Patient Death Raises Questions About Restraints

(AP) Rice Lake, Wis. The suffocation death of a seven-year-old patient at a northwestern Wisconsin counseling center has highlighted the question of when to use physical restraints on children.

Angellika Arndt died at a Minneapolis hospital on May 26th, a day after police were called to the Northwest Counseling and Guidance Clinic in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, on a report that she was unresponsive.

Police say staff members at the clinic had restrained the Ladysmith girl because of behavioral issues.

Officials say Arndt died from complications of chest compression, which caused lack of air from a restraint hold she was placed in by staff members.

The state Department of Health and Family Services investigated and found that the staff had restrained Arndt nine times for one to two hours.

Clinic officials say the staff obeyed current laws and acted appropriately in restraining Arndt face down.

But some experts say research has shown the practice is dangerous.

DISCLAIMER, WARNINGS, AND NOTICE TO READERS: This website does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the information, content collectively, the "Materials") contained on, distributed through, or linked, downloaded or accessed from any of the services contained on this website (the "Service"). None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators or anyone else connected with this website in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in these web pages. All information provided using this website is only intended to be general summary information to the public.

FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages may contain copyrighted (© ) material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

REFERRALS: CAICA is not a referral agency. CAICA does not refer to or promote facilities or transport companies for children or teens. CAICA warns parents that the parent pay / parent choice programs ie. Residential Treatment Centers, Therapeutic Boarding Schools, Behavior Modification Programs, Christian Programs, Positive Peer Culture Programs, etc., are not regulated by the Federal Government and that it is a "Buyer Beware" industry. CAICA provides the following for parents: Message to Parents, Help for Distraught and Desperate Parents, and Questions to Ask and Warning Signs.

© 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008