Susan and Michael Schofield have
no letup in their grueling day –- 11-year-old Jani is one of the
youngest children ever to be treated for schizophrenia, and now her
6-year-old brother Bodhi, though not officially diagnosed with the same
disorder, has violent outbursts and self-harming behavior that suggest
he might also have the disease.
“I had thought I
had seen it all,” Michael Schofield, a 38-year-old part-time college
professor, told ABC News. “What could possibly be worse than a young
daughter in a psychiatric hospital?”
Their
son has been diagnosed with severe autism and intermittent explosive
disorder and has had five hospitalizations at a UCLA psychiatric
facility this year, his parents said.
“The
first challenge is you’re not sure your children are going to make it,”
said Schofield. “Right now, we are afraid Bodhi will crack his skull
open or at least severely injure himself. With Jani, there was the fear
of suicide after she made a couple of attempts. It’s a threat to the
basic survival of your children.”
The
Los Angeles couple, who have been married since 1994, went public with
their story to highlight the struggle of parents raising children with
mental illness. They have devoted their entire lives to keeping their
family together and not sending their children to a psychiatric
institution. But the strain is taking a toll.
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