autism and evil spirits

[Jimjams]

Someone just sent me this link

www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-12747560,00.html

How on earth can that happen in America? PLease tell me it couldn't happen here.

[princesspeahead]

there is an article about this in today's times as well.
actually I couldn't bear to read it once I realised what it was about IYKWIM, I think it is one of those horrible dreadful things that I'd rather not read about. Like those children that suffocated and died going through a stupid "rebirthing" ritual that was meant to make them calmer. I don't think any of it is actually about autism, or hyperactivity, or whatever the underlying "excuse" is, it is just child abuse, pure and simple. makes me feel ill

[fio2]

bl**dy hell, was it how I read it or did the bishop think the praying had killed him not the fact they had suffocated him to death?-sick. Doubt it would happen here jimjams-hope not anyway

[winnie1]

Made me feel ill too. What a world we live in. How utterly, utterly awful. I am speechless... and can only imagine what that poor little boy went through... Terribly, terribly sad.

[wickedstepmother]

Only in America...

What a horrible and unnecessary thing to happen and yet another reason why I am an Agnostic. Poor little boy. You would think that the family would have some knowledge of Austism, what with America always boasting about scientific advancements in medicine. Ridiculous

[hmb]

It is hard to believe and take in. Horrific. As you said, child abuse and also an example of 21st centuary people acting like superstitious medieval peasants. I thought that we had begun to move away from these sort of idiotic attitudes to mental illness and special needs. What next, trial by combat? It had made me feel quite ill.

[lou33]

Bloody hell, that's appalling. It certainly reads to me that the bishop thinks his "powerful prayers" killed the poor lad.

[Jimjams]

I have to say if I didn't know any better (and I really mean didn't know anything at all) then DS1 can look a bit possessed at times. What wories me is that in a civilised nation there should be agencies on hand to provide support so that this sort of thing didn't happen at all. Reading the article I didn't feel any bad feelings towards the poor mother (or even the poor deluded minister come to that)- just wondered how it could be allowed to happen.

Given the total lack of services in this country and the complete absence of help I could see something similar happening if you could find somewhere as ignorant as that community obviously was. I have seen some distinctly dodgy services offered to "cure" autism (the best one being - you pay a lot of money and then you watch some lines on a screen). Someone somewhere must be paying for this stuff for it to exist. So if someone comes up to a desperate mother and offers to exorcise evil spirits I can see why people in ignorance would go for it. Which is back to where are the bloody services in all of this? Non existent. And trotting out excuse after excuse to avoid paying for anything.

[ThomCat]

OMG - that's the most sick and evil thing.

[JJ]

That is sick.

My guess is that the family did not have health insurance. Without health insurance, they didn't have health care. Or at least, didn't have decent healthcare. Also, when state funded services are available, a person has to know about them and know to use them. That is a lot harder than it sounds... almost always, I think.

The very very sad thing is that Wisconsin has (or at least had 3 years ago) state funded ABA, as well as the more usual trio of ST, OT and PT.

[hmb]

You said it, Jimjams. Sticking plaster policies and half thought out stratgies are making these sorts of things happen. Leaving people in ignorence will get them to go to anyone that will give them an answer. It doesn't matter how crazy the answer it. Heart breaking stuff.

[Eulalia]

Just heard this on the news. The family (father and cousins) want the church staff arrested. The bishop is currently being held and a decision is soon to be made whether criminal charges will be made. I couldn't believe that people still think like this in this day and age. The thing is he was described as an autistic boy. If it was known he was autistic then why were they trying to exorcise him?

[Jimjams]

I suppose because they didn't understand autism, were highly religious and I suspect that no-one else was provding any help. Desperate measures and all that.

reading JJ's post made me realise how little help there is. LEA funded ABA is very rare (Davros being an exception rather than a rule and I'm still impressed -I don't think I have the stamina to take on my LEA to get funded ABA), and the "usual 3" OT, PT and SALT are non-existent. Given enough desperation (and I think severe autism often leads to desperation judging by others experiences) I suppose the mother would have tried anything.

[jmb1964]

scary

[Ghosty]

My blood is boiling ...
Religion can be so dangerous ... I suppose that they will be saying that it was God's will that he died rather than was cured?
That poor little boy ...

[Jimjams]

Yep- but that's where al this "cure" business is so dodgy. The problem is when people like the NAS stand up and say "autism is a lifelong disability, there is no cure" as the first line in the earlybird programme parents tend to think either "oh god my child will always be smearing poo on the walls" or "bollards- I've read a book where so and so was cured". What the NAS et al should say (imo) is something along the lines of "your child will always be autistic, but given the right sort help and support and time to develop they may be able to live an independent life. Or they may not, but it won't always be like this". Then they could go on to talk about the various therapies whilst pointing out that they can have a near miraculous effect in some children and absolutely no effect in others. I think parents need hope, but if you are getting no help at all then you will try anything I guess. And obviously people like social services when they are around know more about the nearly non-existent Munchausen's Syndrome By Proxy than they do about autism. And as for people who could be useful like SALT's and OT's they are nowehre to be seen.

[ScummyMummy]

I find this story so utterly terrifying. I do totally agree with jimjams that services for children with autism- and other disabilities/special needs- can be absolutely dreadful and also that the "autism is incurable and permanent" emphasis is scary and unhelpful for parents but, but, but... the hold of the evangelical church can be extremely strong. I know that some evangelical churches are wonderful, enlightened and supportive of families with disabled children but others most certainly are not. And it is very difficult indeed to argue with trusted pastors who are telling parents that their child is possessed or that any label of disability is a libellous, ungodly slur... I have tried offering alternative stories- as gently as possible- on both these counts, more than once, with several families and am not convinced that my version was taken on board even once. I agree with Maryz- in the panic and devastation of coming to terms with a child's disablity, in communities that have attitudes ranging from supportive ignorance to shame to disgust, people will try things that to an outsider may seem at best unlikely to help and at worst, thankfully rarely, dangerous and tragic.