Autism Vox

32 opinions for Nate Tseglin Removed From His Home and Institutionalized: Why?

• KimJ
  Feb 19, 2008 at 9:45 pm

  I’m sure there is more to the story. There always is. However, since the CPS over there isn’t dealing with too much, perhaps they would like to send enthusiastic employees to Tucson. We’d sure appreciate the help and parents that are actually caring for their kids in San Diego could be left alone.

• Kristina Chew, PhD
  Feb 19, 2008 at 10:13 pm

  I suspect there is more too—–the OC Register column was not too precise about dates, for one thing.

• Marla
  Feb 19, 2008 at 10:54 pm

  This is a strange story. I missed the state it was from at first and thought, gadz…surely there is something missing. M used to self abuse so I can relate to the fears in that area. It does not seem right if the parents rights have been taken away. It usually takes a whole lot for that to happen. Very sad and strange.

• Regan
  Feb 19, 2008 at 11:24 pm

  8/9/07 Ilya and Riva Tseglin, Parents of son with Asperger Syndrome in Poway, California taken from them
  Disability News Radio/Monica Moshenko
  (the quality is pretty awful but you might be able to adjust the quality on your system)
  http://www.disabilitynewsradio.com/DisNewsAugust92007.mp3

• Owl
  Feb 19, 2008 at 11:27 pm

  From what I’ve heard, it doesn’t really take that much to initiate a child abuse investigation up to taking away the child, though I don’t know how true it is that parents are assumed guilty through the entire process. If say his self inflicted wounds were practically festering because of lack of care other than say a herbal ointment known not to do anything useful I could see some reason for the child being taken away. The way its being reported does leave a lot to be desired. It sure doesn’t sound like the state is having any luck keeping him in a state fit to go to school like his parents were. Or at least I got the impression he was in school, how else did the teacher report his wounds?

  I’m suspicious of the way the parents are assuming their child is being molested. It doesn’t say in the article that the child reported any abuse and they have no evidence other than that he’s locked up with the insane people at the moment. It suggests they are willing to suggest anything to make the government sound bad. If you just have a generalized fear of abuse from other patients you would say “he might not be safe from others in that facility” but instead they are suggesting the more specific sexual abuse for no more apparent reason than it makes the state look evil.

  Much better reporting on this one would be valuable.

• KimJ
  Feb 20, 2008 at 1:01 am

  Well, I don’t blame the parents “going there” with the assumptions of sexual assault because it’s emphasized heavily in our culture. That’s one of the first thing people with talk about when discussing incarceration. And they are talking about seeing their son in a very vulnerable spot, losing consciousness and unable to do much.

• Rjaye
  Feb 20, 2008 at 2:50 am

  I’m going to reserve judgement. I worked in social services and unless this area is incredibly lucky in its funding, it is damn hard to remove a child from a home unless there has been a history of some kind, whether it’s real abuse, or perhaps an ongoing battle between not just school officials, but possibly doctors.

  The fact the parents provided the information means there’s a whole other side not presented. I am not going to speculate with this case.

  Waiting for more, R.

• Mrs. C
  Feb 20, 2008 at 7:24 am

  I’m a Homeschool Legal Defense Association member and not a week goes by without a frightening story about social workers trying to bully parents in one way or another.

  We as taxpayers fund school districts’ deep legal pockets and they’re rarely publically accountable because they can hide behind privacy laws in individual cases. They can pay for the best legal representation in the world and what help does the parent have at taxpayer expense? (Hint: it’s a round number.)

  I hope these parents are able to get their child back and that they are able to move to another location that takes parental rights seriously. Russia comes to mind. Maybe they could go there and be regular Yakov Smirnovs or something, and make big money on the comedy tour… Only it’s not very funny at all. :[

• kyra
  Feb 20, 2008 at 10:09 am

  when i first read about this, i was so upset i felt ill. i am outraged and frightened by how quickly the ‘authorities’ can swoop in and take your child and subject them to whatever they deem appropriate. my god.

