Child's Play: Treating The Insanity of the Mental Health System

In today's mental health system there is a				Developmental Disorder after years of being
pattern of fraud and coercion that takes way the				labeled with 20 assorted diagnoses. She was given
freedoms and dignity of children and their families.				Risperdal as well as Ritalin. The mother reported
Children are receiving stigmatizing labels and being				that the child has tardive dyskinesia and was
prescribed psychotropic drugs with many				experiencing tremors. The response was to
untoward effects. Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, MD				eliminate Risperdal and replace it with a different
made the comment that if an individual hit us with				neuroleptic. This child is now permanently
a blackjack and robbed us of our dignity we				disfigured, and will probably never fully recover
would call them thugs, yet psychiatrists label and				from the damage done in the name of 'help'.I was
drug children and rob them of their dingity and				doing an observation of one of my clients in a
nothing is said. All in the name of profit. Rarely, if				school setting when I took note of another child
never are the families given informed consent.				who began a conversation with me and in the
Szasz has also stated, "From a sociological point				process was showing facial grimaces and constant
of view, psychiatry is a secular institution to				repetitive blinking. I pulled the teacher aside and
regulate domestic relations. From my point of				asked her to examine the child for a minute and
view, it is child abuse." Families are provided with				tell me if she witnessed anything out of the
literature that appears so matter of fact but is				ordinary. "Well, he keeps making faces and
funded by the pharmaceutical companies and				twitching." I asked her, "Why may that be?" "Well,
tainted with their bias. According to the				um, I do not know!". I asked her to see what
Pughkeepsie Journal, the 'support' or should it be				medication the child was taking and if it might be
said front group for Children diagnosed with				a 'blue pill'. She asked the child and indeed he was
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder received				taking Adderall, the cause of all his grimaces and
substantial funds from the pharmaceutical				contortion. What a price to pay to get a child to
companies: "CHADD received $315,000 from drug				'function' in class!I was presented with a child who
companies in the year ending June 2000, about 12				the teacher insisted was ADHD. The school
percent of its budget."Children are being beaten,				guidance counselor was called in and told the
improperly restrained, physically and sexually				mother, "without a doubt, he is ADHD and could
abused, and emotionally scarred in residential				benefit from Ritalin. It helps with academic
treatment programs. Juvenile probation officials				improvement." I asked the school guidance
are failing to understand the emotional distress of				counselor if he had actually met the child or was
our children, they are submitting to this				going on reports. "No, I have yet to meet him." I
"psychiatric Gestapo". Educators rather than				then asked him if he could name a study that
finding new methods of shaping our children's				proved that academic performance could be
learning are falling into the trap of psychiatric				enhanced and how he was so sure of the ADHD
'solutions' as well. Never could it be that a school				diagnosis." He responded that he knew of no such
has simply failed to help a child learn, rather it is				study and that such diagnosis was based on
always the child denigrated and labeled as				teacher reports. Where is the science in that? I
'disordered'. There are loving and concerned				explained further that studies have actuallt shown
parents, and there are others who lack love and				that short term improvement in rote learning
compassion towards their children. There are				does occur, but that no long term improvement
loving and concerned parents who become duped				has ever been shown. The family sought a
by the 'professionals'. Below are some actual				second opinion from a different psychologist who
stories of experiences in my work as a therapist				stated he saw nothing and sent the boy on his
with children as well as one story submitted to				way. In this situation, I saw that the child was
me by a concerned and struggling parent. I share				bright and that he learned in a way that the
them to give some perspective as to what is				teacher just plainly was not providing. This idea
occurring.I share this scenario because sadly it is				was reinforced when the following year with a
becoming a frightening reality: A child is considered				different teacher his academic performance
overly active and has behavioral issues at school.				dramatically increased with no intervention.I
The school staff may recommend psychiatric				worked with a delightful 5 year old child. Prior to
intervention and even go as far as to say that				him being referred to me, he had been on
medication is necessary, even designating which				Risperdal. He had convulsions in the classroom and
one. The child sees the psychiatrist for a brief				was taken to the emergency room. I happened
session- t is never examined if the child has any				to read the hospital report and it was deemed
physical conditions, allergies, etc. Immediately the				that these convulsions were a direct effect of the
child is labeled and given a dose of				Risperdal. The mother was unfortunately an
psychostimulant. The child develops side effects				unconcerned parent, and there were frequent
