Safeminds: 1 in 68 is Only Part of the Autism Story - What CDC Didn’t Report
Weekly Wrap: Nightmare on Clifton Road - Freddy Krueger is Coming for the CDC

Dr. Keith Ablow on Justina Pellietier Children's Hospital Of Boston Medical Freedom Case

Keith AblowManaging Editor's Note:  We in the autism community have been watching the Justina Pelletier case with horror (there is no softer word) as Children's Hospital of Boston took the teen from her family earlier this year.  Dr. Keith Ablow, popular psychiatrist, had this to say about the case on Fox.   You can link over to the FOX site to read the full post - we choose to excerpt -  but the final paragraph is critical:

Yet, I also know that a teenager has been taken from her family. I know that she was once a figure skater and has, since her time at Children’s Hospital, been photographed in a wheelchair. I know that she reportedly passed a note to her parents recently that accused the hospital of abusing her. And I am absolutely sure that if the medical records or other evidence cannot prove beyond a doubt that Linda and Lou Pelletier placed Justina in mortal danger by virtue of their psychopathology or willful negligence as parents, Children’s Hospital should be brought to its knees by paralyzing civil suits and criminal complaints, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts should be exposed for what it may have become: a state that, under the determined leadership of Gov. Deval Patrick (who, by the way, threatened to jail anyone driving during a snowstorm this winter), teeters on the brink of abandoning all pretense of individual freedom.

Dr. Keith Ablow is a psychiatrist and member of the Fox News Medical A-Team. Dr. Ablow can be reached at [email protected].

My Dinner With The Familyof Justina Pelletier

In case you’ve ever wondered, when you take a psychiatrist to dinner (especially a forensic psychiatrist, like me), he doesn’t leave the office 100 percent. No well-trained psychiatrist can. The “third ear” we develop during training – the one that catches meaningful turns of phrase or attempts to be evasive – can’t be left at the office door entirely.

When I had dinner with Lou and Linda Pelletier and three of their four daughters, Jennifer, Jessica and Julia, a few nights ago in Massachusetts, I wasn’t trying to evaluate them. They aren’t my patients. But I was listening for discordant psychological notes, nonetheless – ones that might tell me I was sitting with people destructive enough to merit permanently losing custody of their teenage daughter Justina.

For anyone who hasn’t heard the story, the Pelletiers brought Justina to Boston Children’s Hospital early last year for a consultation related to complications from what they had been told was mitochondrial disease, a complex and controversial physical disorder diagnosed in Justina by doctors at New England Medical Center in Boston (and with which another of their daughters has also been diagnosed). Instead, the Pelletiers were told by a doctor who intervened in her consultation that Justina had no physical ailment, but was, instead, suffering from somatoform disorder – physical symptoms caused not by underlying bodily abnormalities but by underlying psychological issues.

The Pelletiers did not want to leave Justina at Children’s Hospital, but they were not allowed to take her home. She was seized by the hospital, which asserted the Pelletiers would not accept their daughter’s obvious psychiatric disorder and, therefore, clearly would impede needed treatment. Courts in Massachusetts have agreed, recently awarding permanent custody of Justina to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF).

The inherent accusation by Children’s Hospital in all of this has to be that the Pelletiers are extremely toxic people, psychologically – enough either to cause their daughter to have very severe musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal and neurological problems, or to make them unfit to choose the proper course of treatment for their daughter’s mental illness, ever.

Now, on to my dinner with Lou and Linda Pelletier and their three other daughters. And keep in mind, this was not an evaluation. But I am a psychiatrist, and I don’t stop being one when the appetizers arrive.

First, I noticed that each person at the table spoke independently, and sometimes out of turn. Occasionally, one or the other would complain that someone else had interrupted, and that person would apologize and wait his or her turn. It was clear to me that Lou and Linda Pelletier had not deprived their children of all independence and autonomy.

Each member of the family ordered what he or she wanted, without asking Lou or Linda for permission and without any criticism or second-guessing.

Second, I noticed that the Pelletier daughters talked among themselves when Lou, Linda and I were discussing some matter more intently at the other end of the table. I don’t doubt the young women engage in plenty of infighting at times, but they clearly have regard for one another and show real warmth toward one another.

Read the full editorial at Fox here.

Comments

Jeannette Bishop

https://www.rt.com/usa/535207-marty-gottesfeld-law-interview/

Linda1

Just saw this article about another child, Isaiah Rider, being horrifically abused by the system. Published 2 days ago:

http://healthimpactnews.com/2015/illinois-stops-teen-from-going-to-mayo-clinic-legalized-terrorism-claims-distraught-mom/

Brett

I hope Justina's Parents take the Children's Hospital for everything it is worth in a civil suite. This should have never happened. I love they way they comment on how upset the Parent's were during this time. Maybe that was because the Sate kidnapped their child!

