Mental health checks offered for 3yos

Mental health checks offered for 3yos

www.abc.net.au

The Federal Government is planning to introduce mental health checks for three-year-olds.

The Government currently offers a general health check for four-year-olds whose parents receive family benefits.

Mental Health Minister Mark Butler says the Government has been advised to bring forward the check and broaden it to include the social and emotional well-being of the child.

(visit the link for the full news article)

"We think this is a very important advance in trying to build our evidence base, our capacity to identify early infants and children who are exhibiting developmental difficulties."

He says the Government has received advice from psychiatrists and from paediatricians about the benefits.

"This is voluntary. We will promote the benefits of this to families."

www.abc.net.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

You know, a three year old would have to live in a REALLY messed up environment to need a mental health check.

WTH?

Who gets the money for performing these health checks? This has line-the-pockets scam written all over it.

Originally posted by Freedom_is_Slavery


"We think this is a very important advance in trying to build our evidence base, our capacity to identify early infants and children who are exhibiting developmental difficulties."

He says the Government has received advice from psychiatrists and from paediatricians about the benefits.

"This is voluntary. We will promote the benefits of this to families."

www.abc.net.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

Coming from a mother who 19 years ago had to fight to get any pediatrician, public health or school official to listen to me when I said that something was off on my three year old son's development and who consequently had to endure years of lost opportunity to provide my son, later diagnosed as Autistic, with the resources needed to live a happy and productive life, I applaud this effort. Please do not make this into a conspiracy theory people. Please keep this in it's proper perspective - we are not talking about FORCED mandatory treatment (it specifically says it is voluntary) and there is NO MENTION about medicating these children or making them into zombies. In a society where 1 in 100 children are diagnosed with Autism, we can no longer afford to not have public policy on this issue. I commend the Australian government on this initiative and hope it lights a global fire.

Timidgal

I think they need to give mental health checks to people who work in government, and law enforcement. Not 3 year olds..

reply to post by timidgal


I was in the exact same position years ago; although the education system here is improving for Autistic kids....we are still very much way way behind education wise. Although many of the special needs teachers are aware of Autisim/ASD in theory, they are still ignorant when it comes to practice within the classroom.

I remember years ago my son's special needs teacher asked me "what do you think is the cause of your son's autism?" , my jaw dropped and will never forget it. I recall my answer was "you are a special needs teacher, is my son in the right class?" and "if I was a professional specialist in child development whereby I could answer that question professionally, do you think my child would be here in the state schooling system that lacks proper training and funding?"

reply to post by BanMePlz


I agree in part however if it means the Govt can plan ahead in their budget and start spending more on mental health and education, I say go for it.

What this country needs is more money invested in medical research for Autism too.

3 year old just cant take it anymore? 3 year old has anger problems throwing his binky about in blind rage. 3 year old thinks everyone is against it; seen too much in its long stressful life. How dare these ingrates hand me a luke warm bottle! I DESERVE HOT MILK! I DESERVE JUSTICE! I ....oh look sesame street.

"1 is 1 to 2 we go and 3 and 4 and back to 1" YAY BIG BIRD!

Originally posted by bluemirage5
reply to post by timidgal

 

I was in the exact same position years ago; although the education system here is improving for Autistic kids....we are still very much way way behind education wise. Although many of the special needs teachers are aware of Autisim/ASD in theory, they are still ignorant when it comes to practice within the classroom.

I remember years ago my son's special needs teacher asked me "what do you think is the cause of your son's autism?" , my jaw dropped and will never forget it. I recall my answer was "you are a special needs teacher, is my son in the right class?" and "if I was a professional specialist in child development whereby I could answer that question professionally, do you think my child would be here in the state schooling system that lacks proper training and funding?"

I applaud you for keeping such composure as I surely would have felt like tossing her through the window. I was very very lucky to have been assigned a teacher's assistant (after much hemming and hawing) who was compassionate, educated and well ahead of her years on the topic of Autism and the mechanics for how their brains process information. She really got my son through lower and middle schools and has remained a dear friend to this day. It wasn't until high school when a majority of his teachers ganged up on my husband and me at a parent/teacher's conference to vocalize their opinion that "your son is just lazy". The next day, we got in touch with an attorney, told the school we had tried to work with them as best we could but it was now time for them to make good on our tax dollars and provide our son with the education he was entitled to. Those teacher's opinions would never change even if we talked ourselves blue in the face and we weren't going to waste our time arguing against their ignorance.

Originally posted by AndrewJay
3 year old just cant take it anymore? 3 year old has anger problems throwing his binky about in blind rage. 3 year old thinks everyone is against it; seen too much in its long stressful life. How dare these ingrates hand me a luke warm bottle! I DESERVE HOT MILK! I DESERVE JUSTICE! I ....oh look sesame street.

