Jani's at the mercy of her mind

Anne L wrote:

<quoted text>
you must be crazy. The schools barely provide education to normal kids. They would never be able to handle Jani and their resources would be very limited. Kids with much lesser mental issues such as ADHD, Apraxia, Austism get very little help through their schools. They just use the excuse they don't have the funds.

heartbreaking wrote:

This is probably the most heartbreaking thing I've ever read. Please Illinois or U.S. government, help this family. Help this poor child.:( God bless them and keep them.

klicker0323 wrote:

<quoted text>
Are you kidding? They're too busy helping the illegal aliens get loans, free education, free health care. That's where all our money is going. Also goes to people who sit on their rear ends and do nothing and collect welfare and have babies. So, helping these people who really need it? How dare we ask them this.

VoxAngelicus wrote:

Is it possible that this child has been misdiagnosed and actually has an autism spectrum disorder? The frequent rage reactions, hand-flapping, and precocious intelligence suggest that she might have some form of autism. The article never said whether this girl's doctors considered that diagnosis and ruled it out.

Wow wrote:

<quoted text>
If we are now a socialist country - then Jani would be getting help. Quit parroting idiots who don't even know what socialism is. We are far from being socialist.
I'm not so sure that the problem is the lack of medical care as much as it is the lack of understanding severe psychosis in general and especially in a child so young. Publicizing is a good idea - maybe doctors elsewhere who have seen an isolated case can get in touch with others who have seen it also.

Bankerdanny wrote:

<quoted text>
Nonsense. So black couples who know they both carry the sickle cell gene should throw caution to the wind and risk producing a child doomed to a shortened life of pain to satisfy THEIR personal need? Or a Jewish couple who carry the Tay-sachs gene?
All inheritable medical conditions are not the same. Potential parents HAVE to consider the possible effects of medical conditions that they might pass to their children. Wanting a child is not enough reason to have one.
These people took a risk, and their daughter is paying a terrible price. Then they doubled down (because I'm sure they wanted a "normal" child) and even if their son is perfectly healthy, depending on the long-term care decisions regarding his sister, he will still pay the price as his exhausted and impoverished parents are unable to provide him the attention that he deserves.
As far as the effort the parents are putting in. I give them NO credit. They are her parents. They created her, they owe her every effort. Why should I applaude them for doing their job?

slc2 wrote:

"Schizophrenia tends to affect people in the genius range"
Absolute and utter hogswallop. Anyone can have schizophrenia and the range of IQ's of people with schizophrenia ranges from severely retarded on up. It is VERY tough when it affects severely retarded folks as it is so hard to set up that communication line as these folks are coping with so much.
Where DO these people get such ideas!!!! Ignorance is an ugly thing folks, don't believe everything you are told.
As for autism, this child shows no indication of having autism and never did. Some study and knowledge would hopefully dispell these mistaken ideas.
Most children with schizophrenia are first referred to a doctor for sleep disorders, and most show muscle tone abnormalities right from birth. 92% of schizophrenic children are hypotonic at birth. Then they seem to have a rather long period when they seem normal, then suddenly hallucinations, delusions and the out of control behavior start.

A Friend wrote:

Jani's dad may have been depressed, but her mom wasn't any more depressed than the average over-worked, tired mom when they decided to have her brother. Jani was difficult as a baby, but had become easier (day to day) by the time she was three or four, which is when they decided to have a second child, which they hadn't considered when she was younger. No one thought the imaginary friends were anything more than that, and much of the oddness was attributed to her high IQ (not an exaggeration, it really is high). 146 on the new Stanford Binet 5 is equal to around 170 on the old Stanford LM used in the 1970s - it's REALLY high. It wasn't until shortly before the second one was born that she became really too difficult for her parents, and not until after his birth that she started being violent. How were they possibly to know to expect that when all the doctors were stunned by it? They certainly won't have any more now that they know, though. It wasn't until after they learned more as a result of Jani's diagnosis that they realized how much of it was in the family. After all, how many people really know what their great-uncle has? And a lot of it was never formally diagnosed, but in retrospect they can see it. Let me repeat that : IN RETROSPECT. They didn't know.
<quoted text>

klicker0323 wrote:

<quoted text>
Are you kidding? They're too busy helping the illegal aliens get loans, free education, free health care. That's where all our money is going. Also goes to people who sit on their rear ends and do nothing and collect welfare and have babies. So, helping these people who really need it? How dare we ask them this.

eva wrote:

<quoted text>
I can attest to this. Despite 94-142 (legislation guaranteeing appropriate education for special-needs kids), we had to "push" our public school district for every last bit of service they gave our son...and this was one of the top districts in Illinois. In getting help for my son, I came to see educators in a different light. Most of them are equipped to teach only the most average kids. Any child who presents differently may be out of luck.
To those posters who wondered...my son is an adult now, a college graduate with a wife and a family. He has a good job and is an amazing parent. He required a therapeutic school in a residential setting (i.e., a place away from home, where he lived and went to school until he finally came to terms with his behavior and toed the line). It was horrendously expensive but our health insurance helped. The school was a lifesaver.

Kate wrote:

<quoted text>
By all means, let's bring the entire overtaxed education system to a schreeching hault to the detriment of everyone for one child who belong in a hospital, not a school. Is there any wonder why America is falling so far behind in world education standing? Imagine if we invested the resources in our brightest like we do for our weakest. There might be doctors around able to help this child if that was the focus of education.

CherieL wrote:

<quoted text>
So you are relating a (in normal kids, a subconscience) jealousy and loss due to losing the value of being the total sum of her parents attention? It certainly bears relevance.

Kate wrote:

<quoted text>
Who are you looking to sue? God? You really think this country needs more lawsuits? You want to sue the doctors to force them to cure her? If the help and support doesn't exist, stamping our feet and demanding isn'tt going to produce it.

reckerdt wrote:

Until I watched Oprah today, I had never seen another child anything close to my Sylvia. My oldest daughter who is 12 was diagnosed with autism first than schizophrenia(but only from the ssi doctor). She has so much in common with Jani, however she is not violent like her and she seems to be improving on some things but regressing on others. I chose not to medicate her because she also has epilepsy, adhd, brown syndrome and severe allergies and meds can make some of these conditions worse. I also see how her problems have affected her two little sisters ages 6 and 8. I am just glad her parents appear strong and healthy physically. I have lupus, some other health issues from childhood and haven't worked since 2004. My two little ones both have had heart surgery. If that isn't enough, my younger sister was told she has Leukemia a couple weeks ago. We are on a very low income and struggle getting the most basic things done as a result. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

reckerdt wrote:

Until I watched Oprah today, I had never seen another child anything close to my Sylvia. My oldest daughter who is 12 was diagnosed with autism first than schizophrenia(but only from the ssi doctor). She has so much in common with Jani, however she is not violent like her and she seems to be improving on some things but regressing on others. I chose not to medicate her because she also has epilepsy, adhd, brown syndrome and severe allergies and meds can make some of these conditions worse. I also see how her problems have affected her two little sisters ages 6 and 8. I am just glad her parents appear strong and healthy physically. I have lupus, some other health issues from childhood and haven't worked since 2004. My two little ones both have had heart surgery. If that isn't enough, my younger sister was told she has Leukemia a couple weeks ago. We are on a very low income and struggle getting the most basic things done as a result. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.