Wednesday, September 19, 2012

DEREK LOVES HIS DAUGHTER OH SO WELL

Derek Hoare wondered out loud in his Facebook comment, how when a child’s relationship with parents has been nothing but positive, that social workers in the Ministry of Children and Family Development can possibly deduce that a parent’s love is not essential to the equation of peace in the life of a child disturbed by living away from home and among strangers no matter how efficient and caring they may be.

That curiosity was born as my previous two blog posts intimated, from the cancellation of a visitation opportunity between mother and daughter, between Aime and Ayn. Ayn is autistic and meltdowns are common with many people dealing with autism. Reason counsels one not to punish a child for a meltdown by cancelling a visit with her mother, or by dulling a child’s senses so she cannot manage a visit. Good social working skills equip one to instinctively know that a loving parent’s involvement will likely raise the spirit of a troubled child and stem the possibility of another collapse hours later.

Derek identifies with the sentiment and solace in many of the lyrics of songwriter Dave Matthews. This video is from a live performance of Matthew’s song ‘Oh.’


Good thing that Derek finds comfort somewhere because there are more than enough provocations for distress. Derek knows that his daughter who when in his care was not drugged at all, is now on a daily regimen of Risperdal and when she has a meltdown (Derek used the term tantrums), she is given Seroquel as a PRN. Ayn, since being apprehended, has had six different medications, including Chlorpromazine ( the chemical lobotomizer Thorazine) at what Derek says is double the recommended dosage for a child Ayn’s size and weight.

Days before Ayn’s meltdown and Derek’s online rant about the breached visitation, Ayn underwent dental surgery once again although Derek only learned about this from a third party rather than from a social worker. It was assumed that the surgery was not of significance enough to warrant notifying the birth father. In fact four baby teeth were removed to make room for mature teeth already coming in behind them. But could not he and or Aime be informed of this? What kind of minds divorced from parental and family sensibilities, conduct case management of these seized children in our province? And as of September 5th when Derek wrote his comments, neither he nor Aime had heard how their daughter had come through the surgery.

I suppose we should assume that no news is good news. Nonsense! No, no news is evidence of botched case management, of disregard for parents and furthermore, this is repetitive and unacceptable for the child protection system encumbered with publicized failures.

Take a look at the Dave Matthew lyrics from 'OH' and know why Derek hears his heart singing to his daughter.
The world is blowing up
The world is caving in
The world has lost her way again
But you are here with me
But you are here with me
Makes it ok

I hear you still talk to me
As if you're sitting in that dusty chair
Makes the hours easier to bear
I know despite the years alone
I'll always listen to you sing your sweet song
And if it's all the same to you

I love you oh so well
Like a kid loves candy and fresh snow
I love you oh so well
Enough to fill up heaven, overflow, and fill hell
Love you oh so well

And it's cold and darkness falls
It's as if you're in the next room so alive
I could swear I hear you singing to me

I love you oh so well
Like a kid loves candy and fresh snow
I love you oh so well
Enough to fill up heaven, overflow, and fill hell

The world is blowing up
The world is caving in
The world has lost her way again
But you are here with me
But you are here with me
Makes it ok
Oh girl you're singing to me still
I love you oh so well
Like a kid loves candy and fresh snow
I love you oh so well
Enough to fill up heaven overflow and fill hell

6 comments:

  1. Derek says the dosage is twice the amount recommended. However, is Derek a pediatrician or a child psychiatrist? This is not a comment on Ayn being in-care or not. But it is a comment on yourself or Derek questioning the medical treatment of Ayn. Neither pediatricians nor child psychiatrists take direction from The Director regarding treatment.

    And rather than your own commentary on Chlorpromazine ("lobotomy") maybe you could be a little more objective and link to the description of what this drug is and what it is for? http://www.medicinenet.com/chlorpromazine_tablets_liquid-oral/article.htm

    "Chlorpromazine helps you to think more clearly, feel less nervous, and take part in everyday life. It can reduce aggressive behavior and the desire to hurt yourself/others."

    Lobotomy's definitely do NOT help you think more clearly, feel less nervous, or take part in everyday life.

    Side-effects incl but not limited to: Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects: feelings of anxiety/agitation/jitteriness, drooling/trouble swallowing, restlessness/constant need to move, shaking (tremor), shuffling walk, stiff muscles, severe muscle spasms/cramping (such as twisting neck, arching back, eyes rolling up), mask-like expression of the face.

    -and that does sound a bit more like lobotomy!

    C'mon, Ron, a bit more objectivity on your part will go a long way to gaining traction.

    My question, and one that hasn't been answered...how come Ayn wasn't placed with her mom, if Derek can't provide the supervision she needs? (though, it does sound like he can - based on your blog).

