smarie1011
New Member
Anyone know a good Children's psychiatric doctor in southern maryland? I would really like a doctor that specializes in Children. Any reviews or recommendations on Doctors would be great! thanks!
Children's psychiatric Doctor
- Thread starter smarie1011
- Start date
libertytyranny
Dream Stealer
You could try calling Walden and ask there. They have access to all of the county's mental health resources. Including docs, programs, and support groups.
Help!
Please let me know when you find a good one! I take my child to Baltimore. I've only found pill pushers in Calvert and as for their Health Dept. They suck! The therapist assigned to my child was too timid and afraid to push any buttons and the Doctor had her on 14 pills a day that really did nothing but make matters worse. I heard there was a Good one at the Children's Center in Prince Frederick but at this time my 10 year old is away in Towson I haven't been on the search for a new one. If you find one please let me know since my child will be returning in November.
Please let me know when you find a good one! I take my child to Baltimore. I've only found pill pushers in Calvert and as for their Health Dept. They suck! The therapist assigned to my child was too timid and afraid to push any buttons and the Doctor had her on 14 pills a day that really did nothing but make matters worse. I heard there was a Good one at the Children's Center in Prince Frederick but at this time my 10 year old is away in Towson I haven't been on the search for a new one. If you find one please let me know since my child will be returning in November.
CREResident
New Member
Soap Box Speech!
Sometimes, I don't know who is worse.... the doctors licensed to prescribe drugs to children and the pharmaceutical companies, or the illegal drug pushers on the corner.
Some unsolicited advice... take it or leave it... speaking with 15+ years of social work with children in psychiatric settings.... and not knowing anything about the problem to which you are seeking a solution.... You may want to consider....
Who thinks giving your child medication would help? If you take your child to a psychiatrist, they are very likely to prescribe medication... that's what they do for a living...
Pediatricians are not well educated about psychiatric treatment of children or the benefits of counseling. Even worse.... teachers and school administrators have often identified a problem and suggest medication.... (when the problem is school-related).
Medication is often a cop out for everyone. Suddenly, it's a biological problem that is no one's responsibility and no one has to make any effort to correct the problem that is likely situational, emotional, or relational -- neither of which can be corrected with a pill. But today, we all want a quick fix with our drug-taking, fast-food, impatient attitudes.
Have you considered counseling types of therapy with a qualified, licensed, and recommended social worker or therapist? Most child problems can be corrected through a combination of individual and family therapy and situational changes.
Medication can help in very limited situations (I believe rare situations). But psychiatric medication has a very broad range of side effects... many that are WORSE than the problem intended to solve. Psychiatrists typically prescribe medication on an "experimental" basis... meaning they really don't know if a medication is going to help until your child is taking it for several months... then when it doesn't work... they give your child a different medication... and repeat (all with major side effects).
Try some good therapy first.
The most abusive and classic example is the gross overprescribing of drugs for attention deficit disorder. Johnny doesn't cooperate in the classroom, can't sit still, or is distracted. Teacher starts documenting this and there's a parent meeting. The school labels Johnny to be hyperactive and says Johnny needs medication. Parent takes Johnny to pediatrician who gives parent a checklist.... that the teacher completes... Suddently Johnny is labeled attention deficit disorder and on prescribed drugs for 5 years and further labeled to be a problem child who has an excuse for all uncooperative behavior. We set expectations that he be hyperactive and not pay attention. This all happened... not because kids like Johnny are hyperactive... it happened because the school curriculum and classroom structure was designed for inactive children and girls who research shows have a better attention span on average. And because Johnny's teacher is boring and does not teach in active, engaging ways that fit the child's developmental needs. That's why boys were significantly more likely to be diagnosed as hyperactive.
Enter Bipolar disorder... the latest dance craze! I watched resident after resident walk out of medical school and jump on the bipolar band wagon. Suddenly 50% of patients hospitalized were diagnosed bipolar. Why? Because that was the latest medical fad, perpetuated by very aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies.
It's time America to wake up!
Sometimes, I don't know who is worse.... the doctors licensed to prescribe drugs to children and the pharmaceutical companies, or the illegal drug pushers on the corner.
Some unsolicited advice... take it or leave it... speaking with 15+ years of social work with children in psychiatric settings.... and not knowing anything about the problem to which you are seeking a solution.... You may want to consider....
Who thinks giving your child medication would help? If you take your child to a psychiatrist, they are very likely to prescribe medication... that's what they do for a living...
