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“Capullio is out, Capullio is out!” my granddaughter Lily cried in her loudest gravelly voice, as she catapulted out the front door . Mindless of her diminutive four-year-old frame, no match for the giant chow who had May Lily never lose the sense of power that sent her in hot pursuit of Capullio. Full of self-confidence, she saw herself as an important agent of her community. Such spirit is a sign of healthy development, and in Lily’s case I feel sure that it will continue. But for many children, strong spirit gets squelched somewhere along the hazardous road to maturity. That road is indeed hazardous in this 21st Century. Many professionals claim we have an epidemic of mental illness among youth and it is showing up in younger and younger children. Across our nation millions of toddlers are acquiring pathological labels, mostly of the newly invented pediatric bipolar diagnosis and the attention deficit disorder commonly referred to as ADHD. But are these children really mentally ill? Is the care we provide really helpful? These questions plagued me throughout my journey as a children’s psychotherapist and led to some agonizing conclusions. But that journey illuminated some promising alternatives to the way mental health treatment is practiced today. I share both the good and the bad with readers. I speak to parents, caregivers, and all who have a stake in the health and welfare of children. For many youngsters, childhood is not the carefree playful experience of my generation. Flying in the face of child development experts’ recommendations, our system mandates youngsters to stop playing and start academic work prematurely. Children who persist in natural age-appropriate behaviors like wiggling, playing or drawing spontaneously are chastised. Their parents are pressured to force conformity by acceding to pathological labeling and medicating with brain-altering drugs. This practice is gaining momentum, leading toward widespread child abuse via chemicals. Screening children for mental illness, a practice heavily influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, feeds the momentum. The Bush administration’s New Freedom Commission’s plan to screen all public school children is accelerating the practice, and the Obama administration so far indicates support for mental screening. Ironically, screening children actually increases their risk for mental illness, even as it threatens the sanctity of the family unit The grim facts about mental health care inform parents and decision-makers to recognize potentially harmful interventions. Facts help caregivers guide children safely through mental health treatment when assistance is desired. Good therapists can help without the use of drugs. A chapter illuminates a host of drug-free solutions for distress Noxious elements in American society, unhealthy food processing, and pollutants in our environment also threaten healthy child development. We face the urgent tasks of repairing a flawed mental health system, a toxic environment, and increased government intrusion into families. I hope this book will inspire the necessary grass roots activism to effect sorely needed changes. Our progeny’s welfare depends on our immediate response to the challenges posed in these pages. |
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escaped his yard next door, she was on her way to save the day.