[Angelique67]

This is one of those difficult questions for me. Tonight there are two hours on TLC channel at 8 pm ET on a 7 year old diagnosed with schizophrenia. My feeling is that it's too easy for confused parents to mistake ordinary childhood irrationality and imagination for mental illness, which then the children amplify in order to gain more attention and approval. I'll see what I think after I watch the programs tonight.

[CopperStar]

I would back it IF there is some sort of brain scan or something that can scientifically prove that a kid has schizophrenia. If they haven't developed something like that yet then I couldn't say I approve of it. I had an imaginary friend when I was a little kid who I would have sworn up and down to anyone was real. There are even home videos of me talking about and interacting with my imaginary friend. I was clearly trying to seek out some attention and basically trying to play around. I was a normal, imaginative, playful young child. I am sure that if adults had started taking it seriously, I wouldn't have been able to understand something like schizophrenia and would have been absolutely delighted that everyone was playing along.

[Angelique67]

The parents seem like they're driving this thing. They're saying she was different at 7 days old because she stopped sleeping. 7 days old? Oh, and she would look at things no one else could see at a few weeks or months old. If you listen to them they seem like they aren't fit to be parents.

[Blue_Bird]

It could be, whats it called, Munchhausen by proxy?

[Angelique67]

And they have this small girl on Clozipine!!!

Oh yeah and her baby brother is supposedly schizophrenic too!?! This is preposterous.

[Angelique67]

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

It could be, whats it called, Munchhausen by proxy?

Yes, exactly. That's what I think.

[Angelique67]

They have her on lithium and thorazine too! Who knows what else.

[junkDNA]

is it jani?

[Angelique67]

Originally Posted by junkDNA

is it jani?

Yes. I thought it was different kids before the program came on but it is Jani and her brother. The doctor is saying her brother may have autism.

[Angelique67]

Originally Posted by Angelique67

Yes. I thought it was different kids before the program came on but it is Jani and her brother. The doctor is saying her brother may have autism.

And surprise, she improved in the years when the cameras weren't rolling.

[junkDNA]

yeh...there was talk about the parents feeding into jani and basically creating this illness for whatever reason, monetary. fame. attention. who knows

[Angelique67]

Luckily the parents are divorcing. Maybe they won't be able to influence the kids as badly anymore.

They actually had that kid on clozapine? Dear God what is wrong with the World. And most babies stare off into space and focus on things we don't catch or don't see. I have loads of nieces and nephews do that, does that mean they're mentally ill, no! Those 'documentaries' are child abuse caught on tape!

[Angelique67]

Originally Posted by chickenfoot

They actually had that kid on clozapine? Dear God what is wrong with the World. And most babies stare off into space and focus on things we don't catch or don't see. I have loads of nieces and nephews do that, does that mean they're mentally ill, no! Those 'documentaries' are child abuse caught on tape!

I agree!!!!

[MoonSunn]

I saw this one.. seemed wrong they're putting kids so early on medication.

[pearlzandlace012]

Well, I know that my hallucinations started when I was 5 or 6, and I remember clear as day, I was actually seeing things that weren't there. It wasn't my imagination or an imaginary friend. I don't know if I would've been diagnosed schizophrenic (as you have to meet TWO Criterion A symptoms, and I couldn't be diagnosed with "delusions" as all the "crazy" thoughts were normal for a child of my age), but would antipsychotics have helped me then? Who knows.