Book Description

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Pediatric News, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1314 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Bipolar disorder remains a conundrum.(Behavioral Consult)(bipolar disorder in children)
Author: Michael S. Jellinek
Publication: Pediatric News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 40Issue: 3Page: 30(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by International Medical News Group on October 1, 2001. The length of the article is 577 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder Looks Like Severe Adult Form.(bipolar disorder in children)
Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2001
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 29Issue: 10Page: 22

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by International Medical News Group on February 1, 2002. The length of the article is 433 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Subjective criteria make bipolar diagnosis tricky. (Bipolar Disorder in Children).
Author: Sherry Boschert
Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2002
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 30Issue: 2Page: 5(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is a journal article from Neuropsychiatrie de l'enfance et de l'adolescence, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Whether Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder are related syndrome in young people is currently debated. The present report critically reviews the available literature on the topic. The prevalence rate of ADHD is 5 to 9% among school children of the general population, while the rate is 0.3% for bipolar disorder in the child and adolescent population. The relationship between both disorders is difficult to assess as several symptoms do overlap. The clinical course is continuous in ADHD child whereas it is rather episodic and discontinuous in bipolar adolescent. In psychiatric setting, comorbidity between the two disorders has only been reported by one group -11% in outpatients and 22% in hospitalized patients presenting ADHD- but these results were methodologically discussed. Similarly, in longitudinal studies of ADHD, cases of comorbidity with bipolar disorder have only been reported by the same group. The hypothesis of common vulnerability factors shared by these disorders, including common genetic factors, is not validated. However, cases of patients presenting ADHD and bipolar disorder may be encountered in paediatric and psychiatric settings. We will report one of such cases that will introduce the discussion. ... Read more

Amazon.com
In the space of a few months, 11-year-old Alex Raeburn is bounced among seven psychiatrists and prescribed even more drugs, among them Lithium and Depakote, after lashing out at his 5th-grade teacher. The doctors are swift to prescribe pills but slow to provide therapy, despite varying opinions on what the diagnosis may be--maybe depression, ADHD, or an anxiety disorder. While the family finds little relief from the medical establishment, author Paul Raeburn, Alex's dad, slowly admits that his lack of parenting and anger-management skills may have exacerbated his son's condition. Some of his temper tantrums, one of which involves flooding their kitchen, are as frightening as his son's manic episodes.

Ironically, as the science and medicine reporter for BusinessWeek, Raeburn had access to the most prestigious names in psychiatry, but his denial of Alex's emotional problems was so strong that he didn't even bother to look up the (significant) side effects of his son's prescriptions in the Physician's Desk Reference: "I was not going to read about psychiatric drugs and mental illness because I was not going to be the parent of a mentally ill kid." He and Alex are given hope from bipolar expert Kay Redfield Jamison, who, during a book signing, writes, "Things will get better." They do, but not before the Raeburns' marriage disintegrates and Alex's younger sister Alicia is also repeatedly hospitalized for depression and attempted suicide. Raeburn's bravery in telling his childrens' story is to be commended, but the reader is left wondering just how much of Alex and Alicia's misery can be blamed on his own moodiness, prejudices, and procrastination. --Erica JorgensenBook Description
In the tradition of Kay Redfield Jamison’s An Unquiet Mind, Acquainted with the Night is a powerful memoir of one man’s struggle to deal with the adolescent depression and bipolar disorder of his son and his daughter.

Seven years ago Paul Raeburn’s son, Alex, eleven, was admitted to a psychiatric hospital after leaving his fifth-grade classroom in an inexplicable rage.He was hospitalized three times over the next three years until he was finally diagnosed by a psychiatrist as someone exhibiting a clear-cut case of bipolar disorder.This ended a painful period of misdiagnosis and inappropriate drug therapy.Then Raeburn’s younger daughter, Alicia, twelve, was diagnosed as suffering from depression after episodes of self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts.She too was repeatedly admitted to psychiatric hospitals.All during this terrible, painful time, Raeburn’s marriage was disintegrating, and he had to ask what he and his wife might have done, unwittingly, to contribute to their children’s mental illness.And so, literally to save his children’s lives, he used all the resources available to him as a science reporter and writer to educate himself on their diseases and the various drugs and therapies available to help them return from a land of inner torment.