such as weight loss, insomnia, and possible tics. In				calls made to Child protective Services regarding
order to counteract the insomnia, a new drug				abuse by herself and her paramour. I found it
such as Klonidine is added. The child develops				immensely difficult to work in the home with this
emotional lability and has crying episodes and				mother, and after seeing the child with brusing, I
manic behaviors. The psychiatrist is seen again for				too called the Child Protective Services but each
a brief time, and on this visit its determined that				time they found the cases unfounded. I would
'bipolar is emerging'. The child is then given				take the child into the community for my
Depakote or some other mood stablizer. The child				sessions. The mother had described him as a 'little
now must receive regular blood tests to insure				brat', a 'monster', and a kid 'who didnt deserve
that liver toxicity does not arise. The child is not				sh-t'. She described all these negative behaviors in
overly active, he is quite docile, so it is reported				the home and yet I never saw one of them in his
that improvement has occurred. However, with				time with me. Occassionally he would have some
the combination of drugs, he develops some				difficulty in the classroom, but with some guidance
psychotic like symptoms where he feels				and redirection, problems were always averted. It
something is crawling on him and has some				broke my heart to see that within 5 minutes of
hallucinations. The psychiatrist is consulted again,				me dropping him off at home he would be in
and its determined that bipolar with psychotic				tears. The mother requested me to leave this
features exists or maybe even the possibility of				case, and I reluctantly agreed and transferred it
childhood schizophrenia. The child is then given				to a colleague and friend. My colleague informed
Risperdal or another neuroleptic. Strangely, the				me that the paramour was caught sexually
child begins developing unusual jaw movements				abusing the child, and the child was taken to
and muscle rigidity. The parents are concerned				foster care. I feel that foster care should certainly
and ask the psychiatrist if this is medication				be a last option, but here it was a blessing. I
related and if the child is overmedicated. The				recommended that at least one member of the
psychiatrist brushes off the question and				therapeutic staff he was familiar with continue to
prescribes Cogentin (used for Parkinson's) to				work with him in the new setting and I offered to
alleviate the neurological problems but fails to				go and visit him to help with his adjustment.
remove the offending agent. The child's behavior				Though it will take some time for him to adjust, I
becomes more unusual and bizarre leading to				think it will be a fresh new start, as he is in a
hospitalization where medications are raised and				place where maybe for once he will receive love
adjusted and new ones added. Then the				and compassion.TARDIVE DYSKINESIAI was
recommendation comes from the psychiatrist				presented with a very difficult child who had
that it would be better for the child to be moved				received multiple psychiatric diagnoses and who
to a residential treatment facility. While in the				had been in residential mental health treatment for
residential facility, the child is frequently restrained				the majority of his life. This child had been heavily
and is injured, he is placed with other children with				medicated and was exhibiting slurred speech, poor
serious emotional and behaviorla distress. he is				motor coordination, inner feelings of agitation, and
discharged home having absorbed alot of new				unusual jaw motions and tics. The family was told
negative behaviors from peers, lacking knowledge				of the possibility of tardive dyskinesia. This also
of the outside world, and with few skills. So, once				became a concern of a psychologist who
the child nears adulthood, it is recommended that				observed him. Unfortunately, the parents stated
he live in a group home where he can be cared				they were never given informed consent about
for and the psychiatric regiment can be				potential side effects and had never heard of the
maintained. The child has been 'treated.'This is all				term 'tardive dyskinesia'. This neurological problem
based on true incidents with names changed to				is a significant problem affecting individuals taking
preserve confidentiality.I worked with a teen who				neuroleptic medications.HOUNDED FOR MY
had experienced sexual trauma by a relative. The				VIEWSI had contracted with a private agency as
relative was arrested and sentenced. The teen				a therapist. The clients I worked with had
was asked to attend the setencing hearing and				developmental challenges. There was much
prior began acting out at school. She had an				progress made and one client's parents gave me
incident where she left the classroom to				very positive feedback. However, the agency
de-escalate after an argument with a teacher.				supervisor upon learning that my approach was to
She was restrained by a rather obese school				promote psychosocial alternatives as well as to
staff. The teen explained to me that sher was				give parents informed consent, this became a
frustrated with the school because a number of				point of contention. This resulted in their desire to
boys were exposing themselves to her and knew				try to terminate the contract, though nothing
about her sexual trauma and that school staff did				stipulated within the contract was ever violated.
