Myths and Facts About Minnesota's
Plan to Screen the Mental Health of Toddlers
Karen R. Effrem, MD
EdWatch Board of Directors
May 11, 2005

        The Minnesota Senate's plan to screen the mental health of 3 year olds will put it in the same league as Illinois, whose oppressive Children's Mental Health Act now requires mental health screening for all children entering kindergarten and during the transition to junior high and high school.

        As originally introduced, the Minnesota bill, authored by Senator David Tomassoni and Representative Mindy Greiling, would have required this 'socioemotional' screening before entering kindergarten. Thanks to the good work of Senators Betsy Wergin and Sean Nienow, and sensing the enormous opposition to screening such young children, Senator Tomassoni allowed the inclusion of an opt-in parental consent requirement.

        Even with this provision, however, mental health screening of toddlers is extremely dangerous!! The diagnostic criteria are vague and subjective and can be based on political or religious beliefs, and children are being coercively screened and drugged with dangerous and ineffective medications. Below are some myths and facts regarding mental health screening. Detailed information on each of these points and more is available by clicking here to our website.

Myth: Psychiatric diagnostic criteria are scientifically validated and non-controversial among experts.

Fact: Mental health diagnostic criteria are very vague and subjective. The very studies and reports cited by proponents of universal screening are full of contradictions. These experts admit the lack of science underlying psychiatric labels.

'In other words, what it means to be mentally healthy is subject to many different interpretations that are rooted in value judgments that may vary across cultures.' (Surgeon General Report on Mental Health. 1999. p. 1-5)
'No consistent structural, functional, or chemical neurological marker is found in children with the ADHD diagnosis as currently formulated.' (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder State of the Science - Best Practices, Peter S. Jensen and James R. Cooper, Eds, Civic Research Institute, Kingston, N.J. 2000, p. 3-7)

Myth: It is possible to accurately diagnose mental illness in young children, even infants. 'Even before their first birthday, babies can suffer from clinical depression, traumatic stress disorder, and a variety of other mental health problems.' (Florida Strategic Plan for Infant Mental Health)

Fact: Due to rapid developmental changes, it is very difficult to accurately diagnose young children.

'Childhood and adolescence being developmental phases, it is difficult to draw clear boundaries between phenomena that are part of normal development and others that are abnormal.' (World Health Organization, World Health Report, 2001)
'The science is challenging because of the ongoing process of development. The normally developing child hardly stays the same long enough to make stable measurements. Adult criteria for illness can be difficult to apply to children and adolescents, when the signs and symptoms of mental disorders are often also the characteristics of normal development.' (Surgeon General, 1999)

Myth: Children are not adequately treated for mental illness.

Fact: Children are over diagnosed and over treated with psychiatric medications and both problems will increase with wide spread screening programs.

300% increase in psychotropic drug use in 2-4 year old children between 1991-1995 (JAMA, 2000)
More spent on psychiatric medications for children than on antibiotics or asthma medication in 2003 (Medco Trends, 2004)

Myth: Children would never be labeled potentially violent or mentally unstable based on their worldview or politics.

Fact: Federally funded school violence prevention programs do label children based on their beliefs. A federally funded study held that people of a particular political philosophy had hallmarks of mental illness.

A school violence prevention program funded by the federal government called Early Warning, Timely Response lists 'intolerance for others and prejudicial attitudesŒ as an early warning sign for violence and mental instability, saying, 'All children have likes and dislikes. However, an intense prejudice toward others based on racial, ethnic, religious, language, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and physical appearance when coupled with other factors may lead to violent assaults against those who are perceived to be different.' (U.S. Department of Education - Early Warning, Timely Response Action Guide)

Myth: The decision to treat a child with psychotropic medications is always between a parent and their physician.

Fact: Parent all over the country have been coerced with threats of child abuse or to place their children on or continue psychiatric medications prompting over 20 state legislatures and the US Congress to introduce or pass legislation prohibiting coercion.

Aliah Gleason was screened without permission, taken away from her parents to a state mental hospital, restrained over 26 times, and medicated with 12 different drugs, many simultaneously and without her parents¡ knowledge or consent.
Both Matthew Smith and Shaina Dunkle died of medication toxicity after their parents were coerced to place their children on drugs by the schools.

Myth: Psychiatric drug treatments are effective in children.

Fact: Neither antidepressants like Prozac nor stimulants like Ritalin are effective in children, but pharmaceutical companies, with the approval of the FDA, only published positive studies despite having evidence for years of their ineffectiveness.

'More than two-thirds of studies of antidepressants given to depressed children, for instance, found the medications were no better than sugar pills, but companies published only the positive trials' (Vedatam, Washington Post, 9/9/04, p. A02)
'However, psychostimulants do not appear to achieve long-term changes in outcomes such as peer relationships, social or academic skills, or school achievement.' (Pelham, et. al. as quoted in Surgeon General, 1999)

Myth: Psychiatric drugs are safe for children.

Fact: Evidence of dangerous and sometimes deadly side effects of psychiatric medication has been covered up for years by the pharmaceutical manufacturers, sometimes with the help of the FDA.

'Dr. Robert Temple, director of the FDA's office of medical policy, said after an emotional public hearing here that analyses of 15 clinical trials, some of which were hidden for years from the public by the drug companies that sponsored them, showed a consistent link with suicidal behavior.' (Harris, New York Times, 9/14/04, p. A01)
"These drugs also impair flexible problem-solving and divergent thinking. James Swanson, a researcher for the U.S. Department of Education and leading Ritalin advocate, stated in a 1992 review of the medical literature that this type of 'cognitive toxicity' may occur at commonly prescribed clinical doses of stimulants, and in up to 40% of patients." (Breggin, P., (2001) Talking Back to Ritalin, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Perseus, pp. 49-50)