Abstract
The use of psychotropic medication by children and youth within the child welfare system is examined. The increasing use of these medications by this population is presented as problematic through a case study and by identifying general aspects of the social systems that have contributed to its development and entrenchment. The needs of children and youth in the child welfare system, the influence of the pharmaceutical industry and historical trends in child psychiatry supplement a narrative of a child who was misdiagnosed as severely mentally disturbed and subjected to intense psychotropic medication. The article concludes by stating that resisting the forces that attempt to enforce the use of psychotropic medication by these children and youth is possible through self-education and assertive advocacy for non-chemical alternatives.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 63-74 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - Jun 2007 |