Comments on: Padded Cells and Physical Restraints http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:10:30 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: January 4th is Friday—-Responses to the NIMH’s Request for Information about Autism Research Priorities is Due http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-550548 January 4th is Friday—-Responses to the NIMH’s Request for Information about Autism Research Priorities is Due Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:01:00 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-550548 [...] of services and treatments. Some commenters have pointed out, for instance, that there are already resources about the use of restraints and of seclusion: How, then, can more and (ideally) all school districts and centers and programs know about these [...] [...] of services and treatments. Some commenters have pointed out, for instance, that there are already resources about the use of restraints and of seclusion: How, then, can more and (ideally) all school districts and centers and programs know about these [...]

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-546494 Kristina Chew, PhD Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:19:29 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-546494 Regan, I am going to have to compile a list of all of your comments with all of these links, on this topic and others---this issue just does not get enough discussion and, when it does, it is "after the fact," after a child has been restrained or placed in a padded room. Regan, I am going to have to compile a list of all of your comments with all of these links, on this topic and others—this issue just does not get enough discussion and, when it does, it is “after the fact,” after a child has been restrained or placed in a padded room.

]]> By: Regan http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-546289 Regan Sun, 30 Dec 2007 15:04:09 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-546289 The question of restraint and seclusion has been one that has bothered me for quite a while. If you can excuse several links, I would like to share these as some starting points that might be helpful in identifying acceptable (and unacceptable) practice and future directions. Education Law Resource Center State Laws on Restraint & Behavior Intervention in schools http://www.edlawrc.com/state_laws_on_restraint.htm CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE OF AMERICA Promising Models for State Regulations http://www.cwla.org/programs/behavior/stateregbehavcp2.pdf Achieving Better Outcomes for Children and Families: Reducing Restraint and Seclusion http://www.cwla.org/programs/behavior/achievebetter.htm Annotated Bibliography of Selected Empirical Studies Prepared by: Best Practices in Behavior Management CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE OF AMERICA October 2002 http://www.cwla.org/programs/behavior/SAMSHAbib.pdf US Code Title 42, Chapter 6A, Subchapter III-A, Part 1, Section 290jj. Requirement relating to the rights of residents of certain non-medical, community-based facilities for children and youth http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/42/chapters/6a/subchapters/iii-a/parts/i/sections/section_290jj.html Children’s Health Act of 2000, P.L. 106-310. This significant new law established national standards that restrict the use of restraint and seclusion in all psychiatric facilities that receive federal funds and in "non-medical community-based facilities for children and youth." http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/federal/pl106_310.cfm The question of restraint and seclusion has been one that has bothered me for quite a while.
If you can excuse several links, I would like to share these as some starting points that might be helpful in identifying acceptable (and unacceptable) practice and future directions.

Education Law Resource Center
State Laws on Restraint & Behavior Intervention in schools
http://www.edlawrc.com/state_laws_on_restraint.htm

CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
Promising Models for State Regulations
http://www.cwla.org/programs/behavior/stateregbehavcp2.pdf

Achieving Better Outcomes for Children and Families: Reducing Restraint and Seclusion
http://www.cwla.org/programs/behavior/achievebetter.htm

Annotated Bibliography of Selected Empirical Studies
Prepared by:
Best Practices in Behavior Management
CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
October 2002
http://www.cwla.org/programs/behavior/SAMSHAbib.pdf

US Code
Title 42, Chapter 6A, Subchapter III-A, Part 1,
Section 290jj. Requirement relating to the rights of residents of certain non-medical, community-based facilities for children and youth
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/42/chapters/6a/subchapters/iii-a/parts/i/sections/section_290jj.html

Children’s Health Act of 2000, P.L. 106-310. This significant new law established national standards that restrict the use of restraint and seclusion in all psychiatric facilities that receive federal funds and in “non-medical community-based facilities for children and youth.”
http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/federal/pl106_310.cfm

]]> By: Abuse and Neglect and Crimes http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-546218 Abuse and Neglect and Crimes Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:48:44 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-546218 [...] great need for highly trained and carefully supervised aides for workers. My own son was improperly restrained using a basket hold in a previous school district so many times that he sometimes pretends that he [...] [...] great need for highly trained and carefully supervised aides for workers. My own son was improperly restrained using a basket hold in a previous school district so many times that he sometimes pretends that he [...]

]]> By: Cherry Hill parent http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-546549 Cherry Hill parent Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:21:25 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-546549 I would also ask why the same school district (different school, but same district) would refuse (for several years) to do an FBA for a child on the spectrum with known diagnoses of OCD and anxiety, and allow that child's issues to increase to a point where the compulsive skin picking and cutting of his arm and leg hair was so severe at school that they couldn't stop him. Then, instead of calling an IEP meeting, doing an FBA or asking to speak with the child's physicians, they called DYFS to investigate the family for the OCD behaviors that were occuring at school. How do the parents know it was them? Because they quoted e-mails from the parents, e-mails in which the parents and the teacher were working together to try to figure out what was causing the behaviors at school, if there was a particular subject or anything that was happening at school that was causing more stress, if it was occurring more at a particular time of day, and so on. It was happening at school, yet the parents didn't call DYFS to report the school and accuse them of abuse or neglect. Yes, this occurred in October, too. I would also ask why the administrators don't think it's appropriate to question them on these topics, nor to ask for an apology. I would also ask why the same school district (different school, but same district) would refuse (for several years) to do an FBA for a child on the spectrum with known diagnoses of OCD and anxiety, and allow that child’s issues to increase to a point where the compulsive skin picking and cutting of his arm and leg hair was so severe at school that they couldn’t stop him. Then, instead of calling an IEP meeting, doing an FBA or asking to speak with the child’s physicians, they called DYFS to investigate the family for the OCD behaviors that were occuring at school. How do the parents know it was them? Because they quoted e-mails from the parents, e-mails in which the parents and the teacher were working together to try to figure out what was causing the behaviors at school, if there was a particular subject or anything that was happening at school that was causing more stress, if it was occurring more at a particular time of day, and so on. It was happening at school, yet the parents didn’t call DYFS to report the school and accuse them of abuse or neglect. Yes, this occurred in October, too.

