Responses to What Happened Last Friday in a Mass High School
The death of 15-year-old James Alenson, who was stabbed by his 16-year-old classmate, James Odgren, last Friday, has brought to light some very difficult questions, about violence, about the use of Asperger’s syndrome as a defense, about the use of psychiatric medications for children. I certainly do not have answers; I don’t know if there are answers. I hope that something can be learned from all this.
An article in today’s MetroWest Daily News notes that The Citizens Commission on Human Rights, a Scientologist group, is planning to stand at the intersection of two main roads and hold up a 20-foot banner reading “Psychiatry’s toxic drugs cause suicide and acts of violence.”
Rebecca Goniwich, chairwoman of the Lincoln-Sudbury Special Education Advisory Council and mother of an autistic boy, is concerned about the protest: “‘I think everybody will be devastated……….The backlash has already affected emotionally the kids with special needs. I think it’s just going to make them hurt more.’”
Helen Tager-Flusberg, a professor of anatomy and neurobiology at the Boston University School of Medicine, notes that psychopharmalogical treatment of those with Asperger’s syndrome is “‘complex individually and highly variable’”:
“We see quite a number of people, by the time they reach adolescence, with high anxiety or depression,” she said. “These might then be treated with psychotropic drugs that are used to treat those symptoms in other populations.”
Using drugs such as antidepressants, however, comes with its caveats, she said.
While studies have shown antidepressants and similar drugs can increase suicidal thoughts and violent behavior among teens, Tager-Flusberg said there are no formal studies on how they affect patients with Asperger’s.
Two recent comments on this case are very worth reading, from Miss X who once worked with Odgren, and from Victor, who notes that he has AS.
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POSTED IN: Asperger's Syndrome, Crime, Education, Medicine, Treatment
3 opinions for Responses to What Happened Last Friday in a Mass High School
Daisy
Jan 24, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Monitor, monitor, and monitor some more. Whether the patient has Asperger’s or not, kids and teens on anti-depressants need frequent monitoring. Was this child’s violence due to his meds, lack of meds, or a totally different situation? Blaming medications is just too easy. diggin for real causes is a lot harder.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jan 24, 2007 at 7:49 pm
And it looks like we have a lot of work to do. A very lot.
Phil Schwarz
Mar 4, 2007 at 1:17 pm
I am appalled at “Miss X”’s behavior on your blog, Kristina.
The IP address from which she made posts that (a.) are probable HIPAA violations regarding John Odgren, and (b.) are utterly and unprofessionally abusive of Kassiane Sibley, is a matter of public record.
If her identity can be traced through it, I think her employer(s), current and past, should be made aware of her conduct cited above.
If she is teaching, or in a position that otherwise requires the kind of judgement that would have prevented her from engaging in this kind of conduct, this is a serious matter.
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