Seriously, a reader cannot be certain that RAD is the key problem with T, who has had prenatal exposure to alcohol, marijuana and cocaine and has experienced "abuse and neglect" (Lyon p. 644). The article brings in the possibility that FASD or PTSD may be appropriate in describing "T" -- a 12-year-old Hispanic boy. But what stands out in the intervention of T. is the litany of medications given to T. while he was institutionalized due to wild and violent behaviors: Risperidone (3 mg); clozapine (200 mg); valproic acid (750 mg); guanfacine (4 mg); and desmopressin (0.6 mg). In addition, T received chlorpromazine (50 mg every 2 hours) and Benadryl (50 mg every 4 hours) (Lyon p. 645) to curb his aggression. What also stands out is the disclosure that Lyon received money from Eli Lilly to conduct this research on T. How much credibility does an author have in this matter when he is tied to Eli Lilly? "No psychopharmacological controlled trials for RAD have been conducted" Lyon asserts, and the "efficacy" of using drugs on RAD and/or PTSD is as yet unclear. So drugs administered to control T. did not help in determining if he had ADHD, FASD, RAD, PTSD, or all. Again, a reader sees confusion rather than results.

Conclusion: And so, can a child exhibiting RAD symptoms become more "normal" with warm loving care? The "Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri" contradicts information that this paper referenced earlier: "A child with this disorder will not be able to open themselves up to love regardless of how loving the adoptive family is" (Viviano, MHA). Meantime, research shows that parents adopting children internationally are under greater risk for RAD because "families have a more difficult task obtaining…information" on the complete mental health background and "inherited temperament" of the biological parents (Rogu, 2008).

Works Cited

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2008). Reactive

(2008). Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy:
An evidence-based treatment for children with complex trauma and disorders of attachment.

Child & Family Social Work, vol. 13, 329-337.

Boekamp, John R. (2008). Reactive attachment disorder in young children: current perspectives on diagnosis and treatment. CABL/The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior

Letter. 24(8), 5-7.

Buckner, Julia D, Lopez, Cristina, Dunkel, Stephanie, and Joiner, Thomas E. (2008). Behavior

Management Training for the Treatment of Reactive Attachment Disorder. Child Maltreatment, 13(3), 289-297.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). What are the characteristics of children

With FAS and other FASDs? Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Retrieved May 11, 2009,

From http://www.cdc.gov.

Chaffin, Mark. (2008). Commentary on Buckner and Implications for Treatment Selection

Among Foster Children with RAD. Child Maltreatment, 13(3), 313-314.

Cornell, Tonya, and Hamrin, Vanya. (2008). Clinical Interventions for Children With

Attachment Problems. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 21(1), 35-47.

Lyon, J. Gholson, Coffey, Barbara, and Silva, Raul. (2008). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Reactive Attachment Disorder: Outcome in an Adolescent. Journal of Child and Adolescent

Psychopharmacology, 18(6), 641-646.

Medline Plus. (2008). Reactive Attachment disorder of infancy or early childhood. Retrieved May 12, 2009, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001547.htm.

National Library of Medicine. (2008). Reactive Attachment Disorder. Retrieved May 12, 2009,

From http://www.nlm.nih.gov.

Rogu, George. (2008). Reactive Attachment Disorder. International Adoption Stories. Retrieved May 12, 2009, from http://www.internationaladoptionstories.com/rad.htm.

Viviano, Beth. (2006). Open Mind. Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri. Retrieved May

13, 2009, from http://www.mhagstl.org/OM-ReactiveAtt.htm.