"1 is 1 to 2 we go and 3 and 4 and back to 1" YAY BIG BIRD!

AndewJay - What about when your 3 year old can't express his anger (or anything else for that matter) and just sits there rocking and humming or he can't coordinate his facial muscles to keep the binky in his mouth? Or how about a 3 year old whose fine motor skills are so underdeveloped that he can't even hold a lukewarm bottle or sit upright to watch Sesame Street and repeat such gleeful lessons back to his adoring parents? I would like to think that you are a kind and caring person but perhaps one that doesn't fully understand because you, yourself, never experienced loving a child with such extreme challenges??

Timidgal

reply to post by AndrewJay


Until you are the parent of a child who "just doesn't seem right" or is having difficulties in certain areas despite excelling in others and despite your best work as a parent to help them it would be really great if you could not judge.

Autism and all other developmental disorders are best treated when caught early. My son dealt with 3 years of wasted schooling, hits to his self esteem and misery before I could convince the school that something wasn't right.
Turns out that rather than being a behavior problem, or lacking initiaitive and self control, he has a learning disorder. With some basic interventions and a little extra understanding he has gone from nearly failing 2nd grade to straight A's at the end of 3rd. I am not talking about drugging hin into submission either, but rather verbal spelling tests, being allowed to reduce quantity for quality on written assignments, and being allowed to go to the resource room where it is quiet for more in depth assignments.

The child has an IQ of 130, but can't remember his multiplication tables, he can tell you everything that happens in a book in a logical sequential sentence but can barely form a complete well written sentence when you ask him to put it on paper.

Does everything have to be taken so literal? Jeez people find a sense of humor.

reply to post by timidgal


Well, my son was in a special unit and when my son completed his School Certificate they decided he was too old for the unit and was forced in to the mainstream school.....with no teacher's aid. I will add, my son is also selectively mute and does'nt communicate with the outside world. So, I said ok, lets give it a go (because the Dept of Education said there was no where else to put him)....one term, one school report....and three of his teachers plainly wrote your son refuses to communicate to the teachers and won't socialize in class groups or with mainstream kids. They also said he could'nt keep up with normal school work within the classroom because he was too slow. Fact is, he spent too much time on his writing because he's way too articulate but you need a magnifying glass to read it because it's microscopic in size.......I was furious with the teachers. School principal was like talking to a brick wall. So it was home and long distance education became the better option where he completed high school.

This is still going on in the education system today, 2011 !!!

These health checks will likely be part of routine well child checks and will touch on verbal mental and emotional developmental touchpoints to make sure they are falling within normal range (which is quite wide) and if not within that normal range if they are developing at the same rate as the rest of the child.

The doctor can easily check for hallmarks of Autism and other problems with simple checklists/questionares for things such as eye contact, verbal communication, physical affection, fine motor etc.

That way if any red flags are found they can try to get early intervention with the appropriate neuro developmental pediatrician, occupational and/or physical therapists, optometrists for eye vision problems, speech pathologist to help with verbal skills etc etc etc.

reply to post by AndrewJay


Parents of special needs kids deal with so much judgement, bad advice, sideways glances and whispering.

There is no humor in having a kid who isn't getting what they need and who is struggling just to do the basics in this everyday world.

If it's voluntary, then I see absolutely no problem with this. In fact, I think it's great.

The fact is that children as young as 3 (and even younger) can be suffering from developmental disabilities that will only compound as the child grows. Identifying and treating them early gives the child the best chance to successfully grow into a healthy adult.

If only we could get beneficial medical services like this here in the United States.

Originally posted by AndrewJay
Does everything have to be taken so literal? Jeez people find a sense of humor.

AndrewJay - I try to sympathize with you because I don't think you were intentionally trying to upset anyone but there are just some subjects that there's no room for a sense of humor. The important thing is that we all come away from these types of discussions with a broader view of the world and a new sensitivity to other's feelings.

Timidgal

reply to post by bluemirage5


So sorry you had to go through this but it sounds like your son had luck on his side to have such an unselfish and giving mother.

Timidgal

reply to post by Freedom_is_Slavery


Good idea, these kids listing to the berthers and the tea party and the rhetoric that is going on this world is affecting the younger generation...great idea !

I don't understand. Surely this kind of thing gets addressed at developmental checks as the child is growing up? My son has a few autistic traits but isn't autistic (but apparently many people do), and he has checks to determine how well his communication is coming on, his motor skills etc.
Childrens health is important, I don't understand why they are only checked at 3 onwards for these kinds of things.