Updates | The Medicated Child | FRONTLINE

Updates on this report as of Nov. 2, 2009:

DJ

DJ's parents report that he is doing great. He is now 6 years old and, although he was held back a year, he is happy at school and having fewer tantrums at home. The combination of Depakote, Seroquel -- for sleep and to quiet the mania -- and Focalin XR seem to be working well. DJ no longer takes Risperdal and his appetite has returned to normal -- in fact, according to The New York Times, the results of a recent study indicate that "young children and adolescents who take the newest generation of antipsychotic medications risk rapid weight gain and metabolic changes that could lead to diabetes, hypertension and other illnesses."

Jessica

Jessica is now 14 years old. Her mother reports that she is on a new mix of medications, Lithium and Abilify. Because Lithium can increase appetite, she eats a meal every two hours and has gained 20 pounds since she began taking the medication in August 2009. Jessica is in 8th grade but takes all of her classes online; she find this method of education beneficial given how difficult she found school's social pressures. Her mother's biggest concern is how Jessica will adjust to being a teenager and, once she turns 18, an adult.

Jacob

Jacob graduated high school and now attends a community college in Colorado. He is struggling with this transition, as the controlled structure of high school helped with his bipolar. As much as his family would like to take him off meds, they fear that he will deteriorate and be unable to function if he stops taking them. Jacob is currently on the same combination of medications as he was in the film, though now that he has turned 18, he can legally decide whether or not he wants to continue taking them. His father reports that, although he is currently going through a tough period, he is still doing yoga and finding it helpful.

Brain Matters

In February 2008, shortly after this program was first broadcast, Brain Matters filed for bankruptcy.

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posted april 7, 2008; updated nov. 2, 2009