In Paul Raeburn’s skilled hands, this memoir of a family stricken with the pain of depression and mania becomes a cathartic story that any reader can share, even as parents unlucky enough to be in a similar position will find it of immeasurable practical value in their own struggles with the child psychiatry establishment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Compelling reading
I could not put this book down.Within Paul Raeburn's personal story are a few critical and quotable summaries of the dilemmas that all parents of "different" children face, especially in regards to diagnosis and medications.Parents of bipolar children should read this book not as a "how-to" story, but to understand that we are not the only people living with this challenge.Every piece of information helps us put together our own life puzzles.

Brutally honest, most effective in showing America's mental health crisis
This book was hard to get through, not because of the writing, which was excellent, but because it was so relentlessly honest and upsetting.I don't think I've ever read a book where the author was quite so hard on himself or made himself out so poorly.I think he took on more blame than he needed to for his childrens' problems.

The most effective part of this book was showing how terribly poor the US is at handling mental illness in children.The most telling point of the book for me was when the author asked his insurance plan what child psychiatrists were covered that were in their area (within 50 miles) and there were NONE--and they lived with 25 miles of New York City!I know how hard it is to find a child psychiatrist, but I didn't realize things were that bad.It's also astonishing that extremely expensive inpatient mental health hospitals have basically no therapy or help on weekends.

I do think this book is more a memoir of a very trying time in the author's life and his childrens' life than specifically about their depression and bipolar disorder.There is much about the crumbling of the parents' marriage and the drug and alcohol use of the children.It helps to set the scene during which the mental health crises occur, but I would have liked more concrete information about depression and bi-polar disorder.

I hope that things continue to look up for this family.

First Half Great, Second Half Defensive
The first half of this book is just wonderful.Written by an author with great skill, the book has the drama of a nonfiction book as he weaves together all the charcters and elements in the plot.His research about the disease brought out things I'd not learned yet in my journey with friends and loved ones with bipolar disorder. (Although he also left out some basic elements which, if included, would have balanced the presentation a bit more.)That he and his wife would divorce was "foreshadowed" powerfully.

But somewhere around page 175 where the marriage falls apart the book began to be about his pain, his rejection, his problems.His lack of empathy and insight into what was going on with the rest of his family at the point was sad for me to read.Hopefully this reaction will not be taken as an example by other parents in similar situations.

I respect that this was a terrible ordeal for the man personally.But I wished I had seen him able to put his suffering in the context of the suffering of each individual and the family as a whole.He seemed to do that quite well in the first half of the book.

I would recommend the first half of the book to seasoned parents of mentally ill children.But not to a parent newly on the journey through mental illness with a child.It would be too frightening.For a parent years into the journey, and a parent who has been proactive in classes and political advocacy, the first half of this book would make riveting reading.For the parent new to the problem or very uneducated about the problem, it could be quite confusing and/or distressing.

Understanding the ordeals of parents & troubledyoungsters.
A real page turner and very informative, yet leaving the reader wanting much more detailed information about every family member.
The author's honesty and obvious attempts at fairness and accuracy produced a compelling narrative.
This is a valuable contribution to those seeking to make sense out of the behaviors of troubled children.
The book has useful information for seeking help and locating resources.
I hope there will be a follow up book.

Discouraging

Raeburn is a gifted writer and he tells this story well.My problem with the text is that he himself is such a disturbing character in this story that is allegedly about his two kids.His writing has "voice" from the very beginning, but there's something creepy about the way he talks about his family, especially his wife.He tells us that the two of them fought, loudly, and that he blames her for many things---not having the kids wait to eat dinner when he got home, etc.---but the reader never gets any sense of the core of their marriage or his emotional attachment to her.In fact, he seems very narcissistic throughout; he's cold in describing the people he supposedly loves.He has many complaints and not many solutions.I wanted to be more empathetic---certainly being a parent to two children with mental illness is a terribly challenging situation---but I found myself getting annoyed with him over and over.He couldn't take off work to supervise a suicidal daughter?He couldn't figure out somewhere else to live if the commute was such a terrible strain on his family life? I was left feeling sad for this whole family. ... Read more