Can't tell you how lucky we were that we did not take our daughter to a Hospital like this when she suffered for a year with stomach pains. Thank God that finally passed.

Linda1

Another child kidnapped:

"Sick Teen Defends Mom Who Lost Custody
Boy posts video on Facebook after hospital requests he be placed into temporary protective custody. Christian Farr reports."

Jun 24, 2014

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/video/#!/home/top-videos/SickTeenDefendsMomWhoLostCustody/264487611#ixzz35fqB5SqB
Follow us: @nbcchicago on Twitter | nbcchicago on Facebook

Jen

Jeanette, thanks for the great news. Boston Children's Hospital has acted abominably.

Jeannette Bishop

"Massachusetts Judge Orders Justina Pelletier To Be Returned To Her Parents"

http://benswann.com/massachusetts-judge-orders-justina-pelletier-to-be-returned-to-her-parents/

shannon wasserman

The ACLU can file amicus briefs as the case moves along, but they can't represent people without their consent. The ACLU has a pretty good record of taking on unpopular causes....

shannon wasserman

Presidents tend not to worry about first amendment rights. Maybe because people listen to them. Check out "Alien and Sedition rights and Founding Fathers". First Amendment rights aren't "right" or "left". They are ground up.

Linda

Where does...,
I don't think it matters who is president because the president isn't in charge. It doesn't matter what he wants to do. He can only do what the people in charge will let him do. Don't ask me exactly who those people are, but I am fairly certain that it isn't him.

Shannon,
Thanks for the info on the ACLU. I hope they don't stand on the sidelines. I hope they jump in with all they've got and save this kid and this country from these predators. It is very good to hear that at least someone is questioning all these gag orders.

Where does the President stand on this?

Linda where is Obama on this kind of tyranny? My mother always goes on about "poor Obama" but honestly, where does he stand on so many of these injustices? So all the NSA surveillance is okay? All these kinds of instances where parents' rights are trampled on so blatantly is okay? The first candidate that actually stands up for some of these First Amendment rights will triumph. Anything else will not be tolerated.

Benedetta

ASDFatherPA
The Father was being interviewed on the news and he said the the doctors that took his daughter away told him there was no such thing as a mitochondria disease.

------------ yeah I know --- stunned silence on this end too when I heard it.

The judge that ruled on this matter -- not sure what the judge knows or don't know.

shannon wasserman

Linda, several groups/lawyers are deeply troubled by this case. For now, they may have enough lawyers involved.

From Boston Globe "Meanwhile Jessie Rossman, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Massachusetts, said Monday that it has been reviewing the First Amendment issues arising out of the gag order and that “we are deeply concerned about multiple aspects.”

She said no final decision has been made about whether to join the case, “but we are looking at ways that we can be helpful.”

ASDFatherPA

Folks, isn't there any biomarkers for mito disease that could be presented to the judge to show that the BCH is definitely wrong?

Linda

All Americans need to rise up against this tyranny. I think we can all agree that several crimes have been committed here. The hospital's and the state's actions are indefensible. I think that part of what we need to do is to start a legal defense fund to protect parental rights.

Where is the ACLU on this?

Pamela Feres

Thank God for experts who still stand for truth An love! Believing all the good humans join forces to overtake the wrongs and bring back love to children and families! Reunification and love is what needs to be followed! Thanks Justina's family and Justina for bringing your story to light so the world knows truth and love needs to return to some individuals in youth protection and hospital doctors! My two youngest angels were taken over a year ago and court dragged on for two years! Never in tge best interest of my innocent special needs children! My son has had 20+ hospital appointments in so called protective care! Infection after infection and hospitalized for pneumonia! My daughter has serious breathing issues suddenly developing in so called care! Please see our story CTVNews Montreal Mother pleads for the return of her two adopted special needs children! Help bring back love and truth for these two angels! See on youtube.... love is stronger with Pamela Feres.

