Category Archives: Mental Health

Articles relating to mental health are in this category. Typically they will fall into one of two categories. Yours, or your child’s. Yes, your mental health is important.

Where is the failure? Thoughts on FASD

A year ago, David was diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It’s a developmental disorder he was born with because of the birth mom’s drug and alcohol usage during the pregnancy. If he had been diagnosed before age 3, he would have DD services. Right now, because he didn’t have that diagnosis, he doesn’t qualify. It is their belief that he is capable of being entirely self-sufficient. and he isn’t. He may be 16 physically, but he is about 6 or 7 in most ways, and 8 or 9 in others. In every other way, he qualifies for DD services.  Except, depending on the day and his affect, his IQ scores too high.  I make the argument that an IQ score alone doesn’t indicate self-sufficiency. FASD   Initially, for the first 9 years, we fought to keep things “normal” for him, which meant that while we saw doctors, we

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Compliance – Continued Medication Issues

Compliance – Continued Medication Issues We are in week two of David’s not getting his medication as prescribed.  Thus, he is out of compliance, though it appears to be a systems issue.  Today, I contacted the detention unit, asked to speak to the medical person, and was transferred to him. When I asked what the issue was, the nurse said “he is not in compliance.” I asked, if he was refusing to take the medication, and rather than providing me an answer, he said “who is the probation worker?” (I use probation worker as a loose descriptor for the person involved in David’s case.) I explained who we are working with, and gave the nurse that information, as well as contact information for the worker. The nurse then said “thank you” and ended the call. So I called and left a message for the probation worker.  I also called our

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He is not a yo-yo

He is not a yo-yo. You know that right? Yesterday he was granted an extension on his stay in the facility.  This was done so that we could apply for therapeutic foster care. Today, I guess that we were denied, though I am not entirely sure.  What I do know is that I was told David is being discharged tomorrow.  He is in, he is out, he is in, he is out.  It’s not healthy for him to be jerked around like this, and in truth, it’s not healthy for the family. He will get maybe 6 hours a week of mentor time and they said something about 6 overnights a month.  I have asked for clarification, none has been forthcoming as of yet.  It’s that yo-yo effect, consistency is what is necessary, not the illusion of consistency. I swear, it’s like being in the movie Groundhog Day.  So David

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