Dominion vs Sheppard Pratt

[Anonymous]

Need some guidance on choosing between Dominion vs Sheppard Pratt for improving eating with co-existing anxiety (intrusive fearful visions) for a 12 y/o girl. Anxiety not responding to meds so far. Doc recommends addressing eating as a way to also address the anxiety. Not sure if the diagnosis is accurate. Is it better to keep at home until a psych appointment in mid Nov (for a second opinion)?

Is Johns Hopkins an alternative? Also heard about a Center for Discovery. Quite clueless and helpless at this. Would appreciate any insight from folks who have been there/done that. Any success stories or otherwise with respect to these facilities?

The reviews online for the facilities are all generally poor.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I have heard negative things about Dominion from former patients and former staff. I’ve heard mixed things about Sheppard Pratt. I know Hopkins has a decent eating disorder program. No personal experience though. Sorry you are going through this.

[Anonymous]

Does your daughter have Pandas? The eating disorder plus the intrusive thoughts fit the profile.

I would say that keeping home, unless it has gotten life threatening is probably better than inpatient at her age. Most of these places don't really do a good job of separating the kids from the adults and the kids can pick up worse behaviors or feel traumatized from being locked away.

How about intensive outpatient or a partial hospitalization program where she gets to come home each day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your daughter have Pandas? The eating disorder plus the intrusive thoughts fit the profile.

I would say that keeping home, unless it has gotten life threatening is probably better than inpatient at her age. Most of these places don't really do a good job of separating the kids from the adults and the kids can pick up worse behaviors or feel traumatized from being locked away.

How about intensive outpatient or a partial hospitalization program where she gets to come home each day.

They ruled out pandas. It is frustrating that meds have not stabilized the anxiety aspect. We were hoping to have that under control from the current hospital. They think that taking her home will make it difficult by her refusal to bring her back for follow on treatment.

We asked about Johns Hopkins and were told that they don’t separate adults from kids and the topics in therapy are more adult oriented. It really sucks that there are very few and poor options. On top of it we are vegetarians and these places don’t have good vegetarian plans.

Any positive experiences from anyone?

[Anonymous]

Sorry that I don’t have answers, but avoid Dominion. What about Children’s? Or there’s a place in Richmond, but I can’t think of the name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your daughter have Pandas? The eating disorder plus the intrusive thoughts fit the profile.

I would say that keeping home, unless it has gotten life threatening is probably better than inpatient at her age. Most of these places don't really do a good job of separating the kids from the adults and the kids can pick up worse behaviors or feel traumatized from being locked away.

How about intensive outpatient or a partial hospitalization program where she gets to come home each day.

They ruled out pandas. It is frustrating that meds have not stabilized the anxiety aspect. We were hoping to have that under control from the current hospital. They think that taking her home will make it difficult by her refusal to bring her back for follow on treatment.

We asked about Johns Hopkins and were told that they don’t separate adults from kids and the topics in therapy are more adult oriented. It really sucks that there are very few and poor options. On top of it we are vegetarians and these places don’t have good vegetarian plans.

Any positive experiences from anyone?

PANDAS is actually not that common. PANS is more common and can be brought on by lots of different viral and bacterial infections. If anxiety medications are not working I would be curious and want to rule out co infections and high levels of cytokines as a contributing cause. Have you tried an ibuprofen challenge? Round the clock ibuprofen at treatment doses for 5 days? If the anxiety/ eating disorder is being brought on by systemic inflammatory response (ie: PANS) you will see some small improvements with ibuprofen. This will be a clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your daughter have Pandas? The eating disorder plus the intrusive thoughts fit the profile.

I would say that keeping home, unless it has gotten life threatening is probably better than inpatient at her age. Most of these places don't really do a good job of separating the kids from the adults and the kids can pick up worse behaviors or feel traumatized from being locked away.

How about intensive outpatient or a partial hospitalization program where she gets to come home each day.

They ruled out pandas. It is frustrating that meds have not stabilized the anxiety aspect. We were hoping to have that under control from the current hospital. They think that taking her home will make it difficult by her refusal to bring her back for follow on treatment.

We asked about Johns Hopkins and were told that they don’t separate adults from kids and the topics in therapy are more adult oriented. It really sucks that there are very few and poor options. On top of it we are vegetarians and these places don’t have good vegetarian plans.

