RJ is 12 years old. He’s a big brother and a responsible latchkey kid who helps out at home, his mom, Tasha, says. “He’s my little engineer—he can put anything together. He loves math, and he wants to be an architect. When he’s good, he’s great… But when he isn’t good, things get very, very hard.”
Tasha has worked in mental health for many years, first in the prison system and now at Sheppard Pratt. So, when she started to see signs of mental illness, she leapt into action.
“My son struggled with his anger,” she remembers. “Everything triggered an attack. If he couldn’t go outside or he lost his video game, he’d have a tantrum, screaming and yelling and unable to come back down to baseline. He punched walls and threw things; he even broke the TV twice. He wasn’t able to make friends or have healthy relationships with his peers. He was acting out and lying. The breaking point was when he had a physical altercation with a family member. The next day, I brought him to Sheppard Pratt. I told the nurse practitioner at Psychiatric Urgent Care what was happening, and she immediately had him admitted for inpatient services. It was difficult, but I knew I couldn’t handle it alone. I needed help.”
The treatment journey
RJ stayed on the Child Unit at Sheppard Pratt’s Towson hospital for a week and a half. He was diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, and ADHD. “RJ’s caregivers were very communicative with me, always honest, transparent, and real,” Tasha says. “But they also gave me the optimism I needed.” RJ started medication to manage his symptoms and began therapy to work on his aggression and behavior. Once he had stabilized and was ready for discharge from the inpatient unit, RJ transitioned to the Child and Adolescent Day Hospital, also on the Towson campus. The day hospital provides treatment during the day and allows patients to return to the comforts of their own homes at night.
As part of that treatment, RJ attended daily group sessions and individual therapy appointments. “One-on-one time with therapists was good for RJ, and the group sessions were really helpful. He enjoyed listening to other kids he could relate to, whose struggles gave him perspective and insight,” Tasha says. “Groups were also a place where he felt like he could just be himself.” At the day hospital, group treatment can involve a variety of methods, from behavioral therapies and supportive counseling to recreational activities and educational sessions to help patients understand their diagnoses. In groups, kids learn to work together building social and problem-solving skills. They practice healthy interactions while learning coping mechanisms to take home with them.
“After a week and a half of inpatient and two weeks in the day hospital, I had seen a significant change,” Tasha says. “I had my son again. A very bright young man who could play with others and talk to people—not at people. A boy that wasn’t angry all the time.”
Once he got home, RJ continued with outpatient services, seeing the same therapist he had worked with during his hospital treatment. He began to practice the coping mechanisms he was taught in treatment. “My son learned that it’s okay to separate yourself, to take a walk, to grab some colored pencils and draw or color. He is learning to see the signs of agitation, to recognize when he feels overwhelmed or anxious—and to take a breather. And then communicate his needs. Medication management is an important part of the process, too.”
Tasha’s goals for RJ include him going to a good high school where he will have opportunities to use his mind productively and get ahead academically. She says RJ may need some additional guidance at times, but things have gotten a lot better. “He is a vulnerable kid underneath the anger. I am so thankful that his team at Sheppard Pratt saw him for who he could be.
“I wholeheartedly thank everybody who helped me with RJ. It’s really been a rollercoaster, but I have had so many people here who helped at every step. It’s a village, a family. I’m very, very appreciative for that. I trusted everybody at Sheppard Pratt, and it was great experience.”
To other parents
“Pay attention. If you think your child may be struggling, it’s okay to get help,” Tasha says. “As a Black mom, I know the misguided pressure to keep our kids away from mental health treatment—but the earlier you get treatment, the better. If your child is acting out, they are telling you they need help. Sometimes they just don’t know how to ask for it.”
If you think your child needs help, Sheppard Pratt’s Child and Adolescent Day Hospital is here for you.