Autism / Autism Spectrum Support Group
Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder which manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior. Although the specific etiology of autism is unknown, many researchers suspect that autism results from genetically mediated vulnerabilities to environmental triggers.
new to the board...it's been a long time since I was part of an autism discussion group. My son was diagnosed as severely autistic at age two, and is now nine. Through many interventions, dietary and medical, Evan speaks and is considered academically gifted. However, he still has verbal delays and is obviously autistic, behaviorally and emotionally.
He's been homeschooled since age six, because his school district informed me they would be implementing therapeutic restraint for him, and I had to medicate him or remove him.
Homeschooling has been wonderful and the community amazingly supportive, so much so I feel I lost my roots until yesterday.
We had an ER visit and they made us wait six hours, while my son was in pain. After six hours, he realized he'd sat in the ER that long and missed his best friend's birthday party. A hysterical tantrum ensued, he was grabbed and taken away from me, restrained, and doused with ice water.
Understand, he's been to this hospital many times, and I made it plain upon registration he's autistic. In fact, I was screaming it in the hallway where I was cornered, while they were holding him down and pouring cold water over him.
I've never felt so helpless in my life. They had a guard on us during his doctor's evaluation...a crying nine year old boy, shivering and his horrified mother. And frankly, the guard was so skinny I could have taken him out, and really wanted to at that point. Instead, I sucked it up because I was afraid otherwise they'd arrest me, admit my son for psychiatric evaluation, and I'd never see him again.
Sad, terrified, and furious, I'm back in the community.
Alison & Evan, 9
He's been homeschooled since age six, because his school district informed me they would be implementing therapeutic restraint for him, and I had to medicate him or remove him.
Homeschooling has been wonderful and the community amazingly supportive, so much so I feel I lost my roots until yesterday.
We had an ER visit and they made us wait six hours, while my son was in pain. After six hours, he realized he'd sat in the ER that long and missed his best friend's birthday party. A hysterical tantrum ensued, he was grabbed and taken away from me, restrained, and doused with ice water.
Understand, he's been to this hospital many times, and I made it plain upon registration he's autistic. In fact, I was screaming it in the hallway where I was cornered, while they were holding him down and pouring cold water over him.
I've never felt so helpless in my life. They had a guard on us during his doctor's evaluation...a crying nine year old boy, shivering and his horrified mother. And frankly, the guard was so skinny I could have taken him out, and really wanted to at that point. Instead, I sucked it up because I was afraid otherwise they'd arrest me, admit my son for psychiatric evaluation, and I'd never see him again.
Sad, terrified, and furious, I'm back in the community.
Alison & Evan, 9
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theatre and I are there already. I'm having a very berry tea with crackers, cheese and cherry tomatoes and she's having a joint with some beer and we're both on really comfy recliners on thick pile carpet. we need some help with the decor if anyone is around??
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I'm trying to exercise daily. I was doing fairly well until I sprained my ankle 2 weeks ago but now I'm getting back on the horse. Today I walked over a mile with my arm weights that are about 22lbs total. I was out of shape and it was hard on my arms. I also did my 30 situps. I'm also going to drink a lot of water and try to eat healthy. I do tend to have a sweet tooth but I'm cutting...
I cant believe what the hospital did? thats insaine!
I hope your son is alright, and his reason for being in the ER is something that can pass soon.
Life isnt hard enough, i am very concerned about what the hosp. did tho.
Shaking my head.
Welcome to DS
Shortly thereafter the doctor informed me it was impossible for a nine year old to be passing built-up calcium. And yet somehow it manages to happen.
Evan's fine, on the surface. Underneath, I wonder. I'm a blithering wreck. Passed the story on to our local chapter of the ASA.
I just need parents of children with autism around me right now because, frankly, no one else is going to understand my horror. The people in the waiting room at the hospital were shouting insults at us.
Hugs and thanks, Evvie's home where he belongs. Thank heaven, because otherwise they would have had to call the police on me, because I would have gone berserk!
do this, call a face to face meeting with your local hospital administrator, explain what happened, why it happened, and what you want done next time your there to avoid it happening again, OR you will sue for discrimination of a disabled person. i had to do this with my mother, who is the poster child of people with disabilities( that what i told them in the meeting) and let me tell you, when my mother is taken to the ER, they jump to attention, do everything right now, and never do they ever tell me i cant be in the room with her again! the law says they MUST accomodate peoples disabilities, even if it means getting them through faster or atleast getting them in a room to wait. trust me, the admin will make things right, there certainly did when i called the meeting. good luck!
I don't want them siccing social services on us, which I can well imagine after Sunday night, but we're both feeling the after effects of this, heightened anxiety, crying jags, and nightmares.
To justify a restraint: The child/ person must be an imminent threat to themselves and or others, be it physical, or using objects, weapons, etc. Having a tantrum, meltdown is not a just cause for a restraint, and besides , they failed to use any other least restrictive methods . I have been certified in PMAB, CPI, MANDT TRAINING ( ALL ON RESTRAINTS) Verbal intervention is the first intervention, and they must speak to him in a calm manner, collect info, de-esculate using the talk-down method, if Evan is high functioning, they could have done some effective theraputic de-esculation, reguardless this is wrong! Please report this, don't let this happen to another child. Welcome ! Sorry that came last, but I'm all about our kid's!!! Hugs!
No, he never raised a hand to anyone or hurt himself, he was sobbing and screaming, that was all.
I'm going to approach it through patient relations, but I need to calm down first. I don't want to call them and burst into tears, I want to be calm and focused on my message.
In retrospect, after they mistreated him...why did they need to post a security guard on us? He was scared, but compliant and I practically had a halo on. 'course by that point, I would kissed their behinds and called it ice cream to get my son out of that place. All I could think was, "After what they just did...what will they do to him next if he starts crying again?" He did at one point and I just held onto him and talked him through it, but I was petrified someone was going to come in and drag him away from me.
I'm sure they were watching us on camera the whole time.