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I adopted a sibling group of 4 with Reactive Attachment Disorder. I have made progress with the younger children.. The 9 year old who has been in my care for 3 years is a predator and seeks at any given opportunity to hurt her 4 year old sister. She thrives on injuring her sister. I need help in what to do she recently squeezed her legs and now has 15 bruises. She waits for an opportunity to harm her. Please let me know what I should do about this.
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I've not been on these forums for several months, but have come onto this thread...and have BTDT with RAD children. You mention that you've made progress with the other children, but not this one. I'm guessing you knew the children (all?) had RAD when you adopted them??? If so, your agency or attorney should have put you in touch with MANY resources to help with RAD children. They are a true challenge to life-itself. My first suggestion would be to contact those who've been assigned to help with with the kids. A child who is inflicting harm to other children in the home should not be allowed to continue to live in the same home-scenario with them...if the other children cannot be kept safe and not having to worry about being hurt in any way.
A RAD resource may suggest residential treatment for awhile, or at least intensive counseling. They may also suggest the RAD child be separated within your home (even alarms at his/her door, etc) to alert you should the child try to hurt the others during the night). Is this 9yr old sexually abusing the other children? If so, this is of grave concern for your other children, of course.
Keep in mind that as long as one child is hurting others within your home, YOU can be charged with 'failure to protect' the other children. This is why it's important for you to contact a good resource to help....and, likewise, be a 'witness' to the fact that you're trying to find help for everyone involved.
Good Luck. Raising RAD children can be extremely difficult.
Sincerely,
Linny
I would like to follow up on my 9 year old daughter who was hurting her siblings and out of control. I placed her in 3 months of a psychiatric treatment facility. I did not allow them to medicate her with the exception of Prozac. She had intensive therapy that I was a part of. In therapy she was told that returning home if she had behaviors she would return to a treatment center long term and then move to a relatives home. That she would have to make the choice but there would be no tolerance for behaviors. She has been home for 3 months and doing well with no dangerous behaviors. She is working hard on attaching and healing.