• Justthisguy
  Feb 20, 2008 at 6:48 pm

  This kind of thing is the inevitable result of the ascendancy of the Progressives, or “Pwogs” as they used to be known a hundred years ago. Back then, most Progressives were Republicans, the original big-Government party. Unfortunately, the Democrats’ reputation was so tainted by their association with secession and slavery, and Roman Catholicism in the North, that the real Democrats (there may be two or three of us left) either just gave up, or grudgingly joined the Republicans.

  I am a pre-Bryan Democrat. That is, neither a socialist, nor a fascist, nor _any_ kind of collectivist. Limited-liability corporations are collectivist, and thus, evil in my sight.

  what I reckon I was working myself up to saying, here, is that I consider that that kid was abducted and tortured by criminals, and they are even worse criminals by being state employees.

  I think that the absolute minimum just remedy here should involve tar and feathers, and the parents want me on the jury if something like that were to happen, God forbid, of course

• Justthisguy
  Feb 20, 2008 at 6:57 pm

  I left a comment which disappeared, so I’ll try and reconstruct it, in outline.

  1. This nonsense is and inevitable consequence of Progressive meddling with individual rights.

  2. The Republicans were the original Progressives and original big-government party.

  3. Tar and feathers are indicated, at a minimum.

  4. Applicators of tar and feathers would have nothing to fear, were they arrested for that, and I on their jury.

• Jo Kaplen
  Feb 21, 2008 at 3:49 am

  Maybe the Governor of California will intervene for Nate Tseglin — fax number for the First Lady Maria Shriver is: Fax: (916) 445-4633. When autism
  hits 1 out of 150 children, it is time for the government to wake up and understand what autism is, and what it is not, and that they should not be able to take an underage child from his parents if he has autism!

  Jo in Israel

• Nancy Gray
  Feb 25, 2008 at 12:40 pm

  I, too, wish I could find out the “rest of the story” on Nate. Also on what’s behind the Autism epidemic. Also on how to improve the child wlefare system so that more children are removed who must be for their survival, and less are removed because of personality clashes with parents/caregivers
  or ignorance on the part of inexperienced and poorly educated case workers. Surely there must be a way to protect children first, and let them be more than they seem to be now…pawns and products.
  I for one am becoming more and more distrustful of media in presenting these stories…and find more and more to question… as in the case of Nate attending school vs. now confined as he is alleged to be with criminals.
  Nancy (Child Person From the South)

• Jo Kaplen
  Feb 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm

  Recently I read that an autistic boy died at Fairview State Hospital where Nate is, due to a rubber glove being stuffed down his throat. Can someone please explain to me why a rubber glove is placed in the throat of a patient at Fairview?? I hope a child protective services is reading this. This is why this story is a nighmare for parents of autistic kids. People need to wake up and find out what autism is. It hits 1 OUT OF 150! It is time to learn that many of the kids scratch themselves DUE TO FRUSTRATION IN NOT BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE MEDICAL PAIN — many of them need medical care but the insurance companies and medical establishment has rejected to treat them !!! Other countries are making policies one by one that autism is not due to psychiatric causes but “somatic” causes (this means medical - physical). It is time for California to get on the boat.

• Kristina Chew, PhD
  Feb 25, 2008 at 4:57 pm

  Yes—I know my son and kids like him who don’t have a lot of language are truly communicating something when they have SIB’s and other “behaviors”—–even those “trained” to work with them are not trained in how to understand what is being “said,” without or with words.

• Justthisguy
  Feb 25, 2008 at 11:51 pm

  My cat doesn’t speak; not even Meow. He does communicate quite well with me, though, and I am quite certain that he is right pissed-off with me at the moment. I think of clueless humans who tickle their kitties’ tummies and are surprised when they get clawed and/or bitten.

• Maria Mazo
  Mar 4, 2008 at 6:35 am

  To all who commented on this story I would like to read more on the webcite that is created volunteers and dedicated to getting this teen home. Please read the timeline which chronicles that situation well. The boy is in danger as we speak, since he is being forced to take psychotropics that had caused him to have sezures in the past. It is a terrible case indeed.

• Maria Mazo
  Mar 4, 2008 at 6:37 am

  http://www.GetNateHome.com

• Kristina Chew, PhD
  Mar 4, 2008 at 2:08 pm

  Thanks for posting that information here—–terrible but something we everyone needs to know about.

