Q. My son will be ten in two day's, He was diagnosed two year's ago with Bi Polar by a doctor at a Children's Hospital. He prescribed Risperdal, then when he put his head through a glass window on purpose. I took him back, the Dr. said all we can do is slow him down more. so he prescribed lithium. That seemed to work but my son was so doped up he would drool, seemed to be in another world . So we quit taking the lithium. My problem is with school, he's been kicked out of so many public school's, one private, it's been a hell. Now he's in a special school that deal's mainly with behavioral problem student's. I was told he needed to be in a therapeutic day class. for him, but I'm afraid he's just not getting what he need's there. I'm currently keeping him out of school because of what happened yesterday at his school. His teacher was restraining him by grabbing him by his one arm so tightly that she left large bruises on his arm, once he was restrained from whatever it was he was doing she never let go but the whole time she dragged him out of the classroom by his arm. Naturally I was pissed off, still am. They tell me not to strike him when he's bad. But it's ok for them to put there hand's on my son! I don't want anyone putting there hand's on my son. She could have done something different. So I filed a police report in the city where my son goes to school. My son likes getting attention by telling the school that I beat him all the time, showed them a scratch on his arm and said I did it. which I didn't but guess who came to my house. CPS. what gives them the right to do this. When I talked to the teacher, she seemed fine with what she did , she didn't even say she was sorry. If I have to home school my child then I will. He has a very high IQ, and feel he would be better off getting his Education elsewhere. My faith in this school and the staff is small. It seems like every week I loose more and more faith, nothing has been done to restore it. So in the meantime he will stay home, till I can arrange something else.

  A. If you are unhappy with the results to date with medications, get a second opinion at the closest university program. School issues are tough. I understand your concern, but one child disrupting an entire class room ruins the ability of all children to learn. Perhaps there was something else going on. I would suggest, however, that if your child has already been thrown out of a number of schools, it may be better to try and work within the system. If you anger the current school teachers and administrators, they will not be near as helpful. Find out what ideas they have and see if they (the school teachers) are reasonable before pulling him out.