HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS British Journal of Psychiatry Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lax-Pericall, M. T. Articles by Cox, A. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Lax-Pericall, M. T. Articles by Cox, A. D.

The consequences of maternal overdoses on children

Child and Family Consultation Centre, 1 Wolverton Gardens, London W6 7DQ

A. D. Cox, Professor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Guy's and St Thomas's Medical and Dental School, Bloomfield Clinic, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas Street, London SE1 9RT

^* Correspondence

The children of women who take overdoses may suffer due to the same factors that predispose to the overdose, to witnessing the event and the immediate and long-term consequences of it. We examined what arrangements had been made for the children of 21 women admitted to hospital after an overdose, and enquired into the explanation that the mother planned to give the children. Children of mothers with psychiatric disorder were more likely to have witnessed the overdose. Mothers preferred that the children did not know about the overdose. The importance of this for the psychological development of the children is discussed.