What is RAD?
RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder) is a condition in which individuals have difficulty forming loving, lasting intimate relationships.
Children who do not have healthy attachments with a loving caregiver . . .
- Do not trust caregivers or adults in authority.
- Have extreme control problems, manifested in covertly manipulative or overtly hostile ways.
- Do not develop a moral foundation: no empathy, no remorse, no conscience, no compassion for others.
- Lack the ability to give and receive genuine affection or love.
- Resist all efforts to nurture or guide them.
- Lack cause and effect thinking.
- Act out negatively, provoking anger in others.
- Lie, steal, cheat, manipulate.
- Are destructive, cruel, argumentative and hostile.
- Lack self-control - are impulsive.
- Are superficially charming and engaging.
Attachment disorders vary in severity, but the term is usually reserved for individuals who show a nearly complete lack of ability to be genuinely affectionate with others. They typically fail to develop a conscience and do not learn to trust.
Symptoms of RAD:Attachment Disorder -
- Superficially engaging and charming;
- lack of eye contact; indiscriminate affectionate with strangers;
- not cuddly to parents;
- destructive to self, others, animals and material things; lying; stealing; impulsive;
- no conscience; poor interaction with peers;
- sexual acting out;
- preoccupation with fire;
- incessant chatter.
The process of developing healthy attachments can be disrupted by...abuse, neglect, abandonment, multiple changes in caregivers, foster care, adoption, painful illness, exposure to alcohol/drugs in utero, maternal depression, inconsistent day care.
Parents of children with Attachment Disorder frequently . . .
- Feel isolated and depressed.
- Feel frustrated and stressed.
- Are hypervigilant, agitated, have difficulty concentrating.
- Are confused, puzzled, obsessed with finding answers.
- Feel blamed by family, friends, and professionals.
- Feel helpless, hopeless, and angry.
- Feel that problems are minimized by the helping profession.
To begin with, order this book and use it. It is a MUST!
When Love is Not Enough by Nancy Thomas You can order it through her directly.
$12 + 3 S&H. The videos are great too, amateur ones but so well worth it. $33 I think
you can get the complete package for $40 + S&H
email her at ncthomas@rof.net
Ontario RAD Families - a Canadian web site and forum devoted exclusively to Reactive Attachment Disorder. "Our goal is to create an Ontario and/or Canadian-based support network for parents, grandparents and respite providers".
Reactive Attachment Disorder - It's time to understand:
PSYCHE MATTERS: http://www.psychematters.com/
CIVITAS:
- Child trauma programs and research. Many articles reference attachment and attachment issues in abused/neglected children. A new article entitled: Altered Brain Development following global neglect in Early Childhood is interesting and enlightening.
KUDDLEKIDS: Go directly to the Discipline Section (scroll down the page) Many, many applicable ideas and
concepts for RAD parent use. Our group has permission to print and share this information (as long as they get the credit for the information). For
those of you who have already read Parenting with Love and Logic, this will build on those techniques. This is a MUST SEE, READ, PRINT, AND TRY.
AN ARTICLE OF INTEREST: EVALUATING OLDER PRE-ADOPTIVE FOSTER CHILDREN:
http://www.apa.org/journals/pro/pro295428.html
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The holding treatment is very important.
Treatments using Holding:
http://www.debrahage.com/pwp/holding.htm
Attachment Disorder: Information and Effective Treatments
http://www.sni.net.pwp/
http://www.syix.com/adsg/resourses2.htm
all over the US
Other useful treatment:
Work on your own holdings at home using the book:
Holding Time by Dr. Martha Welsh $11
http://www.emdr.com/
http://www.syix.com/adsg/articles/9stages.htm
Neuro Feedback
Welcome to The Mozart Effect®Resource Center http://www.mozarteffect.com
http://www.instituteforattachment.org
http://www.attach.bond.com/
http://www.adoption-research.org/pac.html
http://www.pgi.edu
http://www.attach.org/
CANGRANDS National Kinship Support
R.R. 1, McArthurs Mills, Ontario K0L 2M0
Tel: 613-474-0035
E-mail: grandma@cangrands.com
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