This was unsettling! A Kentucky deputy sheriff put a 3rd grade child in handcuffs who had taken a swing at him, and left him restrained that way for 15 minutes. The child has ADHD and had been acting up. The guidance use of handcuffs states they are prohibited for small children, and this child is only 3.5 feet tall and weighs 52 pounds. The way the arms were cuffed looks painful and is disturbing to watch!
The child obviously needed to be corrected, and de-escallation skills should have been used to begin with, and work done from there. This highlights a huge problem in our society, that as a former mental health worker I used to see a lot, and needs to be addressed! People who are publicly working with children need training in how to deal with kids with mental health issues, and learning disabilities! As more and more children are being diagnosed with ADHD, and other disabilities, those in authority over them need to have their training, and coping skills upgraded. So that they will be able to work with these kids effectively, so incidents like this don’t happen.
The training brings understanding, and the ability to be able to deal with these kids more positively. Parents you are your child’s biggest advocate in this issue, so please voice your request for that training for our public servants. You can start by contacting your local Social Services department, or local children with disabilities organizations, and ask them to direct you to your specifically needed resources.