Book Description
Citation Details


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Book Description
This volume provides a state-of-the-science review of knowledge on bipolar disorder in children, covering all aspects of theory, research, and practice. Leading clinical researchers address such topics as epidemiology, diagnosis and assessment, comorbidity, and outcomes. Compelling findings are presented on the neurobiological and genetic bases of the disorder. The book also summarizes available treatment approaches. Throughout, contributors identify promising directions for further investigation while weighing in on key methodological questions and areas of controversy.

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Professional School Counseling, published by Thomson Gale on October 1, 2005. The length of the article is 4727 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: A closer examination of bipolar disorder in school-age children.
Author: Angela D. Bardick
Publication: Professional School Counseling (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 9Issue: 1Page: 72(6)

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Product Description
With insight and intimacy, Kate L. McLaughlin candidly shares the realities of parenting children with Bipolar Disorder. No other book so eloquently and honestly conveys the physical realities and battered emotions of a family caught in the swirling storm of a child s hallucinations and psychosis. Nothing else accurately depicts the frenzy of mania, or suicide attempts and their bittersweet aftermaths. No other writer so aptly illustrates the personal changes in parents of disabled children, nor connects them to the emotional and spiritual growth borne of their occurrence.This book supports, educates, and informs the reader, offering hope and encouragement to anyone living with chronic illness or raising teens. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Amazing story of love
An incredibly personal and yet educational story. The author shares her journey of confusion, pain ,learning and love that is inspirational to all of us. Although I started with no information about bipolar disorder..I ended with a sense of deep compassion around the complexities of every day living with mental illness. While the subject is serious the book ends with a spirit of renewal and hope leaving the reader wanting to meet this amazing woman.

" EYE OPENING INFORMATION ".
This book is so well written . Kate obviously has done extensive research on the subject, but writes from first hand experience the realities of interacting and helping a loved one, who is challenged with bipolar disorder.This book is a true guide to how we can help others overcome this disease. It also gives insight into someones behaviors, who has not yet been diagnosed.EXCELLENT BOOK. A MUST READ.

One of the best Childhood Bipolar book we have read...
This is a most helpful book about childhood bipolar disorder.We have a grandson who is 7 and has suffered with bipolar since infancy.(Didn't know what it was then...just knew he was one easily frustrated and miserable kid -- or, conversely, the most beautiful and placid baby!)Anyway, I highly recommend this book to parents and grandparents of children from 0 to 20 with bipolar.Author is so candid and yet upbeat. She made us feel completely understood with the pendulum swing of our OWN moods while coping with a misdiagnosed and suicidal 3 yr old!God bless the author for sharing her trials and providing hope for us! LOVE THE TITLE -- PERFECT!!

This is the story of a very courageous and loving family.
Kate McLaughlin very honestly relates the story of a courageous and loving family as they face bipolar disease.
The author points out the limited services available to this population, even those with generous resources to pay for care.I hope this book and increased understanding of mental illness will lead to availability of more care for the mentally ill, those with and without resources to pay for care.
This book is extremely well written describing the facts of bipolar disorder as well as the emotional toll this disease takes on families.
I highly recommend it.

A lifeline
I started reading this book at 9:30 in the morning and couldn't set it down until I finished later that same night with tears in my eyes and hope in my heart. This is not just a story of dealing with bi-polar, but one of overcoming adversity, unconditional love, perserverence and the bond between a mother and a child. I can see that this would be a lifeline for any family facing the devastation of bi-polar or any type of health issue for that matter. This book was extremely well written and touched me in so many ways that I have purchased additional copies as gifts for families that I know need the honesty and encouragement that they will find in McLaughlin's book. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Pediatric News, published by International Medical News Group on April 1, 2003. The length of the article is 867 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Overlapping symptoms fuel the bipolar/ADHD controversy. (How to Discriminate Between the Two).(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children with bipolar disorder)
Author: Bruce Jancin
Publication: Pediatric News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2003
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 37Issue: 4Page: 24(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Family Practice News, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2006. The length of the article is 638 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Tool helps spot onset of bipolar disorder in kids.(Mental Health)
Author: Michele G. Sullivan
Publication: Family Practice News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 36Issue: 1Page: 37(1)

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Book Description
With proper diagnosis and early intervention, there is unlimited hope for children and teens diagnosed with bipolar disorder to lead fulfilling and enjoyable lives, starting today.

