[buttrfli42481]

My 13 yr old daughter has gotten in trouble at school 3 times in less than a month. She has spent 9 1/2 days in OSS and 3 1/2 days in ISS for her various crimes. I have taken her phone and computer away and make her do chores she normally doesn't do. Her grades are not good, D-s to C-s. She doesn't care about school. For one offense, she has to go to youth court where she will get community service or a lecture from the fire department on why you don't pull the fire alarm. She is in therapy and only is able to go once a month. Her last appt. was canceled by her t. She is also supposed to be on medications which she refuses to take. I don't know what to do with her. Any suggestions will be wonderful.

[kaliope]

get her in with another therapist who will see her more often. she needs to go weekly. there are many places that offer PSR services for behavioral modification. see if you can find one of those. they are like after school programs where they have a worker besides the therapist that teaches them appropriate behavioral skills. MAKE her take her meds even if you have to mix them with her food. you are the parent. talk to your pharmacist. many meds can be liquefied from what I understand.

[buttrfli42481]

Thank you for your reply. I'm not sure what PSR stands for? One of her meds is extended release so it can't be crushed or anything. And that is the med she needs the most. I am going to call and see if I can't talk to her pdoc's nurse about this. It is really frustrating.

[BioAdoptMom3]

The first thing I would do is give her some kind of major consequence for not taking her meds. Although first I would talk with her and find out why she doesn't want to take them. Initially our DD didn't want to either and I wish we had listened then. She was first diagnosed with depression and anxiety and put on Prozac. She kept saying they made her feel worse and started hiding them. She was later diagnosed with bipolar and the Prozac was sending her into mixed states which is miserable. She is now on Lithium and Abilify and she takes it or she is not allowed to drive (which is a major deal since she is 15 and has her permit). Tell your daughter she either takes them or this or that doesn't happen. The meds are most important in mental illness as nothing can really get better without the appropriate meds first and foremost! Even therapy will be mostly ineffective without proper medication.

Nancy