Pediatricians are not well educated about psychiatric treatment of children or the benefits of counseling. Even worse.... teachers and school administrators have often identified a problem and suggest medication.... (when the problem is school-related).
Medication is often a cop out for everyone. Suddenly, it's a biological problem that is no one's responsibility and no one has to make any effort to correct the problem that is likely situational, emotional, or relational -- neither of which can be corrected with a pill. But today, we all want a quick fix with our drug-taking, fast-food, impatient attitudes.
Have you considered counseling types of therapy with a qualified, licensed, and recommended social worker or therapist? Most child problems can be corrected through a combination of individual and family therapy and situational changes.
Medication can help in very limited situations (I believe rare situations). But psychiatric medication has a very broad range of side effects... many that are WORSE than the problem intended to solve. Psychiatrists typically prescribe medication on an "experimental" basis... meaning they really don't know if a medication is going to help until your child is taking it for several months... then when it doesn't work... they give your child a different medication... and repeat (all with major side effects).
Try some good therapy first.
The most abusive and classic example is the gross overprescribing of drugs for attention deficit disorder. Johnny doesn't cooperate in the classroom, can't sit still, or is distracted. Teacher starts documenting this and there's a parent meeting. The school labels Johnny to be hyperactive and says Johnny needs medication. Parent takes Johnny to pediatrician who gives parent a checklist.... that the teacher completes... Suddently Johnny is labeled attention deficit disorder and on prescribed drugs for 5 years and further labeled to be a problem child who has an excuse for all uncooperative behavior. We set expectations that he be hyperactive and not pay attention. This all happened... not because kids like Johnny are hyperactive... it happened because the school curriculum and classroom structure was designed for inactive children and girls who research shows have a better attention span on average. And because Johnny's teacher is boring and does not teach in active, engaging ways that fit the child's developmental needs. That's why boys were significantly more likely to be diagnosed as hyperactive.
Enter Bipolar disorder... the latest dance craze! I watched resident after resident walk out of medical school and jump on the bipolar band wagon. Suddenly 50% of patients hospitalized were diagnosed bipolar. Why? Because that was the latest medical fad, perpetuated by very aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies.
It's time America to wake up!
Vince
......
If they had all this BS when I was a kid, they would have labeled me ADD and given me medication. Thank God they didn't. Instead, I had parents with common sense. When you didn't pay attention and didn't behave in school, they didn't label you ADD, they didn't send you to a psychiatrist, you were punished accordingly and if you didn't straighten out, it was worse the next time. Back then if either of my parents had to take off work because I was causing problems in school.....I was in a heap of trouble. Now there are situations where a psychiatrist is mandatory. My son is autistic. He goes to get the meds to keep him calm so he can focus and work/school. And it's getting to the point where he only gets them as I feel they are needed.
Mama_Mia08
New Member
I cannot locate one either. I was looking for a therapist that my daughter could talk to. I would never allow her to be on any type of meds. She just needs to talk to someone other then me that could help her cope with some things. There are psychiatrists that can prescribe meds and psychologists that do therapy. In my own experiences the psychiatrists are just med pushers.
libertytyranny
Dream Stealer
As much as you guys know that I disagree with childhood diagnosis and medication...the OP didn't give any details, and therefore I gave a good source rather than start my usual speech. It may very well be that the child in question DOES need help, or that the OP is saying "pyschiatric doctor" but meaning therapist or psychologist.
J
jp2854
Guest
that isn't true. my psychiatrist is one to say if it isn't broke don't fix it. Some like to push multiple pills (12 or so a day). mine only has me on 2 different meds I take and they help me a lot and I only take 4 total in a day.
Mama_Mia08
New Member
You must have the 1 good one then. I just had to hunt for one myself and after going through a list of 15 I found 1 that I can go to.
CREResident
New Member
Psychiatrists and Pill Pushers
I have known several psychiatrists who would not prescribe medication if they didn't think it would help and only if the person was getting "talk" therapy too. These psychiatrists also gave "talk" therapy as part of their treatment. But in the 80s and 90s, the insurance companies stopped paying for that. So, psychiatrists pretty much had to limit their outpatient practices to doing consultations and prescribing medicine. And many psychiatrists who really enjoyed and were good at talk therapy were unable to continue spending an hour with each patient if they wanted to make enough money to pay their bills too.