Inside, you’ll discover compassionate and informative methods to help manage the diagnosis and develop the natural strengths, gifts, and skills that every child has to offer. Written by a top expert in the field, this life-changing book is presented in clear, straightforward language that dispels the myths about bipolar disorder and offers real solutions. You’ll uncover keen insight and the latest options for helping your bipolar child or teen by understanding:

* The causes of bipolar disorder
* The path and outcome of bipolar disorder in children and teens
* The latest biological treatments and psychosocial therapies, and how to use them
* How to handle behavioral and academic problems, as well as assess and manage suicidal tendencies
* And much more ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good basic information
I am not the parent of a child with bipolar disorder, so I cannot comment on how useful this book is for parents trying to help a bipolar child.However, as a general reader, I found this book to have good basic information.It was easy to read, not at all too technical for the non medically trained person.In fact, I thought that at times the author could have gone into more detail on particular topics.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for easy to read, entry-level info on pediatric bipolar disorder.

Essential reading for parents
Dr. Birmaher has been treating kids and adolescents and doing research on pediatric bipolar disorder for many years, and speaks from both clinical experience and from research findings.Contains current info on treatment, and many tips for how parents can get the help their children need and reduce stress and increase flexibility.One of the best books available for parents on the topic.

Your ticket of entry to best possible care
Professor Birmaher's book represents the latest in scientific understanding and clinical approaches for recognizing and responding to Bipolar Disorder in children and teens. A researcher of note, Professor Birmaher has been able to translate the most up-to-date research data into a supportive, simple and effective text for concerned parents and others wanting to take the best course of action. The inclusion of clear and detailed diagnostic advice, treatment and management strategies, and test instruments makes 'New Hope for Children and Teens with Bipolar Disorder' an accessible foundation text for both new and experienced clinicians working with young people. ... Read more

Book Description
Up until five years ago, the professional community did not think that Bipolar Disorder occurred in children. Children with symptoms of Bipolar Disorder were diagnosed as 'severe ADHD', 'depressed' or 'Oppositional Defiant'. Now, as it is being increasingly diagnosed, George Lynn offers clear, practical advice on recognizing the symptoms, understanding medication and accessing the necessary support at school as well as the managing the day-to-day challenges of parenting a child with Bipolar Disorder. As it is frequently found in combination with ADHD, Tourette Syndrome and Asperger's Syndrome, the author draws on case-studies from his own psychotherapeutic practice to show what these conditions have in common, how they differ, and how they relate to each other.

Survival Strategies for Parenting Children with Bipolar Disorder tackles the most difficult decisions parents can face, including whether to involve police or consider hospitalization if their children are a danger to themselves and their families. At the same time, it emphasizes the positive qualities these children often have and illustrates how their gifts and abilities can build their self-esteem and help them function better in society. However severe the child's symptoms, George Lynn's book will provide guidance, support and inspiration for parents and carers as well as being a useful resource for professionals working with the families who suffer as a result of this disorder.Download Description
Up until five years ago, the professional community did not think that Bipolar Disorder occurred in children. Children with symptoms of Bipolar Disorder were diagnosed as 'severe ADHD', 'depressed' or 'Oppositional Defiant'. Now, as it is being increasingly diagnosed, George Lynn offers clear, practical advice on recognizing the symptoms, understanding medication and accessing the necessary support at school as well as the managing the day-to-day challenges of parenting a child with Bipolar Disorder. As it is frequently found in combination with ADHD, Tourette Syndrome and Asperger's Syndrome, the author draws on case-studies from his own psychotherapeutic practice to show what these conditions have in common, how they differ, and how they relate to each other.Survival Strategies for Parenting Children with Bipolar Disorder tackles the most difficult decisions parents can face, including whether to involve police or consider hospitalization if their children are a danger to themselves and their families. At the same time, it emphasizes the positive qualities these children often have and illustrates how their gifts and abilities can build their self-esteem and help them function better in society. However severe the child's symptoms, George Lynn's book will provide guidance, support and inspiration for parents and carers as well as being a useful resource for professionals working with the families who suffer as a result of this disorder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Success Can Be Achieved
Everyone should read this book just for it's wonderful strategies and ideas.All parents can find something to take from this book.

