Case follow-up
The pediatrician finds another book to satisfy the younger sibling and says to the mother, “I’m glad to see that at least they are fighting over a book. That’s great that you have taught them to like reading.” They commiserate about how difficult it is to raise three young children as a single parent, and the mother then begins to open up about Emily’s defiant and disrespectful behavior at home that the mother blames on herself. The pediatrician offers a referral to see a local family therapist, which the mother gratefully accepts.
References
1. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1985 Jul;55(3):345-53.
2. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2016 Apr;25(2):167-78.
3. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2009). Oppositional Defiant Disorder: A Guide for Families.
Dr. Rettew is associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Vermont, Burlington. Email him at pdnews@frontlinemedcom.com.