. The former because they bring in the most money, the latter because they're cheap. Therapy flies out the window as an option. Swell.