A Tragic Death of a Child
Michael and Carolyn Riley were charged with deliberately poisoning their 4-year-old daughter, Rebecca, in order to sedate her. The child was found dead on their bedroom floor, of a drug overdose. Her psychiatrist is on a voluntary leave until the case resolves.
Rebecca had been diagnosed with ADD and bipolar disorder when she was only 2 years-old, and was prescribed several powerful drugs, including Risperdal.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, professor of psychiatry at Boston University, had this to say about the increasing number of children being labeled as bipolar: "The diagnosis is made with no understanding of the context of their life. Then they're put on these devastating medications and condemned to a life as a psychiatry patient."
[Data from an article by Benedict Carey, "Debate Over Children and Psychiatric Drugs", February 15, 2007, nytimes.com]
Rebecca had been diagnosed with ADD and bipolar disorder when she was only 2 years-old, and was prescribed several powerful drugs, including Risperdal.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, professor of psychiatry at Boston University, had this to say about the increasing number of children being labeled as bipolar: "The diagnosis is made with no understanding of the context of their life. Then they're put on these devastating medications and condemned to a life as a psychiatry patient."
[Data from an article by Benedict Carey, "Debate Over Children and Psychiatric Drugs", February 15, 2007, nytimes.com]
posted by Naomi Fox at 7:49 PM
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