“My Stepson Is the Depakote Victim”

Billings, MTKari blames the doctor for prescribing Depakote and the mother for taking it during her pregnancy. “Sadly, my stepson Jaxon is the victim because of his developmental problems related to Depakote,” says Kari.

Seven-year-old Jaxon has been diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. He has severe ADHD and is on a very high dose of Adderall, which is another worry in itself. “Jaxon takes 60 mg of Adderall a day and I worry about his heart when he gets older,” says Kari, who chose to end her career as an accountant and take care of Jaxon and his older brother.

Their birth mother, who is bipolar, took Depakote during her pregnancy with Jaxon. She quit for a short time in her first trimester but her doctor convinced her that it was more dangerous to go off it than the risk of Depakote birth defects.

Jaxon has four siblings (all five children have the same mother and father), none of whom have physical or psychological issues. Kari knows their mother quit depakote with her other pregnancies because she feared the birth defect spina bifida. Kari’s husband said she constantly had ultrasounds to ensure nothing was wrong. Unfortunately, learning disabilities weren’t linked to Depakote years ago.

“My husband has a lot of guilt,” Kari says. “Had he known there were other ramifications - the psychological problems associated with Depakote - he would have put up more of a fight so she wouldn’t take the drug. And she should have seen a psychiatrist for her bipolar condition rather than the family doctor.”

Kari has a 14-year-old daughter so she is familiar with child development. She knew something was wrong with Jaxon early on. “Jaxon didn’t walk until he was two and didn’t talk until he was three,” she says. “My husband and I were always concerned about developmental delays; we had him assessed when he started to walk. His IQ is very high but his motor skills are a problem.”

Jaxon was enrolled in a pre-school program for special education to get him ready for kindergarten. He is going into third grade this year and just had a psychological evaluation. The results show emotional disturbance from abandonment. They also indicate a sensory delay and problems with motor skills, both of which Kari and her husband believe are Depakote-related.

“It’s like there is a disconnect with Jaxon,” Kari explains. “For instance, I will ask him to pick up the blue ball and he will bring back the wheelbarrow. Yet he thinks he is doing the right thing.

“I had always suspected Depakote, back when I couldn’t get Jaxon to walk. He wasn’t potty trained until he was five and he still wets the bed. Now I am concerned that Jaxon is autistic along with his ADHD. My friend has an autistic child who exhibits similar behavior patterns.

“As for his ADHD, if Jaxon misses a dose of Adderall, he would be out of control, screaming and defiant, and being as bad as possible, such as lie and steal. If he misses one dose, the school will send him home. Unfortunately, Adderall is the only thing that works; believe me, we have tried every route possible without stimulants. I know the dangers of Adderall but if it is pulled from the market, what will we do? It’s a double-edged sword: If not for Depakote, Jaxon wouldn’t need Adderall.”

As a mother, Kari is angry with the drug company and Jaxon’s mother. She believes that Depakote shouldn’t be prescribed to a woman who has the remotest chance of getting pregnant. Kari also believes that the risk of Depakote birth defects far outweighs the risk of the mother having a seizure.