• Jo Kaplen
  Mar 5, 2008 at 1:17 am

  Everyone’s waiting for the parents to get an attorney.

• Regan
  Mar 5, 2008 at 2:22 am

  I’m not speaking officially in any kind of capacity…there is a yahoogroup set up to try and intervene on Nate’s behalf and from what I read, it was stated that the Tseglins have retained counsel.

  That’s all that I am going to say, since I don’t want to interfere in or jeopardize their efforts.

• Maria Mazo
  Mar 6, 2008 at 4:24 pm

  Please sign the petition to get Nate home!
  http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/getnatehome/

• Jeanie
  Mar 21, 2008 at 5:44 pm

  Dear Kristina,
  Thank you for your thoughts and bringing some attention to the nightmare of a situation for Nate Tseglin and his parents. Anyone is welcome to visit our site, http://www.getnatehome.com, for more details, and join our advocacy Group from this site if you would like more ideas on helping Nate and his family.
  Thanks again Kristina!!
  Jeanie

• Chris Gillon
  Mar 21, 2008 at 9:11 pm

  Having AS myself, I’m disguisted. However, from that Yahoo group provided on getnatehome.com, I can tell that all is steering away from the coffin.

• Yanick Fulgueira
  Mar 25, 2008 at 9:12 am

  Nate Tseglin story brought tears to my eyes when I remembered how HRS destroyed my family, our reputation, our ability to earn money, our first daugther’s life, and the eternal pain in our heart. My daughter who has Asperger Syndrome is now 23 and thank God out of the public school system. We were constantly being harrassed by the HRS, the public school system and the police when she would show up bruised from self-injury, until one day the HRS asked the school to stop referring her to them since there was no evidence that we were abusing her! Naturally, she would also end up in the hospital where she would be over-medicated with strong psychotropic drugs. These drugs have the same side effects as street drugs as they SHRINK THE BRAIN and zap your child’s “intelligence” among other side effects as heart palpitations, anxiety, OCD, tic, etc. Several other parents speak of the same results. OUR GOVT, SCHOOL SYSTEM, POLICE need to know more about AUTISM. These kids have PHYSICAL problems, whether they are caused by mytochondrial dysfunction, mold (candidiasis), metal toxicity, etc. Tests should be administered to rule out the probability of any somatic causes and alternative medical intervention should be allowed. Psychotropic meds should be the last resort and still should be approved by parent and patient since they cause so much harm..

• Kristina Chew, PhD
  Mar 25, 2008 at 10:40 am

  @Yanick Fulgeira,

  I hope things have become much better for your daughter—we’ve been through some similar situations here in New Jersey about our son who has a history of SIBs; there would be disputes between us and the school district about bruises. Not a good situation.

• OmegaWolf747
  Mar 28, 2008 at 9:47 pm

  These bureaucrats need to be locked up and drugged against their will. There’s a special place in Hell for people like these so called “child protectors”.

• erin
  Mar 31, 2008 at 10:03 am

  I am in shock this morning after reading of this. This sounds like my son in a lot of ways! He has Aspergers and major Sensory Processing Disorder. He has been put on every drug possible since he was 5. He would have meltdowns (and have to be restrained, which would make him feel better).

  I can say happily that he is now 10, and doing 95% better with behaviors since he is off of ALL meds (none helped). Except he takes something to help him sleep at night. You see, physical activity, OT, PT, and sleeping at night have done an amazing amount of good! I could not be happier and more proud of my son who has been horribly misunderstood in the public realm, treated as defiant or a behavior problem.

  This situation just reflects a very disheartening outlook on the future of so many kids like ours if things don’t change on a larger scale soon. Many people still have no idea how much of the population we are talking about and how it will affect our/their education and medical systems.

• Kathy G.
  Apr 24, 2008 at 2:32 pm

  Does anyone know what has since happened to Nate? The Web site where you’re supposed to find updates has been disabled. Is Nick dead, or else comatose and brain-dead? Did the staff kill him?

• Kristina Chew, PhD
  Apr 24, 2008 at 5:15 pm

  Looking and not finding much except for older reports. Will keep at it.

