A “temporary painful experience?”
March 14, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
“‘The natural reaction is to be horrified,’” psychotherapist Dr. Matthew Israel is quoted as saying about electric shock to treat “serious behavior problems, including self-injury,” in an article in today’s Washington Post about Bradley Bernstein. The parents of Bernstein, who is 38 years old and has autism, are fighting to have shock treatment (in the form of an electric cattle prod) continued. Bernstein’s mother notes that he is “allergic to several drugs that could calm his behavior.”
Dr. Israel is the director of the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC) in Canton, Massachusetts. The JRC uses “aversive stimulation”—electric skin shock administered via a device called the Graduated Electronic Generator. Dr. Israel is also quoted as saying the technique “‘always has been very controversial and is not politically correct, and if you want to advance your career, you try to stay away from it.’” In regard to the use of the GED by students at the JRC, Dr. Israel is quoted as saying “‘”The beauty of it is there’s no side effects. It’s a temporary painful experience for two seconds.’”
Earlier today I used the word beauty in reference to autism. I wish to make it very clear that my use of “beauty” and Dr. Israel’s are very, very different. Very.
I simply cannot believe that the advocates for shock “therapy” are so completely unaware of how dehumanising it is to treat another person that way. There is nothing beautiful about it…
I just read this story about an hour or so ago and can not believe his Parents are accepting this. Similar to a cattle prod? Is it a cattle prod? My God what in the world is this world coming too? We now think it’s o.k. to shock our kids with cattle prods?
Such a very sad story, I feel very sad for the young man who has to feel the pain. Emotional and physical pain.
… Dr. Israel is also quoted as saying the technique “‘always has been very controversial and is not politically correct, and if you want to advance your career, you try to stay away from it.’” …
Except in Dr. Israel’s case. He’s not only made a career out of using barbaric methods to “control” people, he’s also made a lot of money at it.
I’m a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to drug use, which is pretty hypocritical as I’ll down them myself without a qualm [especially lately]. I teeter on the fence with regards to my own boys but I’m heavily influenced by Temple Grandin’s views and how much they helped her in later life.
Certainly ’side effects’ would be a big concern and I can understand the mum saying that her son is allergic to some medications that could calm/help him.
It may be that recent developments in the drug world give them other options. I think we [I] tend to try something once, fail, move onto the next thing and forget that just because it didn’t work then, doesn’t mean that it might not now.
But I think that faced with the choice between drugs and a cattle prod I would want to be more experimental and fall off the fence.
Best wishes
The article emphasized that the staff at the group home refused to use the cattle prod on Bernstein. One wonders, did any others (such as his parents) also have to administer the shock treatment?
I wanted to come up with some pithy response but I think I’m going to be sick.
We hear so much about how we would never do this to our child. I beleive that these parents are looking for hope with a child that self mutilates and could seriously hurt themselves. My daughter is seven and hits her head claws at her skin and has removed teeth from her mouth. It is difficult to find anyone who has a lot of helpful advise. We have seen several drs that have just looked at us and said I do not know what to do this is a problem. thankfully for us we have seen an improvement for the time being and continue to work with her so that it stays that way.I can not imagine what it would be like if she was nonverbal or more severe since she is considered high functioning. I feel we need to have this type of treatment banned and look at other things that do work. If there was a way to get the parents the support and education that they need earlier before it becomes a problem that they can’t handle I believe that places and treatments like dr Israels would not be needed. Education and support early are the key to giving these children the best lives they can have.
Julie, yes, education and support are needed—thank you for mentioning these. And, always, hope.
Education and support early are the key to giving these children the best lives they can have.
Not only are education and support important early, but continuing thru a person’s life. Without such continuing support, many will be constrained to fates like this person, or other forms of physical and psychological abuse.
I would definetly recommend against any use of electric shock “therapy” with an autistic person.
Most of these people are extra, extra sensitive to pain. This is the wrong way to treat autism.
ECT should never be used in except for people like Kitty Dukasis who say it helps relieves their depression.
Sorry I meant the use of a cattle prod electric shock shouldn’t be used.
I should read these posts more carefully before I respond. My emotional reaction to the story was so great that I jumped to the wrong conclusion.
A cattle prod is even worse than ECT because the whole point is for the person to be afraid to do something. ECT would erase memory and be less frightening in the long run.
What Is a Good Parent?
The National Children’s Bureau has come up with some guidelines to put you on the right track. It says that to be a competent parent you need to provide a secure home and have a basic knowledge of child health, first aid and education – or if not, to know where to turn. You should also:
• aim to be authoritative – not over-protective, permissive or dictatorial
• learn-to cope with stress and conflict, and accept responsibility for your decisions
• have confidence in your children and love them for what they are
• share things with children – eating, playing or going out with them
• be consistent and set clear rules
• talk honestly to children – and listen too
• see things from your child’s point of view
• reinforce good behaviour rather than punishing bad.
Sounds like torture to me. Are we really regressing to the point where we think pain and intimidation will make our children better people?
I saw a report on this a couple years back where a doctor prescribed an electric prod to use on there autistic son. I was shocked on how a parent could do this and it seemed so inhumane, especially to me how has an autistic child. Well, now her I am with a son who is a teen, with autism and violently out of control. My husband left us because of the violent outburst recently, so it’s me, a toddler and a violent autistic child who will, for no aparent reason, punch me, bite me, through me into walls, and jump on me to the point I look like a battered girlfriend. I have called the police many times for help and they rarley will take him the the mental hospital because they are so full. I have been told if he hurts my youngest, they will take my toddler away and not the autistic one. He has been on many meds, but they do not help. He is also into diet, biomedical treatments, etc… and for whatever reason, it’s not helping anymore. I have been trying to have him placed into a treatment center to live, but there is no room. I have heard stories of kids like mine breaking there mom’s arms or even the death of the professor back east just this year- her teen beat her untill she died. I think having a prod on hand for self defence in necessary at times when NO ONE WILL HELP!!!!!! I even had a behavioral therapist quit because she was afraid of him. Belive me, I have begged. I know have an attorney in place to help, but it can take months. So for now, I sit here today with 5 bite marks on my arms, a fist size bruise on my stomache, and scratches all over me. I have several broken windows, many holes in the wall, Oh, and lets not forget my cat that he killed. I am now totally for being prescribed a prod in cases like mine for protection, my son is bigger and a lot stronger then me and scares the hell out of me.