not respond. She was charged with disorderly				This shows intolerance for anything but the
conduct and had to appear before a juvenile				pro-drugging stance as well as unwillingness to be
judge. The judge was made aware of her sexual				open-minded to the fact that workable
trauma and her need to be at the sentencing				alternatives do indeed exist. This shows the sad
hearing. He locked her in juvenile detention for 10				state of affairs of the current mental health
days and said, 'we will transport her from				system.THE POSITIVE STORIES:* A four year
detention to the hearing." The teen ahd no				old presented with speech difficulties and the
previous juvenile arrests. In this situation,				expression of explosive behavior where he would
Attorney Jana Markus was also became involved				when frustrated hurl objects across room, have
and after consulting with the District Attorney's				difficulties with aggression towards peers and
office was able to secure her release and to				siblings, and frequently need redirection to remain
encourage that she be recommended for				on task. Over a period of one year, this child has
homebound education. The school district has				now been discharged. The child no longer has
agreed not without some contention, particularly				aggressive episodes, is being recommended for
trying to continue to charge the teen with				discharge from early intervention services, and is
truancy for the time between her leaving the				currently only requiring the aid of a speech
school and obtaining the recommendation of				therapist. The focus remained on providing this
homebound education.I received a call from a				child and their family with opportunities for building
mother who had a very young child who was				relationship, developing adaptive responses to
displaying some aggressive behaviors which				frustration, and improving communication skills.
caused the day care to have the child removed				This child was never exposed to any psychotropic
until therapeutic services could be provided. The				medication, but a responsible, compassionate, and
mother took the child to one agency and was				dignified plan of psychosocial action was provided.
told, "you better medicate this child before he				The TSS involved with this child must be
tries to kill someone." The mother was appalled. I				commended for her wonderful work!*a 10 year
later spoke to this mother by phone and				old child presented with explosive episodes in
explained my therapeutic approach. She told me				school as well as making various threats to peers.
her situation and the response she had received.				The school and psychiatrist intially saw this as a
As I spoke with her at length, she said, "You				hopeless case requiring him to be placed in partial
really care about children." I appreciated this				hospitalization. Dan Edmunds advocated heavily for
comment but at the same time was saddened as				this child to remain in his present placement in
I thought, shouldn't this be said about every				school. He receives support of a TSS as well as
person in the mental health profession? What has				occupational therapy and with some bumps in the
gone wrong?A client who is a physician and his				road has responded well and has been able to be
wife related that they sought assistance with their				maintained within the school environment with a
child diagnosed with autism and wanted assistance				great deal of success.* a 5 year old who
in aiding him with communication skills. They saw a				presented with risky and destructive behaviors
psychiatrist who visited with them fr less than 10				and sevee problems in social skills in now building
minutes and began writing a script for				friendships and is praised by his teacher with
antipsychotic medication. When the parents noted				frequent awards for his conduct and academic
that they were not there for medications, the				performance. The family has gained a greater
psychiatrist became belligerent and asked, 'then				awareness of his difficulties and has been
what do you want and why are you here?"A				supportive. This child receives no psychotropic
staff of a agency working with mentally				medications but has benefited from a treatment
challenged adults related to me that the				plan which entails the principles outlined in "Entering
supervisors insisted that a client in the residential				Their Imaginative World".* a 13 year old boy
program was non-verbal and unable to				whose mother was addicted to heroin and who
communicate. This client was left frequently to sit				lived in a chaotic environment experienced
and watch television for hours and privided with				problems with truancy and aggression. For a
no real attention or work on skills development.				period of 6 months, I developed a plan to work
The staff stated that she sought to engage the				on his ability to express his frustration more
