Reactive Attachment Disorder
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is a severe and relatively uncommon disorder,
characterized by markedly disturbed and developmentally inappropriate ways of relating socially in most contexts.
Featured Child
This is Nadya
Nadya was nine years old when Lori and Karl rescued her from an orphanage deep within Siberia. With little grasp of language and no experience of life outside the Russian adoption system, Nadya suffered from severe neglect and trauma, and was later diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Featured Articles for RAD
Loving Your Child—No Matter What They Do
There are countless books on parenting, but nothing fully prepares you to be the parent of YOUR child. Every child is different, every situation is different, and every day can be different than the last. For parents of children with special needs, this is surely the case. There is no manual for how to handle meltdowns, rage episodes, and aggressive behavior and there is no clear cut answer to how you should FEEL about your children during these times of struggle.
Adopting a Child of Trauma: Gaining Perspective on What Your Child's Behavior and Rage Are Telling You
As the parent of a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder, Lori Hetzel knows that her daughter's intense emotions are trying to communicate what she is unable to express with words. Nadya's extreme behavior is the only tool she has for expressing her fundamental need for security. Read about Lori's efforts to maintain perspective during crisis, and then consider three perspectives to help you as you approach your own child's extreme behavior.
Residential Care: A Story of Love and Caring for a Traumatized Daughter
After years of rages and fighting, Lori Hetzel’s adopted daughter’s behavior, diagnosed as Reactive Attachment Disorder, turns in a dangerous direction, leading the family to consider options for her care they have never wanted to consider until now. Nadya’s extreme emotionality, aggressive reactivity, and unpredictability has left the family with no good, safe options for keeping her at home.
Latest Articles for RAD
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Binders and Breakdowns: A Mother’s Introduction to the Individualized Education Plan Process
Written By: Julie Wallach | Resource Creation By: Bridget Morton | Design By: Christy BuiAn Individualized Education Plan takes time to create and implement, often requiring a year or more of testing, meetings, and decision-making to determine appropriate educational instruction and supports for a student with special needs. When Angie digs into the process, she learns more about education than she ever thought possible, and wades through bureaucracy, advocating for her son.
Scaling Emotional Hurdles in the Classroom with Emotional Scaling
Written By: Geoff Campbell | Resource Creation By: Bridget Morton | Design By: Christy Bui, Sunny DiMartinoSome children have difficulty understanding their emotions, which can sometimes lead to class-disrupting episodes of anger. By working closely with students and using strategies like emotional scaling, teachers and educators can help students better understand emotions, changes in intensity, and coping strategies, which often leads to increased self-control in the classroom.
Swing Low, Swing High: Parents Moving into Emotional Scaling for their Daughter
Written By: Nancy Yeang | Resource Creation By: Bridget Morton | Design By: Christy Bui, Sunny DiMartinoParents of children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and other trauma and stressor-related disorders try many techniques to mitigate the problems with emotion regulation and aggressive behavior. Emotional scaling can help children with RAD to better understand their emotional experience in order to regulate their emotions and behavior before experiencing outbursts of agitation and aggression.
Through His Eyes: Natural and Logical Consequences at Home
Written By: Nancy Yeang | Resource Creation By: Bridget Morton | Design By: Sunny DiMartinoA father struggles with having his son, who has behavioral issues, understand the consequences of his actions. After a visit with a behavioral counselor, he learns about behavioral strategies, and also finds a window into his son’s world that allows him to better see and understand his perspective.
Helping Students Follow Classroom Expectations and Rules with Collaborative Problem Solving
Written By: Amanda Ronan | Resource Creation By: Bridget Morton | Design By: Sunny DiMartinoCollaborative Problem Solving (CPS) is an effective alternative to delivering negative consequences to students who aren’t consistently following basic classroom rules and expectations. A relationship-based, nonconfrontational approach, CPS helps teachers and students work together to understand everyone’s concerns, then arrive at a mutually beneficial solution.
Treatment for Mental Health and Addiction Finally Gets a Level Playing Field
Written By: Christine WalkerChristine Walker, author of Chasing Hope, was on hand last week for the announcement that the White House would issue the final rules to the Mental Health And Addiction Parity Act of 2008. Thirty-Three years overdue, this change will have a momentous impact on the lives of those sufferering from mental illness and addiction.