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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Parents of Special Needs Children Need to Ask Tough Financial Questions
Written By: Christine Walker, Pamela DeLoatch
Many parents of kids with special needs are so busy planning for the present that they neglect to plan for their child's financial future. But the best time to take a look at this is as soon as you know your child will need additional care. Find out some of the hard questions they should answer as they plan for the future.
Feeling Guilty When Raising a Child With Special Needs
Written By: Pamela DeLoatch | Resource Creation By: Keli McNeill | Design By: Sunny DiMartino
Parents are often their own toughest critics. When the idyllic picture of what we thought our family would look like is a stark contrast to what the reality is, we add on even more stress by feeling guilty about what we did or didn't do in a a sea of very complex situations. For parents of special needs children, these instances are magnified, but they are recurring thoughts of every parent, nearly every day. Break the cycle of guilt for your sake and for the sake of your child.
Advocating for your Adopted Child with Complex Developmental Trauma
Written By: Aleksandra Corwin, Lizzie Vance | Resource Creation By: Bridget Morton, Keli McNeill | Design By: Sunny DiMartino, Nathan Lueth, Christy Bui
Lori Hetzel is the mother of a child diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder (RAD). She describes the struggles her family encountered obtaining special education and resources for their daughter after they adopted her from Russia at age nine.
Sitting in the Light of Human Connection
Written By: Katie Gutierrez
A reflection on the beauty of special education staff and their dedication to the kids with disabilities that they serve. Bodies of Light.
Reflecting on Newtown and Coming Out of the Closet on Mental Illness: It's Time
Written By: Christine Walker
Each year we reflect on the anniversary of Newtown. During the recollection, let's make sure that we strengthen our commitment to preventing this from happening again, anywhere. One way is to read this emotional plea by Christine Walker, mother of a son afflicted with mental illness.