I would also ask why the administrators don’t think it’s appropriate to question them on these topics, nor to ask for an apology.

]]> By: Padded or Concrete: The Quiet Room http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-547970 Padded or Concrete: The Quiet Room Wed, 28 Nov 2007 04:18:30 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-547970 [...] autistic son who attends the school; parents did not know that the room existed until this past October.   Grams said her son, who is autistic, was never placed in the room. She wonders though about [...] [...] autistic son who attends the school; parents did not know that the room existed until this past October.   Grams said her son, who is autistic, was never placed in the room. She wonders though about [...]

]]> By: KimJ http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-543700 KimJ Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:05:15 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-543700 Wow. I pitch a fit if my son is sent to the principal's office. The autism clinic at our school has a sensory room, which is just that. It has an incandescent light (dimmer than classroom flourescent lamps), a trampoline (the small kind), bean bag and some stuff to handle. I think OT's may brush some students in there too. Mostly the special ed kids are taken out to walk laps around the school yard, something I'm trying to get them to do with my (mainstreamed) son. Wow. I pitch a fit if my son is sent to the principal’s office. The autism clinic at our school has a sensory room, which is just that. It has an incandescent light (dimmer than classroom flourescent lamps), a trampoline (the small kind), bean bag and some stuff to handle. I think OT’s may brush some students in there too. Mostly the special ed kids are taken out to walk laps around the school yard, something I’m trying to get them to do with my (mainstreamed) son.

]]> By: Carol http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-543625 Carol Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:36:53 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-543625 They have a padded 'safe room' at my son's school as well. I didn't know it existed until my son was placed in there about 2 weeks after he started at this new school. They called me on the phone for advice because his behaviors were getting worse instead of better after having been placed in the room 'for the his safety as well as that of other students and staff'. DUH! I raced to the school and informed them it was NOT the way to deal with my son's behaviors and that locking him in the room to calm him down would have an opposite effect. Later, that was noted in his behavior plan. I agree, it's a scary thing when choices like these are made without consulting parents. They have a padded ’safe room’ at my son’s school as well. I didn’t know it existed until my son was placed in there about 2 weeks after he started at this new school. They called me on the phone for advice because his behaviors were getting worse instead of better after having been placed in the room ‘for the his safety as well as that of other students and staff’. DUH!
I raced to the school and informed them it was NOT the way to deal with my son’s behaviors and that locking him in the room to calm him down would have an opposite effect. Later, that was noted in his behavior plan.

I agree, it’s a scary thing when choices like these are made without consulting parents.

]]> By: ange http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-543618 ange Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:25:09 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-543618 My son was placed in what they called a seclusion room, which was nothing more than a padded closet with a door. It's a rather long story, but I still can't talk about it without getting rather emotional. The school has two of them in what they call the "BD" room. Bubba was in KINDERGARTEN! My son was placed in what they called a seclusion room, which was nothing more than a padded closet with a door. It’s a rather long story, but I still can’t talk about it without getting rather emotional. The school has two of them in what they call the “BD” room. Bubba was in KINDERGARTEN!

]]> By: joycemocha http://www.blisstree.com/articles/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/comment-page-1/#comment-543616 joycemocha Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:10:31 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/padded-cells-and-physical-restraints/#comment-543616 There are situations where this can be appropriate, however, in those situations it is also absolutely imperative that the parent is part of the discussion about the use and frequency of use of such a space. Additionally, I would want to use it only on student request. I've seen the use of such a space handled appropriately. During my student teaching days I spent one quarter in an autism classroom where one student had a small closet where he would retreat to when stressed to yell, scream, and strip his clothing off. This room was provided to him on *his* request, and his assigned aides would try to stave off the use of the "small room" as he called it. I believe working on reducing the number of times he wanted to retreat to that room was on his IEP, and the parents were fully aware of the situation. There was also a quiet space in that classroom--three dividers facing a wall, with a blanket over the top of it. It was nicknamed the "Bat Cave" and students were sent there when they started to get overloaded/signs of agitation. Sometimes they would put themselves in the Bat Cave. It was not used for every student, though. There are situations where this can be appropriate, however, in those situations it is also absolutely imperative that the parent is part of the discussion about the use and frequency of use of such a space. Additionally, I would want to use it only on student request. I’ve seen the use of such a space handled appropriately.

During my student teaching days I spent one quarter in an autism classroom where one student had a small closet where he would retreat to when stressed to yell, scream, and strip his clothing off. This room was provided to him on *his* request, and his assigned aides would try to stave off the use of the “small room” as he called it. I believe working on reducing the number of times he wanted to retreat to that room was on his IEP, and the parents were fully aware of the situation.

There was also a quiet space in that classroom–three dividers facing a wall, with a blanket over the top of it. It was nicknamed the “Bat Cave” and students were sent there when they started to get overloaded/signs of agitation. Sometimes they would put themselves in the Bat Cave. It was not used for every student, though.

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