ECT for 16 year olds !

My friend had this at about the same age - but that was many moons ago. I thought it had been phased out.

For some people, and for unclear reasons, it's the only thing that works. It's drastic but only done as a last resort and with much discussion and consultation.

Last resort at 16?

ECT was phased out for a time Luckygirl then began to be used again in a limited way. I am very surprised at it being prescribed for a 16 year old though.

It can be a last resort. Things can be pretty desperate in some cases.

At 16? The child would have to had a history of mental health problems, it can not be said at the start of this treatment if they will be permanent damage , it’s a roll of the dice.

It is believed to cause more harm than good and no one even knows how or why it seems to work and I do say seems as it is often a tempory lift
I too thought it was completely phased out
about fifteen years ago I worked with a young lady who had been given it for depression which in turn had been caused by child abuse she said it was terrible and left her with dreadful headaches she needed counselling and support around the child abuse not her brain blasting
I don’t like the thought of it still being used and cannot imagine why a child with a still growing brain should be given it a very very uncomfortable thought

I can only assume that every other therapeutic avenue has been explored. Acute mental illness in such a young person can have a high mortality rate. The clinicians involved must have been pretty desperate.
Where has the OP found this case though?

They were talking about it on tv not as a one of case but as it being a process that was being used Jane10

I ve just looked this up as I only saw a snippet on the tv and from what I see it’s not being used in Uk and NICE recommend it for over 18 only This appears to be a Us strategy to use for violence in children with autism etc
Anniebach do you have anything more relevant than I found

It was on SKY news, a female doctor said after the treatment she could no longer work. A chap was interviewed , sorry can’t recall his position but he was speaking for the BMA or some such body , he defended the use of it,

Sorry BlueBell I typed my post at the same time as your post. It was definitely about treatment in the U.K. I was so angry I started this thread after hearing the interviews.

Here it is

news.sky.com/story/electroconvulsive-therapy-being-used-on-teens-in-nhs-trusts-11606545

Agree it is extremely worrying. My mother had it for intractable depression, the first time it worked like a miracle, but she slipped back after a year, and the second and third times not nearly so effective. It caused Parkinson's disease in her, which then led to dementia. It's like kicking one of the old televisions, it might work temporarily, but you don't know the damage you are doing.

I was shocked when it was said there has not been sufficient research into this treatment. I witnessed the harm it was causing in 1971.

For depression counselling is often tried first if that fails then various drugs and sometimes in combination with counselling but if all of that fails and person attempting suicide then ECT van be offered after going through ethics panel. Person has to agree to it. In US it is becoming treatment of choice with celebrities. Despite it only being used with more president depression it does have good success rates. Modern ECT uses lower volts than 1970's and only administered to one side of temple whereas older style ECT was on both sides. Also now given with muscle relaxant so no convulsions. It is not used often in UK but better than psychosurgery which is permanent. ECT lasts 12-24 months then if depression comes back an additional shorter course. Many people who have had it swear by it and say they would be dead without it.

I remember looking after the patients who had undergone this " barbaric " therapy in the 50's.
I was only a teen myself and to see the aftermath of this procedure made me wonder at the time if there was no other method.
It was cruel ! But that's just my opinion. It's high time that it was replaced with a lesser controversial treatment-----we're in the 21st century, not the dark ages !

Nothing is known of what exactly ECT does to the brain or what, if any, long-term effects exist. It's an area of the body in which nobody has yet got to grips with except that the brain in a psychopath is different to that of a " normal " brain-----but what's normal ?

I have witnessed first hand how it affects people. A beloved relative has had many many rounds of ECT, the latest just 2 years ago. She has massive memory loss, even writing things down doesn't help.
She still suffers with mental illness. I'm relieved to say there are have been no suicide attempts since the last ECT. I cannot say that the ECT has prevented this. I could just aswell be an adjustment in medication and therapy.
I'm horrified that 16 year olds are being subjected to such a barbaric practice. Especially as there seems to be no up to date research into the long term harmful effects/benefits.

It is brutal, I saw a young man in a corridor lying on the floor begging for more ECT, shortly after he was admitted .

The memory loss is not always temporary, what harm can this do to a child ?

Shocked to hear this about ECT !

Thanks for the link Anniebach it was the middle to tail end of the sky interview that I caught
I think it’s a dreadful ‘quick fix’ that can make things so much worse and I hope we don’t follow US in giving any children and particularly austistic kids this horrible treatment
I m not at all convinced it’s a necessary treatment or that it is the ‘only’ treatment left for patients

My brother was mentally handicapped and in a home. He was given ECT over fifty years ago without parental permission because he was technically in the care of the home.
I often think it must have been horrendous for him. I also wonder if he was abused there - all male staff and a beautiful looking boy. I can never get him out of my mind. He died thirty years ago totally unrecognisable and mute.

Not sure about its use for adolescents but here is a llink from the mental health charity MIND

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/electroconvulsive-therapy-ect/#.XDyZ9fZ2uP8