Must read for parents of bp kids
The best book I've read on the subject. He has a great understanding of the subject and explains himself well. Applicable parenting ideas. Written with understanding and empathy. Covers biology as well as environmental influences. The other books he as written are helpful as well.

Very Helpful For Parents
We found Survival Strategies for Parenting Children with BiPolar Disorder Clear, detailed, and helpful.It addresses our concerns honestly and offers helpful ways to approach the challenge of raising a child with bipolar disorder.

HELP FOR PARENTS!!!!!!!
THIS BOOK IS SO HELPFUL. I REFER BACK TO IT QUITE FREQUENTLY AND I HAVE RECOMMENDED IT TO MY FRIENDS WHO ARE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION.

Survival Strategies for Parenting a Bipolar Child
This book is a must for any parent who has a child with Bipolar Disorder.After my son was diagnosed I have read wverything I can find on Early Onset Bipolar Disorder.There is not much out there but this is one of the best.Mr Lynn covers each topic in a straight forward manner and in an easy to read and apply manner.If any one you know has Early Onset Bipolar Disorder or Bipolar in general this book is a must!! ... Read more

Book Description
Until recently, bipolar disorders were almost never diagnosed in children and rarely recognized in adolescents, even though between 20 and 40 percent of the two million or more adults diagnosed with bipolar disorders in the United States experienced theonset of illness in their teen years or before. Psychiatrists now recognize that manic depression has frequently been misdiagnosed as ADHD (or oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, or depression). According to recent data, 23 percent of children currently diagnosed with ADHD will evenutally be diagnosed as having a bipolar disorder. As many as a million children in the US alone may have childhood-onset bipolar disorder.Bipolar disorders are different in children than in adults. There are some diagnostic criteria unique to children. Some reckless behavior is limited by being a child and being under adult control. Families and communities pay a heavy toll when this disorder is not recognized and treated. Suicide is a possible outcome, as are school failure, limited job prospects, legal difficulties, and hospitalizations. Understanding and recognizing the differences in the illness for children and adolescents is key for concerned parents and professionals. Bipolar Disorders covers the range of topics that parentsneed to know about in order to help their children:

• Description of the range of bipolar disorders
• Diagnostic criteria, current and proposed, including comparisons to common misdiagnoses
• Family life with bipolar disorders, including recognizing and preventing mood swings, safety, and support
• Medications, with special attention to the physiology andresponses of children and adolescents
• Therapeutic interventions in various "talk therapies"
• Other interventions, such as improving sleep patterns, preventing seasonal mood swings, diet, and supplements
• Insurance issues
• school, including special education system and 504 Plans or EIPs

Customer Reviews (5)

An essential starting point...
After more than a year of fear, confusion, anger and spousal disagreements regarding our child's behaviors, my wife and I separated. Then we found out that our 14-year-old is almost certainly suffering from bipolar disorder, not just depression (the first diagnosis) or anxiety (the second.) Now, from houses 25 miles apart, we are beginning the journey toward appropriate medications, appropriate school placement, and understanding. I bought this book a month ago, and it took the whole month to read it. At 400 pages, it is nothing if not comprehensive. And it is scary as hell, but comforting as well. Mitzi Waltz is herself the parent of a bipolar teen, and she has a great gift for translating medical and psychological jargon into plain English. If you are in the same boat as we are, or if you have a young relative recently diagnosed with BP, buy this volume right now. Buy several. The price is great for what you get, and I suspect you will be referring to it continuously for years. It is not focused exclusively on teenage patients, either. Kids as young as eight have now been diagnosed with this miserable brain chemistry imbalance, which seems to be a life-long condition once it manifests. The book creates much-needed sympathy for BP victims, whose attitudes, actions and unpredictable moods can be infuriating and can turn parents against each other as both try different approaches to keeping their child safe and stable and successful. So far, our path has included two psychiatrists, four different medications, a four-day stay for the daughter in a juvenile mental health center, two school systems and now a home-bound program, and much heartbreak, frustration, sadness and screaming. Mitzi's book is the single best tool I've found to help myself cope.

