Monday, December 24, 2007

Shocking News from Massachusetts

Yes, this is a picture of Nurse Ratched from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
"A special education school which has been in the news for inappropriate use of electric shock treatment has been allowed to continue using shock treatment for the most dangerous and self-destructive behaviors. In such cases the shock treatment must lead to a diminution in the undesirable actions. The Judge Rotenberg Educational Center (JRC) has to prove that these treatments really work. The one-year reauthorization contrasts with previous ones which lasted two years each time. Electric shock treatment at the center must never be used for petty infractions, such as leaving one's seat without getting permission or using offensive language. The school has been ordered to show that it is committed to phasing out this type of aversion therapy...."

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/92641.php
Free Republic quoted the WCVB/TV Boston account with reader comments at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1943706/posts

Here's a composite of what two readers had to say:

"There is evidence that ECT can be effective in reducing the most self-destructive behaviors. Were talking about severely-disturbed people who slam their heads into the wall until they knock themselves unconscious or bite themselves until they bleed profusely. It is an extreme measure, and should only be used when other methods have failed. Only under close medical supervision -- not carried out by school staffers because they received a phone call.

This wasn't ECT... as mentioned in other comments above, this was -- even if it had not been a 'prank' -- solely as retribution for misbehavior. There's no evidence this was intended to be therapeutic at all. And of course the actual result was FAR from helpful.

"BTW, I probably wouldn't have posted this article if I thought it was a legit use of electroshock. I'm not of the opinion it's bogus. But it has to be prescribed and applied with great care. We have very little idea of what it actually does to the patient, except symptomatically."

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