It sounds nice but a clinical trial is just a fancy name of being a guinea pig. It would scare me to test my child in such a way, but I am not at wits end like you are.

Have they already put your child on Respidal? It is used often with children and has a very high success rate?

ditto. Too scary for children

It wouldn't hurt for you and your husband to sit down with them and get answers first hand. If the trial is specific to children and adolescents she might find something helpful or get extra attention.

I went to a screening for a trial medication and after meeting with them for a couple of hours they decided my situation didn't fit the scope of the trial so at least I knew I had tried. The gave me some advice that took me in another direction that was helpful.
Goodluck

I might consider for myself but mychildren?!?!?

You know drugs effect a girls REPRODUCTIVE system their ENTIRE lives. I would never do that to her.

Just becareful, ASK A TON OF QUESTIONS!!!!!!

If the trial has gotten to a point that they are willing to try it on children it is bound to be safe. There may be some remote risks, and you would have to be willing to accept those. Those risks are, however, remote.

I totally understand and appreciate what everyone is saying. I was hoping to get advice and opinions and appreciate everyone taking the time to respond. I'll provide a little more info on her situation and what has brought me to this point. Hopefully this will answer some of your questions as to why I would even consider this. In the past 7 months she has been on Lexapro, Celexa, Seroquel, Lamictal, Klonopin, Trazadon, Geodon, Lamictal, and Wellbutrin every time she has been hospitalized they have changed her dx to something else and changed her meds. Her dx's have been major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder (NOS), ADHD, Borderline Traits, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder (NOS). In all of the research I have done on all of the dx's the one that imo matches her symptoms is bipolar disorder. As for scary, trust me she is already terrified. She has auditory hallucinations, the voices tell her to hurt herself, kill herself, she is stupid and doesn't deserve to live, etc. The current Dr. that is treating her during this hospitalization told me she doesn't believe she hears voices but that they are her on thoughts. My daughter is convinced that she is "broken" and that they will never be able to "fix" her and therefore sees no point in continuing to live. She has started cutting herself and is unable to attend school despite several efforts to transition her back. I guess I was hoping that since this is a specifically focused trial that there would be Dr.s who are experts in child/adolescent bipolar and that they would better understand her disorder as opposed to those that have treated her both in and out of the hospital that don't seem to specialize in any specific disorder. Frankly, I am desparate and just want to do what is best for her. I feel like we have been running in circles for so long with no progress.

I forgot to mention that she is 12 years old.

My son is 13 and the only meds that have worked for him is abilify. He has autism, however, when he is on any other med he is very self injurous. Just a thought. Best of luck sweetie.

I would ask what drugs they are concidering testing... what kind of monitoring they are providing and what the possible affects on a child maybe. It may simply be meds approved for adults that they are looking to make accessable for children.

Just a side note... I would really look at the Borderline dx as well aas the bp. Has she had any major trama besides mental health issues? If she has managed to give them the impression of that many disorders I would really look at that one. My current therapist is very educated in this disorder and says it is treatable with meds and therapy (most research says your screwed and that its all therapy... TO me when a psycologist suggests that there are meds that help I listen. THey arent marketing drugs they get nothing for it. I am borderline. I went throught a 100 dx befor they finally figured me out(maybe not a 100) but they are finally fine tuning it, and I am full of several.

This is something my psycologist said to me that might help your daughter:

"you are not a diagnosis. Yes it helps doctors go down a certain path for treatment, but ultimately you are you. Leave the DX to the doctors and focus on you and your symptoms. Share them all and we will work on them and leave the titles in the files"

That really helped me. I really get obsesive on dx's as I NEED to know whats wrong with me. Accepting Im me and I can change me throught proper treatment and threapy has been a real revolation... I just found it too... I stoped my spread sheets of wwho I am and now Im just focusing on healing.

(((HUGS))) buggy

Thanks Buggy, I've struggled quite a bit with whether or not I agree with the borderline dx for her. I have read through all of the criteria and what the DSM IV says etc., etc.

She definitely presents with several of the symptoms, but not as many as what the DSM says should there be to diagnose. She also has not had any trauma that we are aware of or that she has expressed, she has often said that she wishes that someone had done something to her or that we were bad parents so that she had a reason for all of this :-( She also has never exhibited any kind of separation anxiety whatsoever.
As for psychologists, I don't know what we would do without hers!! She has been a Godsend. I just wish we could find the right pdoc.

If she is twelve and going through this I thought she was younger... i would look into it.

I was her age when I was suicidal and I too did not think anything BAD happened to me... UNTIL.... Anyways Like I said that is just me!!!

Just don't rule it out let the Dr's They also know that there are milder forms of each illness and the DSM IV does not have all the answers!!

They are very selective in the selection process. Most times I never hear back from these things after expressing interest