Shell Tzorfas

This sad story goes way beyond a loss of rights and parental freedom.Initally diagnosed and cared for by the fine medical team at Tufts, Boston Children's Hospital- the Psychiatry department took it as an opportunity to undiagnosed her mitochondrial disorder and rediagnose her as having a mental/psychiatric illness by the name of "Somatoforum" illness. It appears that they could publish their findings in psychiatric journals as a way to become famous and gain funding. However the question becomes, "How much money does it cost to keep a teen locked up in a hospital for more than a year while they use her as a guinea pig for their reports, watching idly as she went from being able to figure skate and evolve into the crutch of a wheel chair?" "Who will pay the millions of dollars to keep her prisoned in the hospital?" To remove a child from her loving family in a control freak experiment, gain custody, pay children protective services (rather children violation services), the courts, attorneys, judges is a crime against humanity. At this point I urge my clients to stay away from all "Children's Hospitals" especially the one run by Dr. Offit who pushes Aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, cells of pigs, cows, chicks, caterpillars, dogs, ether and more toxic chemicals upon newborns, children and teens, then writes books on how vitamins are not natural and orders the hospital to not permit vitamins, even amongst children with cancers. The exception might be if a child needs a heart transplant but even then I shudder.

This case, and similar ones at Children's Hospitals represents how low we have gone to bow down to the medical authorities and the loss of our constitutional rights. It shows how authorities will stop at nothing to further erode parental rights and split up intact families because in their opinions, families do not matter?

Shell of "Recovering Autism, ADHD, & Special Needs."

Laura

Horror does not even begin to convey my feelings about this.

Abject terror is more like it.

I have a son with Autism and Mitochondrial Dysfunction. He is healthy and doing well in a managed recovery for now. But his mito specialist is a state away at another hospital. My son has had many severe and life threatening side effects to medications, such as steriods for his asthma. I am terrified to take him to a hospital now. Which ones are safe? Which ones will believe me ( and his treating doctor )?

This appears to be happening in Arizona as well, with two young girls. The doctor that inserted feeding tubes, has now had the children taken by CPS, accusing the mother of medical child abuse, and is forcing them to eat solid food? All becasue the mother fired him.

Who made doctors gods?

HeidiN

All psychiatric illnesses have a traceable cause. You can easily Google to learn them. For example, "borna virus Bipolar abstract" or "OCD Strep abstract". If she has Somatoform disorder, than I wouldn't know about that because in all my many years of thousands of mental illness clients, I have never seen it. So, not sure if it even exists.

I have talked to numerous people who were diagnosed with mental illness who later found out that they actually had a medical condition and were able to finally leave their disabling conditions to attend work or school. Most docs and testing here in America, just plain suck, and it's because they are getting paid even when they don't help or do "accidental" harm. We can't sue, so the medical establishment is not kept in check, except for the very obvious intentional crimes.

So, just saying, any doc anywhere can say someone has Somatoform disorder at any time because it's so easy to meet the criteria. I actually used to think people imagined illnesses as well due to what I was taught in college. But, in real life experience, I realized that it's not true. I have seen many people lose psychiatric diagnoses on pure medical treatments alone, which was definitely my proof. College/licensing/regulating agencies teach people to rule out medical conditions before diagnosing with psychiatric illness, but it's not done (which is against the medical rules.) There are good people here and there. Maybe you can file charges against the hospital, to include criminal charges. Not by lawyer, but file against the licensing bureau that licenses the doc and hospital and the specialty credentialing. Actually, you should easily find many medical causes that mimic Somatoform disorder symptoms and show that they were not tested for. Do the legwork. The strategy will come to you. I have always won my battles with strategy. Remember, most people are lazy and will not look up such things or even take the time to do things correctly. Get researching; you can do it! Oh, and also, I am sure the doc has something in his past that makes him look bad. It's has always worked for me. I'll bet even his colleagues will turn on him if approached. That has also worked for me. Get busy. But, remember, everything has to be done cleverly and legally. Where there is a will, there's a way. And remember, the most successful strategy, that has won all battles, is perseverance.

Benedetta

Well now you know that law suits cause all of us to have to pay more for medical care -- We need to pass laws that protect hospitals from these junk law suits.

Perhaps we can petition Congress to make up some special but freindly court for when hospitals lose their freaking minds to pay for damages. It has worked out so well for vaccine damages.

Bon Jovi song fits in here I beleive:

This ain't a song for the broken-hearted
No silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud

[Chorus:]
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life

This is for the ones who stood their ground
For (Lou) and (Linda) who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks


DFWMom

The problem is the law. There is this concept that "if in doubt", we should err in the side of depriving children and parents of their liberty to "for the best interests of the child". It seemed reasonable to be overly cautious when it comes to a child's safety, but it is actually NOT reasonable at all to deprive people of their basic human rights without a very high standard and incontrovertible just cause. The evidentiary standard should be what it is in any other case where we deprive a person of their liberty -- "beyond a reasonable doubt".

I have very reasonable doubts about this case. Anyone else?!

Spread this far

This needs a lot of air time/exposure. People are sick to death of the parent interference happening in this government.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been saved. Comments are moderated and will not appear until approved by the author. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until the author has approved them.

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)