bipolar, schizophrenia..... It is used in bipolar for acute mania. Acute mania is rather terrifying and quite often very dramatic (although there are the quieter cases as well where suddenly there is a mass shooting after years of withdrawal). The peak season for mania is just beginning; as the daylight hours lengthen, it can become extremely severe quite quickly. So this story could easily have some dramatic and published events in the next two months, I am so sorry to say.
Risperdal is also used for mixed episodes. I saw some of those last year, for the first time, in really severe form, and let me tell you, that can be terrifying. A mixed episode is basically an up and down manic-depressed swing at high speed. In my son's case last year, between every 5 minutes and every 30 minutes. Extreme anger. Extreme depression. Extreme hysterical laughter.
Risperdal is also "indicated for the treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder, including symptoms of aggression towards others, deliberate self-injuriousness, temper tantrums, and quickly changing moods."
http://www.rxlist.com/risperdal-drug/indications-dosage.htm
My son has bipolar (more than two decades now), and many associated disorders as well. But attempting to use anti-psychotics didn't happen until waaaayyyy down the line in his course of treatment, and only during a time when things were very, very difficult and a bit frightening, and he doesn't remain on them now. He has had 3 different regular psychiatrists over the last 23 years, and NONE of them quickly dispensed an anti-psychotic. That's my experience. Yes, of course, I'm not a doctor. Just sharing my long experiences. If CPS was pushing for the typical ADHD meds, I wouldn't be as concerned for this child. But Risperdal has other implications, as stated above.
CPS could perhaps alternatively filed something saying that the child was a danger to herself and others, if her symptoms are that severe. But then again, that would only result in a short-term hospitalization, maybe a week, and then back to the drawing board. And 'danger to self or others' might be harder to show in the case of an 11 year old. Not that the danger is any less real...particularly with acute mania, where the brain is in hyper-drive and the creativity resulting from that can be quite astounding, and terrifying, too.
Of course, we don't know the girl's specific diagnosis. And the state of our comprehension of how the brain works means the psych's don't really know what is going on, either. (Thank you Barack for the initiative to map the brain.) But that doesn't mean intervention isn't necessary to save a life or lives. If alternative therapies were working, then why is CPS still involved?
I seriously doubt it is just a case of temper tantrums if CPS went to this extreme. More often, they do not do, or are unable to do, things that are needed, rather than the reverse, these days. CPS is so overburdened with case loads, and social work doesn't even pay enough to keep a roof over your head and a car on the road, so the turnover is quite high, that I find it hard to believe they have much opportunity to 'go overboard' with a case.
Attempting to treat a brain disorder like acute mania, if that is the case, with alternative therapies.... well, let me say she should move out in the hills somewhere so that public safety isn't jeopardized. That sounds rough, I am sure, but I've lived with this nightmare of a disorder for thirty years now, with a son who has a wonderfully warm, loving and respectful
heart. But when the brain goes out of whack, it is terrifying, and crushingly sad. There were times when I, too, stood up for my son against the use of specific medications (and I am glad that I did), and I delayed his start of medication at all as long as possible, because of the side effect possibilities on developing organs, etc. It is a very scary and sad guessing game as to when to begin medications... until things become so bad, that the choices are obvious...no good trying to avert potential future medical implications, when the child's current behavior extremes indicates they might not live long enough to face those possible implications. But complete denial of treatment, or insistence on continuing as the sole source of treatment something that clearly has not worked? No. I think the Mom wants to believe that it's just allergies or some such stuff, and won't face the fact that most likely her child's brain is actually structured differently (as has been shown now with brain scans of those with bipolar). A different diet or a few herbs aren't going to restructure her brain. But I understand the heartbreak of the Mom.
My heart really goes out to the child. Having a neurobiological brain disorder is a nightmare that most of the public has no idea about. Frankly, I'd honestly rather be paraplegic than suffer from this; you CAN choose to decide to be relatively happy and make a life for yourself without limbs. Without a functioning emotional system, you can't really decide anything, and you live in an eternal hell. I pray she gets some relief, but the chances of some all natural regimen altering her brain's chemistry is like nil.
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