A Great Resource for Parents, Teachers and Doctors
Ms. Waltz has once again produced an excellent book that is clear and informative.In my practice of Psychiatry, I have found books like this are few and far between.I am using this book as a resource for all my Bipolar families.This book covers all topics related to Bipolar Disorderboth esoteric and day-to-day living issues.If you're a parent or a lovedone of a child (or adult)with Bipolar Disorder, read this.You will not gowrong.And after you're done, pass your copy onto your child's teacher ordoctor.It will help you all get together on the same page.It's criticalthat our kids get the help they need. This book will teach you how best toadvocate for your child.

This is an excellent guide for parents
Mitzi understands the relationship between parents and children who suffer from early-onset bipolar disorder.Her book addresses numerous issues that parents face on a day to day basis.She provides resources, support, andsolutions.Truly an excellent book and one that all parents of childrenwith bipolar disorder should keep at their fingers.

Thanks for writing this book!
We found this book to be very helpful us to further understand our daughter's recent diagnosis as Bipolar.We found the information to be well presented, and easy to understand.The section on schools was veryinformative.

Thanks for writing this book!
We found this book to be very helpful us to further understand our daughter's recent diagnosis as Bipolar.We found the information to be well presented, and easy to understand.The section on schools was veryinformative. ... Read more

Book Description
Over the last decade, the number of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder has increased up to fortyfold. This is a trend exclusive to the United States, and one that, alarmingly, leads to most of the diagnosed children--some still in their infancy--being prescribed antipsychotic drugs, often in combination with anticonvulsants. These classes of drugs have dangerous side effects, including a doubling of mortality rates, shortened life span, extreme weight gain, and Type II diabetes. In this book, psychologist Sharna Olfman leads a team of widely known experts who examine the astonishing rise in the diagnosis of pediatric bipolar disorder, particularly in the absence of any compelling evidence for either the validity of the criteria being used to diagnose it or the safety and effectiveness of the drugs being used to treat it. "When a child is unnecessarily prescribed antipsychotic and anticonvulsant drugs, his or her mental and physical health may be irrecoverably compromised," says Olfman. "With as many as two-and-a-half million children from across the socioeconomic spectrum now taking antipsychotics, we have set the stage for widescale child abuse." The contributors to this revealing and disturbing volume include psychiatrist David Healy, one of the world's leading authorities on psychotropic drugs; pediatrician Philip Landrigan, an internationally renowned health researcher; and Robert Whitaker, an award winning medical journalist. The contributors identify and explain complex and interrelated factors that have set the stage for the pediatric bipolar "epidemic," and they recommend practice and policy changes to stem the tide of misdiagnosis and dangerous drug prescriptions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sick children, or a sick society?
The number of U.S. children diagnosed with bipolar disorder rose an astounding 4,000% in the past ten years.This startling fact drives home the urgency of this important new book edited by Sharna Olfman and bringing together some of the world's most distinguished experts in the field.

Each of the book's nine contributors offers a unique perspective on the issue, providing readers with a comprehensive view of a controversial and disturbing subject.

Among the most passionate voices are those of Dr. David Healy and Dr. Joanna Le Noury, who dissect the pharmaceutical industry's unscrupulous strategies to expand the psychiatric drug market, resulting in the unprecedented "tidal wave" of child drugging currently sweeping our nation.

