New Study in St. Louis

[kurs10b]

They are doing a study at 5 sites, one happens to be St. Louis Childrens Hospital. The study is to investigate the effectiveness of medications for childhood bipolar disorder. Participants will receive lithium, valproate, or risperidone. All kids will get diagnostic evals, meds, and lab tests.

I am wondering if it would be a good idea to participate in this kind of study (8 year old adhd/bipolar). We have sort of got his meds working for him, but maybe something else would work better. Should we try to get him in this study and risk going backwords, or should we stick to what is kind of working?

For anyone else interested and in the area, the study coordinator is Samantha Blankenship and her number is 314-286-2783. You may be able to find out from her where the other study locations are.

[Linda]

Oh my gosh...what is that saying...."If it ain't broke don't fix it"......In my opinion I would leave it alone.

[AnneM]

I agree with Linda .. if you are doing well (or even pretty well) in getting the meds working for your son ... I wouldn't advise taking place in this study ....

These studies are useful to the doctors as a whole ... but it would be pretty unlikely that YOU PERSONALLY will come out of it with the right med!! ... Much more likely that your son would just be a 'statistic' in the bigger picture ...

I would say leave the study to those who really don't YET have the meds even 'sort of' right ...

[kurs10b]

I am still considering doing this but waiting until summer when it wont be as much of an issue. They would want to take him off the trileptal and clonidine, but he could stay on the concerta.