Any positive experiences from anyone?

PANDAS is actually not that common. PANS is more common and can be brought on by lots of different viral and bacterial infections. If anxiety medications are not working I would be curious and want to rule out co infections and high levels of cytokines as a contributing cause. Have you tried an ibuprofen challenge? Round the clock ibuprofen at treatment doses for 5 days? If the anxiety/ eating disorder is being brought on by systemic inflammatory response (ie: PANS) you will see some small improvements with ibuprofen. This will be a clue.

Can you please stay on topic vs. pushing your PANDAS agenda.

[Anonymous]

NP here. PANDAS writer simply offered a suggestion. Why hostility. If it was my child I would want lots of suggestions from this board. Obviously OP does what they want with the suggestions and ideas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry that I don’t have answers, but avoid Dominion. What about Children’s? Or there’s a place in Richmond, but I can’t think of the name.

Children's does initial stabilization but not longer term treatment, which is apparently only done at these facilities, almost all of which have mixed reviews. Are you referring to Veritas in Richmond (also in NC)? Any inputs on the Veritas facilities? Thanks.

As for PANS/PANDAS, I am assuming that they checked for it in the blood work when they ruled out pandas. I am not sure if ibuprofen challenge is appropriate for the child's age.

[Anonymous]

In general, Sheppard Pratt and Johns Hopkins have a much better reputation than Dominion. Another option to consider is the Inova Keller center. I'm sorry you are going through this. Very tough situation.

[Anonymous]

I live in the Baltimore area and Shepard Pratt is considered the go-to for inpatient stuff, as far as I've heard, and I believe they have pediatric units... Hopkins also absolutely has a peds inpatient psych unit because I used to work at Hopkins and it was the floor below where I worked. (This was 6 years ago so theoretically it was eliminated, but I doubt it)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in the Baltimore area and Shepard Pratt is considered the go-to for inpatient stuff, as far as I've heard, and I believe they have pediatric units... Hopkins also absolutely has a peds inpatient psych unit because I used to work at Hopkins and it was the floor below where I worked. (This was 6 years ago so theoretically it was eliminated, but I doubt it)

We were thinking Hopkins as well given its overall excellent medical school. Does Hopkins have a facility to treat eating disorder and co-occurring symptoms for children or is it only a child psych unit? We were told that there was not a separate child ED program, but that the activities were more adult focused, which are not appropriate for 11-12 year olds. Any insight? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Inova Kellar Center also has a therapeutic day school in Fairfax as part of its outpatient program. This could be a good option for avoiding hospitalization. The school system places the students there and pays the tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in the Baltimore area and Shepard Pratt is considered the go-to for inpatient stuff, as far as I've heard, and I believe they have pediatric units... Hopkins also absolutely has a peds inpatient psych unit because I used to work at Hopkins and it was the floor below where I worked. (This was 6 years ago so theoretically it was eliminated, but I doubt it)

We were thinking Hopkins as well given its overall excellent medical school. Does Hopkins have a facility to treat eating disorder and co-occurring symptoms for children or is it only a child psych unit? We were told that there was not a separate child ED program, but that the activities were more adult focused, which are not appropriate for 11-12 year olds. Any insight? Thanks.

Hi- if you are still on this thread- so from what I recall from when I worked in the childrens center, they absolutely had an inpatient pediatric psych unit, it was part of the general childrens hospital and it was it's own floor/unit. I remember seeing kids on the census as young as 4 or so, and through age 16 or 17. I do not know if they had anything specific in terms of an ED program since I didn't work on that unit, but I do recall a few 12-14 year old patients on my unit who had severe ED, came in for a day or two of medical stabilization and then were transferred to the pediatric psych unit so I know that at least back in 2010 or so, they took those cases even in the absence of a proper program for it but that may not be what you are looking for. If there is a specialized eating disorder unit in the regular psych unit then yes, there will be adults there so I agree 11 might be a little young for it. GL and I hope you find the best program for her.

[Anonymous]

OP--are you looking for a program like this but locally?

https://www.eatingrecoverycenter.com/recovery-centers/levels-of-care/child/adolescent-inpatient