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