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The Road Ahead
Now, at age 11, Michael is taking an antipsychotic medication, a mood stabilizer and, to help him sleep, melatonin, while Dr. Papolos closely monitors his symptoms and adjusts the doses. Many of these potent drugs, which can have serious side effects, are being prescribed off-label, without FDA approval for children and adolescents, because so few studies have focused on this age group.But for Janice, the proof is right in front of her eyes. Michael’s auditory and visual hallucinations dissipated and are finally gone. “His meltdowns, which used to occur 10 to 12 times a day, became fewer in number, less intense and shorter in duration. For the first time in his life, he has been sleeping like a normal kid. He’s come a long way,” she says.
“We’re so lucky to have good doctors and to be able to afford the medicine,” adds Janice. “If not, where would Michael be?” She answers her own question: He would probably be placed in juvenile detention. “Without understanding it, you see a terribly misbehaved kid.”
The Bonises recognize that pills alone won’t solve Michael’s problems. He missed more than 130 days of school last year. His parents and doctors believed that a therapeutic day school with small classes and trained staff would provide a more appropriate education, but it took until last May for the plan to be implemented.
No one knows how Michael will do as he enters adolescence, which can be difficult for any kid. Dr. Papolos recommends that teenagers take responsibility for their medications to avoid a power struggle with parents. Bipolar teens also have a greater risk of becoming addicted to recreational drugs. But Michael’s family is optimistic. “I’m sure that medications will change over his lifetime,” says Janice. “I expect a shot or a patch, or even some kind of brain fix, to provide him extended relief.”
Today Michael is five feet tall, 115 pounds, with jet-black hair, sparkling dark eyes and dimples that appear when he smiles. He’s affectionate to his older sisters and his pets: four small dogs and a cat. His warm personality and exceptional athletic talents have been a blessing—providing him with opportunities to socialize with other kids and to excel. Michael plays baseball two or three times a week, six months out of the year. For those few hours on the field, everyone in the family feels normal. “That’s the glue for right now,” says his dad.
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