As a "talk therapist", I'd always ask patients to make sure other medical causes were evaluated by a qualified physician. Many, many medical and neurological conditions can cause problems - head injury, stroke, dementia, thyroid issues, lymes disease, and many others.
I'd hope that any psychiatrist, social worker, psychologist, etc.. would look at all possible causes and solutions. Medication often only treats the symptom, while the root of the problem persists.... and I don't doubt that the root of the problem could be medical.
Talk therapy, I think is a must for children. But other causes should be looked at too. It's often a combination.....
I have known several psychiatrists who would not prescribe medication if they didn't think it would help and only if the person was getting "talk" therapy too. These psychiatrists also gave "talk" therapy as part of their treatment. But in the 80s and 90s, the insurance companies stopped paying for that. So, psychiatrists pretty much had to limit their outpatient practices to doing consultations and prescribing medicine. And many psychiatrists who really enjoyed and were good at talk therapy were unable to continue spending an hour with each patient if they wanted to make enough money to pay their bills too.
As a "talk therapist", I'd always ask patients to make sure other medical causes were evaluated by a qualified physician. Many, many medical and neurological conditions can cause problems - head injury, stroke, dementia, thyroid issues, lymes disease, and many others.
I'd hope that any psychiatrist, social worker, psychologist, etc.. would look at all possible causes and solutions. Medication often only treats the symptom, while the root of the problem persists.... and I don't doubt that the root of the problem could be medical.
Talk therapy, I think is a must for children. But other causes should be looked at too. It's often a combination.....
Someone I highly recommend....especially if/when you are walking in the door concerned about medication issues right off the bat.
Carol Marcy, PHD - Clinical Psychology - Hollywood, MD
Carol Marcy, PHD - Clinical Psychology - Hollywood, MD
keekee
Well-Known Member
Funny... I was about to recommend the same person. I have never laid eyes on her personally, but I know several people who have seen her (one being a young person) and they say great things about her.
Good Luck on your search! I hear Debra Nelson is Great and it is Very Hard to get into so I'm guesing that's because she is so good. Her number is 410-414-5953. Also try Home : Choices they are pretty helpful as far as advocating and finding the resources that you need, then there's Barstow Acres-410-414-9901 and the IHIP program 410-535-4787. 
Good Luck on your search! I hear Debra Nelson is Great and it is Very Hard to get into so I'm guesing that's because she is so good. Her number is 410-414-5953. Also try Home : Choices they are pretty helpful as far as advocating and finding the resources that you need, then there's Barstow Acres-410-414-9901 and the IHIP program 410-535-4787.
Ms. Nelson is excellent. My daughter is a patient. She has late hours (until 8 or 9) most nights, off Friday, and has Saturday hours. She is in the new medical building in PF.
If you do go the physicitrist route, stay away from Dr. Saleh in PF. He prescribed Abilify to my then 14 yo daughter. Perhaps he didn't know it then, but the commercials on tv now say not for use in young patients. I ended up committing her to Sheppard Pratt for a short time.
Good luck to you in finding someone to treat your child.
I agree with you with Saleh!
My daughter was on 14 pills a day and we went the Sheppard Pratt way also. My daughter is 10. (Pratt put her on Ambilify) I wasn't impressed with Pratt this time they released her while she was still in crisis and she had to return 4 days later. Some crap about her insurance WHATEVER! I can't repeat what I said on here but she then went to Saint Vincent's for a 90 day evaluation and is now at Villa Maria. She is doing "Pretty Awesome" I'm not real sure if I like the 4 pills a day but academically she is finally started to SOAR!
I'm thinking she will be home by Thanksgiving ( I do pick her every weekend) but I'm terrified that putting her back in Calvert Country School will set her back. I'm looking forward to mainstreaming her or even fighting for the Forbush school in Annapolis. P.S. Who is your prescribing Doctor? I need to start getting everything in place before she returns! This may not be relevant to you -- but Calvert (County) Memorial Hospital has an excellent 2-week, adolescent day-treatment program addressing social anxiety/ peer self-esteem issues. They will even provide round-trip daily bus pick-up at your door anywhere in the 3 counties. paid by insurance.
My daughter was in Calvert Memorial for the 2-week day treatment before I put her in Shepperd Pratt. The care was adequate. Her issue was "mean girls". She got out of CMH, went back to school one day and had the same suicidal issues. My therapist said Shepperd Pratt NOW. Glad we did. They didn't have the bus pick-up three years ago. Glad they do now.