Award-winning journalist Robert Whitaker writes a carefully documented chapter citing solid scientific evidence showing that the widespread practice of medicating young children with stimulants like Ritalin or antidepressants like Prozac has fueled an explosion of drug side effects including psychosis, mania and suicidal impulses.These drug reactions are then misinterpreted as symptoms of severe mental illness, resulting in a mis-diagnosis of bipolar disorder which leads to treatment with "mood stabilizers" often combined in drug cocktails including major tranquilizers like Risperdal or Seroquel.

We may be witnessing a drug-induced epidemic of mental and physical disabilities directly caused by the irresponsible and misguided medical mis-treatment of our nation's children.Psychology professor Daniel Burston looks at what is happeningand calls it "the chemical colonization of childhood."

Regardless of who or what we choose to blame for causing this catastrophe -- Big Pharma, bad parenting, overcrowded schools, environmental toxins, television violence, etc. -- one thing is certain: nothing will change until DOCTORS stop making the diagnoses and DOCTORS stop writing the prescriptions.What will it take to bring about such a change?

Perhaps we should begin focusing less on the children who are diagnosed, and more on the doctors who do the diagnosing.Lawrence Diller writes, "Only economic factors, the threat of legal action, or very negative publicity (e.g., children's deaths while taking antidepressants) have widespread influence on doctors' prescribing practices and treatment."

In the book's final chapter, epidemiologist Philip Landrigan sounds the alarm over the growing number of neurotoxic chemicals including mercury that are poisoning our environment.Landrigan writes, "It is striking that the mental health community has virtually ignored the health risks to children growing up in a world that is awash with thousands of synthetic chemicals, hundreds of which are already known to be poisonous to the brain."

How ironic, then, if our society's response to the harm caused by environmental toxins is to give our children drugs -- chemical substances that are toxic to growing bodies and vulnerable brains!

... Read more

Product Description
Understanding Sensory Dysfunction is a clear and comprehensive resource to identifying and addressing sensory dysfunction in children, using a range of practical strategies to help them reach their full potential at home, at school and in the community.
The authors explain the causes, contributing factors, symptoms and associated behaviors of sensory dysfunction, particularly when found in conditions such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), ADHD and bipolar disorder. Focusing on early intervention, they provide a host of tried and tested integration activities, assessment and curricular modifications, treatment options and useful equipment and resources that ultimately aim to limit or prevent the interference of sensory dysfunction with successful learning, socialization and skills development.
This accessible and empowering book offers a unique approach to the condition and will help families, teachers and caregivers meet the particular needs of children with sensory dysfunction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

excellent resource...a "must have"
If you have a child with ADHD, an Autism spectrum disorder/Pervasive Development Disorder, or sensory integrative issues then this book will be an excellent read!! I love that it has entire chapters/sections devoted to the interaction between a specific disorder/diagnosis/cluster, and sensory response/reactions...the book is well-written, is readily understandable to lay-persons, yet it is as useful to therapists as many other books on the market...my son's therapist copied almost the entire book when she borrowed it from me!!!
In a nutshell, this book gives you certain behaviors that may manifest, gives ideas on how to resolve...yet is never preachy...love this book

A Must Read
This book has important wisdom for parents and teachers. The authors write very compassionately and very professionally about the process of helping kids with a number of disorders that can interfere with learning. They are very helpful, and always respectful of the children whose learning patterns they are describing. This is a great book!! LO in New York

Excellent advice on dealing with your child's SI dysfunction
Authors Emmons and Anderson are both special education teachers, as well as moms of children with sensory integration difficulties, and it shows. Their insightful book offers excellent strategies for helping children with SI dysfunction, especially when it occurs concurrently with autism, Asperger's, ADHD or bi-polar disorder.

An Outstanding Book!
An easy to read comprehensive look at sensory dysfunction covering symptoms, definitions, diagnosis as well as assessments, curriculum strategies and modifications in the environment.A must have resource for parents, caregivers, educators and therapists. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by Thomson Gale on April 1, 2006. The length of the article is 699 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Tool helps spot Bipolar Prodrome in children: questionnaire asks patients to rate 39 symptoms that can emerge before the first manic episode.(diagnosis and treatment)
Author: Michele G. Sullivan
Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 34Issue: 4Page: 32(1)

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