Reactive Detachment Disorder, or RAD, is a rare but serious lifelong disorder, in which a child is unable to form normal, healthy relationships. While it is found in children who are adopted, there are other factors that can cause the condition to develop: extreme poverty, abuse, postpartum depression, and alcoholic or drug-addicted parents. Other than behavior therapy, there are no medications to treat the symptoms of Rad (academic and peer issues, inappropriate sexual behaviors, anxiety, eating disorders, depression and violent behaviors and tendencies) .
Marlyne Barrett (as Alma Cardoza in this episode) previously appeared in season 6, episode 20, Night (2005) (as Sarah Miller). Additionally, she was in several episodes of the original Law & Order (1990). Nearly a decade after this episode of SVU aired, she would go on to play one of the leads in another Dick Wolf series, Chicago Med (2015) (as Maggie Lockwood).
Viola Davis is the defense attorney representing the people accused of murder in the trial. She also portrays defense attorney Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder (2014).
The creator of the SVU theme song (Mike Post ) also did the White Shadow theme song which Ken Howard (who guest starred in this episode) was the main star of.