Q. My 13 year old daughter has been diagnosed with emerging BPD. After reading your book, I feel it is indeed an accurate diagnosis. Your book was extremely helpful, particularly in understanding where her behavior comes from. However, it didn't specifically address BPD in adolescents. My question is simply, is there something I should be doing to help her at this age? She is on medication, and attends a school for SED children that includes a partial hospitalization program. She has been hospitalized twice for suicidal feelings, once for 10 days. I know once she is 18, I will lose much of the control over her treatment I currently have. I need to know we are doing everything for her that can be done. Should I have her in a BPD program?

 

A. Thank you for your inquiry. It appears that you have been very responsible in seeking treatment for your child. The combination of medications, therapy, and an alternative school is a very well-rounded approach to helping her. To date, there is still a great deal of controversy as to whether children/adolescents can be accurately given the diagnosis of bpd. Research has not been conclusive and therefore many professionals disagree as to whether the diagnosis should be given during the time when a teenager develops the characteristics, moods, and tendencies that make up what we call the personality. In my opinion, the symptoms of bpd can be detected in children and adolescents at a very young age and therefore treatment should be sought for these as soon as possible. However, due to the professional debate, there are only a few programs that focus on the treatment of bpd with adolescents. What you may want to do is to seek out a clinic or hospital that has outpatient services that utilize dialectical behavioral therapy for teenagers. An example of such is in Portland, Oregon called the Portland Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Program. Other programs around the country are being formed.