client in dialogue and found that he was far from				effectively, helping him to realize his self worth
non-verbal and after some work was able to				and his ability to assess himself and make
write his name and other words.In visiting an				appropriate choices. I examined his strengths and
agency working with mentally challenged youth, I				tried to help him capitalize on them. He made a
discovered that many of these youth's needs				difficult transition to foster care, and I advocated
were completely ignored. I recall two incidents of				he be placed in a home where he could attend a
seeing a young girl seated in a chair, the staff				school he is familiar with. Since this, his grades
gave her paper and markers, and she would sit in				have been above average, he has made
the same chair for hours. Every visit she would				friendships, and no longer has the problems with
be seated in the same spout with no one				aggression. We had frequent, open, and honest
providing attention. Staff would walk past her and				conversations about his pain and the difficulties he
she would try to reach for them or hug them. I				has experienced. This 13 year old was discharged
always made sure to stop and hug her and				and continues to progress successfully.Many
comment on her drawings. In addition, a young				children today who show any type of
boy would pace incessantly around the building,				inappropriate behaviors are often immediately
once again being provided no attention, and no				being labeled as ADHD and being prescribed
real work being done to aid this child in skill				stimulant medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, or
development."FAT AND IGNORANT" I was				Dexedrine among others. First, ADHD is a
presented with a child who was having some				complete fraud. There is no test for ADHD and
serious behavioral issues at school. I began to				neurological testing shows these children to be
examine the situation and my assessment was				perfectly normal. Dr. William Carey of Children's
that this child was in conflict with his teacher and				Hospital in Philadelpha states, "common
this was the only cause for the behavioral issues.				assumptions about ADHD include that it is clearly
This child had been previously placed on Ritalin				distinguishable from normal behavior, constitutes a
which was actually cpurt ordered. The child had a				neurodevelopmental (brain) disability, is relatively
very adverse reaction and fortunatelt was				uninfluenced by the environment (home, school)...all
removed. As I have mentioned about the fraud				of these assumptions...must be challenged because
of ADHD, this child I was convinced had no brain				of the lack of empirical support and the strength
disorder as the biological psychiatrists would like us				of contrary evidence...what is now described in the
to think. This child was actually quite bright and				US as ADHD is a set of normal behavioral
was on the borderline for qualifying for MENSA. I				variations..This discrepancy leaves the validity (of
began to look at the dynamics at school, as it				ADHD) in doubt."The U.S. National Institutes of
was only here that he posed a problem. I learned				Health Consensus Development Conference on
as well that this child was witness to abuse and				ADHD in 1998 reported, " we have do not have
was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress				an independent, valid test for ADHD, and there
Disorder. So, as I thought further I saw that the				are no data to indicate that ADHD is due to a
teacher was only aggravating this by his actions.				brain malfunction...and finally, after years of clinical
The teacher showed hostility to this child and				research and experience with ADHD, our
made him a target, even writing in a journal that				knowledge about the cause or causes of ADHD
the child was 'fat and ignorant." Was it any				remains speculative." Further, Dr. Edward C.
wonder that the child exhibited behavioral issues in				Hamlyn, a founding member of the Royal College
a classroom where he was treated with no				of General Practicioners in 1998 stated, "ADHD is
dignity? As I suspected, this child was moved to a				fraud intended to justify starting children on a life
different school environment where he excelled.				of drug addiction." The U.S. Surgeon General
The "ADHD" symptoms all disappeared, so much				Report declares, "the exact etiolgoy of ADHD is
for theories about a brain disorder.I received a call				unknown." Lastly, Dr. Joe Kosterich, Federal Chair
from a mother who explained to me that her				of the Australian Medical Association states, "
child was in a residential facility and only recently				"The diagnosis of ADD is entirely subjective....
was determined to have a diagnosis of Pervasive				There is no test. It is just down to interpretation.

Integrail

Child's Play: Treating The Insanity of the Mental Health System