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for your challenge Anon. I will reply soon.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Notice the key word, "Anonymous." People with integrity are transparent and do not hide identity unaccredited. To the poster: Neither does one need be a physician to be versed in medications; their purpose and side-affects. Is it really so difficult to determine that were a child to truly require medication to "think more clearly, feel less nervous, or take part in everyday life," that this would be a constant in all aspects of living; NOT just at school? Does it not strike the poster as bizarre that Ayn, did not require drugging in any other environment! Objectivity... or, common-sense??

    What has transpired with Ayn is happening over and over again to many families. The general public goes along unaware and then, BOOM, it happens to one of them and they are left dumb-founded that our government(s) are capable of harming us. All it takes is one child wandering, one spiteful neighbour with an unrelated grudge, a divorce, a trip to the hospital for a childhood injury or illness, an individual reaching out for specialized services for their child, a teacher who desires a student be medicated, school administration cutting programs and a parent challenging the decision (this used to be referred to as advocating for the rights of one’s child, but today can be expressed as “oppositional”); similarly, choosing not to vaccinate, a parent who prefers to home-school.... benign circumstances that lead to horror. Good people who would give their own lives for their child, whose children mean everything, gone. Some taken from the home, others snatched right out of the school, doctor’s office or hospital. It is over-whelming just how many stories are emerging. Start listening. God help us all.


    Velvet Martin,
    Protecting Canadian Children, Spokesperson
    http://www.protectingcanadianchildren.ca/
    Tetrasomy 18p Canada, Administrator
    http://www.tetrasomy18p.ca/

    "SAMANTHA'S LAW"
    ☻ ♥ ☻
    /█\./█\
    .||. .||.
    In Celebration of the Importance of Life & Loving Memory of: Samantha Lauren Martin, June 4, 1993 - December 3, 2006.

    "The Family Support for Children with Disabilities Program to have separate legislation from that of child protection services."
    http://www.child.alberta.ca/home/527.cfm

    ReplyDelete
  4. *I have no problem with medication where it is appropriately required and beneficial to an individual. What I DO have a problem with is utilization as a mechanism to control a person. Furthermore, no child or youth should ever be prescribed anti-psychotic or stimulant drugs in the absence of full cardiac evaluation. This practice occurs all the time and can lead to tragic, fatal outcome where an unidentified underlying structural heart defect or arrhythmia exists. - VM

    ReplyDelete
  5. The answer to the priority question that you asked is one to which you are unentitled for an answer. If a decision was made by MCFD that precluded Aime from having care and custody of Ayn, the Ministry would not tell you. If MCFD provided an explanation to Derek and/or Aime you are again curious about something to which you will not receive an answer. If her care of Ayn was an option declined by Aime and possibly in consultation with Derek, the primary caregiver, they have not chosen to make a very private matter public information.

    As to your challenge of Derek’s assessment of the drug to which you make reference with an affirming endorsement, you may possess some information about the drug, its uses and potential side effects and well as risks, but so do many others, among them parents like Derek. Here is what a few of them have to say to you.

    “Recommended dosing guidelines are established via the collaborative efforts of researchers, medical boards, pharmaceutical companies, the FDA, and Health Canada. Many patients will recognize a thick, blue book which is often found on a physicians desk or behind the counter at your local pharmacy - commonly known as the PDR (Physicians Desk Reference). One does not need to be a physician or psychiatrist to read the guidelines provided in the reference manual.

    The foster parent in this case is a RPN (Registered Psychiatric Nurse) who I am sure is well acquainted with the risk/benefit profile of chlorpromazine. The foster parent was VERY clear in her notes and stated she felt it was not advisable to administer chlorpromazine to Ayn at that dose. Unless my information is outdated, I do not believe Ayn has been administered chlorpromazine since shortly after her apprehension.

    And before you question whether or not MY opinion is valid (as I am not a physician), let me assure you - it is. My son is admittedly one of the most profoundly behaviour disordered children in the province. He is one of ten known cases across Canada of children who presented in very early infancy with extreme self injurious behaviours, literally from birth.

    This Anonymous person of whom you speak is not so anonymous. They obviously read here and are well enough acquainted with the case to know some of the early details. It is my guess that they are simply too much of a chicken shit to ask the question directly.”

    Another person who has access to hospital records wrote this, “I have read the hospital reports myself and can confirm that these are very high dosages and that some of the doctors were recorded as being concerned about how much they were giving her.”

    ReplyDelete
  6. Derek's defensive and suspicious response is wholly understandable. Even if it was off-base. To think an anonymous person has some sort of early-insight into this case is well off the mark. But it, however, kudos to Ron for clearly doing a good job of describing what's going on for this family.

    Derek said it himself. Seems like chlorpromazine has not been administered any further. And that sounds like a great choice.

    Derek referenced dosages and the concern expressed for those. My comment was in no way regarding dosages or volumes or any such thing (or even if Ayn should or shouldn't have medication). If you read it again you will see this.

    The reason Ron's description of a medication is concerning is because people clearly read the blog. His description could lead to someone having an uninformed opinion of a medication and then refuse it as treatment, even though it may be exactly what someone needs. So my concern was that Ron was underestimating his potential influence.

    ReplyDelete

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