Learning disabilities may be in vogue, but they are not the only reason that some children have trouble in school or in life. One child’s emotional meltdowns can make it difficult for everyone. Unfortunately, it can take years before a child receives what he or she needs.
Liza Long knows first-hand how bad the mental health care arena can be. Her son is better now, having finally been accurately diagnosed and then properly treated, but reaching that point took years. She has written about their struggles – and the sorry state of mental health care for children – in her book, The Price of Silence: A Mom’s Perspective on Mental Illness.
In tonight’s NPR show, Weekend Edition Sunday, Ms. Long and her son are interviewed in their segment, “How Talking Openly Against Stigma Helped A Mother And Son Cope With Bipolar Disorder“. The aforementioned title is a link that will take you to that NPR piece.