Thursday, March 26, 2009

Symptoms of RAD


Some of you may have noticed I used to have a list of symptoms on the right for RAD and I removed them. The reason I removed them is the symptoms of so many childhood mental disorders are overlapping. I would hate for someone to read my site and decide their child had RAD and then try to follow all the parenting books when it was not really RAD at all. It really does take a professional who is well learned in the area of attachment as well as other childhood mental disorders to know the difference. There are also reliable and valid tests for many of the disorders that can be administered by a psychologist. There are medications that can be taken for some of these disorders. The treatment for them would be vastly different.

Our youngest has had many many diagnosis over the years. No medications ever made a bit of difference. We went through attachment therapy with him for about nine months. It made an amazing difference in our lives. We then saw them some of his behaviors were coming back in most definite swings that were uncontrollable. He has been diagnosed with bipolar as well only now the medications ARE helping. The difference being that he has been treated for RAD and has attached to me.

I realize not all of you are comfortable with therapists. It has taken an attachment therapist, EMDR therapist and psychiatrist to get all the help Taz needs along with us working hard at home. Every child is different and you are the expert on YOUR child. The above picture was drawn by Taz for me last night. I heart him too.

3 comments:

~Dinah said...

Good post...i was going to talk about something similar today.

Arthur Becker-Weidman, PhD said...

Very good point. Many of the behaviors or symptoms of various mental health disorders overlap. The critical issue is the cause or underlying condition. We generally treat causes not symptoms and so your point about getting a thorough and comprehensive assessment is a good one. For example, a child who has difficulty concentrating, is easily distracted, and has a short attention span, cannot sit still, etc...you may be thinking of ADHD, and you could be right. BUT you could also see these symptoms or behavior presented by a child with sensory-integration dysfunction, bipolar disorder, traumatic brain injury, etc.

Brenda said...

Dr. Becker-Weidman,

I love the phrase "under lying issues". I have a professor who whenever he says it puts his hand under a table palm up and waves it back and forth. I look at my kids and picture what is "under the table". What is going on under there? In the case of a diagnosis it needs to be done by a professional, not Dr. Mom.(what my husband calls me)