Comments on: Groopman on Diagnosing Bipolar in Children

By: Mary Logan

Mary Logan — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 08:14:22 +0000

What a great reminder of the dangers our psychiatric personnel can pose and one more reason for parents to be vigilant. Too often parents are looking for a “quick fix” and doctors are giving it to them. Shame on us both! Thanks for the great comment.

By: Kiersten

Kiersten — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:41:15 +0000

Hi Cheryl, Thanks for your comment. It seems that the potential harm of medication side effects and long term effects often does not get thoroughly considered. Things have changed rapidly with the huge increase in medicating kids, so you are not alone if feeling like a “dinosaur.” Thanks for caring about this and realizing the risks.

By: Cheryl Fuller, PhD

Cheryl Fuller, PhD — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:06:51 +0000

As I follow the discussions about bipolar disorder in children in the news media and on blogs, what comes to mind most often is whatever happened to “First, do no harm”? Because I began practice when very very few children were prescribed psychotropic medications, I am starting to feel like a dinosaur.

By: David L. Jaffe

David L. Jaffe — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 14:03:54 +0000

Awesome post, Kiersten. I had not been aware of the New Yorker article. It's promising to see a major mainstream media source do more than accept the pablum fed to them by the psychiatric establishment and their partners in crime, the pharmaceutical industry. I look forward to the day when those of us who are voices in the wilderness, calling out for greater clarity and caution in diagnosing and treating troubled youth and families, will be joined by a chorus of concerned consumers and practitioners and public officials that, together, will help to reshape the skewed landscape of the mental health care system.