Author Topic: electro-shock treatment of kids by school (Read 1009 times)

texasmom · « **on:** December 26, 2007, 01:01:22 AM »

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4022502&page=1
Wow ~ I'm totally amazed that shock treatments are used to control the behavior of kids. Wow ~ that doesn't sound at all like it's appropriate.

Tac · « **Reply #1 on:** December 26, 2007, 01:08:09 AM »

the irony of it..

"It is the only school in the United States that utilizes electric shock therapy, which is administered through a device called a graduated electronic decelerator, or a GED"

isnt that what the high school diploma is called? geez.

rpm · « **Reply #2 on:** December 26, 2007, 01:16:42 AM »

Brilliant!

Arlo · « **Reply #3 on:** December 26, 2007, 01:34:21 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Tac
the irony of it..

"It is the only school in the United States that utilizes electric shock therapy, which is administered through a device called a graduated electronic decelerator, or a GED"

isnt that what the high school diploma is called? geez.

Nope. A high school diploma is called a diploma.

The G.E.D. is a test. "General Education Development" test, to be precise. It certifies that one has high school-level academic skills

Rolex · « **Reply #4 on:** December 26, 2007, 02:52:03 AM »

Here's a link to an informative talk about the efficacy of electro-shock therapy.

link>>

While you're at the site, help yourself to the buffet of interesting people and topics discussed. A great site and program.

Angus · « **Reply #5 on:** December 26, 2007, 03:55:00 AM »

Cuckoo's nest....

GoldenP51 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 26, 2007, 04:34:06 AM »

Quote

On Aug. 26, someone posing as a supervisor called in shock treatments on two students, aged 16 and 19. The teens were awakened in the middle of the night and given the shock treatments.

That is kinda a rude awakening...dreaming of sheep jumping over fences and that sorta thing and then they wake u up pull u outta bed and ZAAAAAAAP

texasmom · « **Reply #7 on:** December 26, 2007, 08:49:30 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Rolex
Here's a link to an informative talk about the efficacy of electro-shock therapy.

link>>

While you're at the site, help yourself to the buffet of interesting people and topics discussed. A great site and program.

You're right, the sight was pretty interesting. The story was pretty interesting too.

In the instance talked about in the original article, it is being used as punishment (with oversight by school administrators) ~ not as a tool of use in advancing children out of depression (with oversight by a doctor).

If it was decided that electro-shock therapy was appropriate for these kids, why would that treatment be administered by school staff instead of doctors?

Stang · « **Reply #8 on:** December 26, 2007, 12:35:08 PM »

If our squeakers in AH are anywhere near representative to the population of kids as a whole, I say get to shocking...

lazs2 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 26, 2007, 02:28:15 PM »

that's what I am trying to figure out... school is no place for medical treatment.

lazs

Tigeress · « **Reply #10 on:** December 26, 2007, 04:04:45 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2
that's what I am trying to figure out... school is no place for medical treatment.

lazs

Don't they know tasers are cheaper?

Seems a lot of authoritarians are going for zapping people into submission these days.

This is the first I have heard of it being used by authoritarians other than the police and perhaps prison guards.

Being in my line of work, I have been zapped a few times and in one case it felt like a full force hammer blow to my little finger... I accidently shorted out two terminals live with microwave frequency power and it vaporized two neat holes out of the side of my finger. My entire arm ached.

I would not want to see people zapped for the convienence of someone wishing to gain effortlessly obtained cooperation in a non-lethal tussle with the law and certianly not to punish mentally disturbed children for acting out.

Shoot, I dont even like hearing about shock collars for dogs.

TIGERESS

Leslie · « **Reply #11 on:** December 26, 2007, 04:26:35 PM »

Did a little reading and apparently the shock treatment is not like the kind used to treat depression which passes electric current through the brain. The treatment in question here involves wearing a backpack with electrodes attached to the torso, arms and legs. The shock is remote controlled and lasts about two seconds...tingles like a bee sting.

Proponents of this treatment say it is effective and causes no harm. I've heard there are some games out there which deliver a similar shock. This is not a medical procedure. Not like Cuckoo's Nest at all.

Les

Tigeress · « **Reply #12 on:** December 26, 2007, 05:07:41 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Leslie
Did a little reading and apparently the shock treatment is not like the kind used to treat depression which passes electric current through the brain. The treatment in question here involves wearing a backpack with electrodes attached to the torso, arms and legs. The shock is remote controlled and lasts about two seconds...tingles like a bee sting.

Proponents of this treatment say it is effective and causes no harm. I've heard there are some games out there which deliver a similar shock. This is not a medical procedure. Not like Cuckoo's Nest at all.

Les

mmmm... then prehaps the device can be used on proponents of shock punishment to harmlessly intice them to stop doing it?

One of those kids was shocked 77 times in one session.
The voltage has got to be pretty high to break down the multi-megohm skin resistance in order to create current flow.

I refuse to sleep under an electric blanket; not because I fear getting shocked, rather ionizing 60Hz radiation from the blanket in close proximity with the body for repeated long periods of time is suspected of causing cancer... same with cell phones held close to the head.

The higher the frequency, the higher the power, the closer to the source, and the longer one is ionized, the higher the likehood of cancer is thought to be.

When current flows through the body, your atoms are ionized as long as current flows.

Just say no to shock punishment.

TIGERESS

john9001 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 26, 2007, 05:13:05 PM »

breaking news......it has been reported that bee stings do not "tingle" they hurt.

texasmom · « **Reply #14 on:** December 26, 2007, 06:29:52 PM »

So the convulsions are limited to the brain instead of the entire body because of the new 'advancements.' How is that an advantage? That just means the administrators don't have to strap 'em down to keep them from flailing & flopping about.

I've got a whole bunch of little boys ~ one with several physical/mental disabilities ~ and each one a real pain in the neck at their own choice on more than one occassion. I'm trying to picture the parents (who are required to authorize the 'treatment') and the children themselves (who must also authorize the 'treatment') as actually agreeing to this. I'm not understanding how you get to a point where you create brain convulsions as punishment.

So if these kids are so disabled or so mentally down & out that they're dangerous, how does that put them in a viable position to give their own consent to this? I mean... I can't even really wrap my mind around it at all.

Is there absolutely not a better way possible than that? I find that hard to believe that the answer is no.

*edit*
Leslie, I skimmed through the earlier posts, but just saw what you wrote that it's not the kind that sends currents through the brain. I'll go back & read some other stuff about this kind of shock treatment. Right now I'm still kinda picturing CIA-style strap em down & torture them kind of shock treatment.