• Kristina Chew, PhD
  May 27, 2008 at 5:10 pm

  At the request of the Tseglin Family, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network sent the following letter yesterday for use in a court hearing to determine the future of Nate Tseglin. If you are as of yet unfamiliar with Nate’s case, please visit

  http://www.getnatehome.com/faq.html

  for details. Please feel free to distribute.

  ---

  To Whom It May Concern:

  The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is an international organization of adults and youth on the autism spectrum, including Asperger’s Syndrome, working to promote the interests of the autistic self-advocate community through public policy and social change advocacy. We are writing as friends of the court to express our concern about the treatment of Nate Tseglin, a young adult with a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome who has been taken away from his family and placed in an institution under heavy psychotropic medication.

  The right of individuals with disabilities to live in the community has been well established by the United States Supreme Court under the landmark Olmstead v. L.C. decision. The ruling requires states to shift funding from institutional placements to community living supports. Given the clear evidence that institutional settings and the indiscriminate use of psychotropic medication negatively impact the quality of life of autistic adults and youth, we are concerned by Nate’s continued placement under restraint in a residential facility where he is isolated from his family, his community, and any meaningful educational or social opportunities. The overwhelming consensus of the scientific community indicates that such a placement is inappropriate, unnecessary, and counterproductive.

  Scientific studies have not found that autistic persons are more likely to commit violent acts or violent crimes than non-autistic persons despite some media sensationalism of isolated cases of violence (Murrie, Warren, Kristiannsson, & Dietz, 2002; Barry-Walsh & Mullen, 2004). Autistic persons are, however, more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, for which cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) and one-on-one talk counseling are the recommended interventions (Stewart, Barnard, Pearson, Hasan, & O’Brien, 2006; Sofronoff, Attwood, & Hinton, 2005). Autistic persons also require positive support systems, frequent encouragement and praise, and living and learning environments that are compatible with their cognitive strengths, challenges, and preferences in order to achieve success in their life pursuits and gain a high quality of life (Renty & Roeyers, 2006; Plimley, 2007). Psychotropic medications should always be used with extreme caution with autistic persons as typically these medications are not specifically tested on this population in clinical studies, and psychotropic medications may cause substantial harm if used in an indiscriminate fashion.

  Nate’s current placement does not meet his needs and is likely to result in long-term physical and emotional damage. We urge the Court to recommend that Nate be removed from the Fairview Developmental Center and returned to the community.

  Regards,

  Ari Ne’eman
  The Autistic Self Advocacy Network,
  President
  1101 15th Street, NW Suite 1212
  Washington, DC 20005
  aneeman@autisticadvocacy.org
  (732) 763-5530

  Scott Michael Robertson
  The Autistic Self Advocacy Network,
  Vice President
  srobertson@autisticadvocacy.org
  (973) 464-6315

  References:

  Barry-Walsh, J. B., & Mullen, P. E. (2004). Forensic Aspects of Asperger’s Syndrome. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 15(1), 96-107.Murrie, D. C.,

  Warren, J. I., Kristiannsson, M., & Dietz, P. E. (2002). Asperger’s Syndrome in Forensic Settings. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 1(1), 59-70.

  Plimley, L. A. (2007). A Review Of Quality Of Life Issues And People With Autism Spectrum Disorders. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35(4), 205-213.

  Renty, J. O., & Roeyers, H. (2006). Quality of life in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder: The predictive Value of Disability And Support Characteristics. Autism, 10(5), 511-524.

  Sofronoff, K., Attwood, T., & Hinton, S. (2005) A randomised controlled trial of a CBT intervention for anxiety in children with Asperger syndrome, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 46 (11) , 1152–1160

  Stewart, M. E., Barnard, L., Pearson, J., Hasan R., & O’Brien, G. (2006) Presentation of depression in autism and Asperger syndrome: A review, Autism, 10 (1), 103-116

• Adam Race, Alex Barton, Nate Tseglin
  May 27, 2008 at 6:19 pm

  […] Nate Tseglin, who was removed from his parents’ home and institutionalized; some more details here and at the website, Get Nate […]

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