MF Alert: Canadian 9-year-old forcibly given psychiatric drugs, over family's wishes

Canadian authorities are allegedly giving powerful psychiatric drugs to a nine-year-old girl diagnosed autistic, over the united and expressed wishes of the family, according to her father. MindFreedom issued this alert about how you can help.

Ayn Van Dyk and her father Derek Hoare: Derek says Ayn is being forcibly drugged over the family's wishes.

MindFreedom International Alert - 14 July 2011

9 Year Old Taken From Home, Forced Hospitalized and Forced Drugged in BC, Canada

ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia, Canada. -- Ayn Van Dyk, an autistic 9 year old girl was removed from her family, forced hospitalized and forced drugged after a wandering episode.

The BC Ministry of Children and Family Development took the child on the grounds that the father is overwhelmed, as he is a single father of three children, two of them diagnosed with severe autism. No suspicion of abuse has been alleged. Ayn was placed in a hospital and was medicated with two neuroleptic (antipsychotic) psychiatric drugs: She is receiving 75mg of Chlorpromazine (also known as Thorazine or Largactil) up to twice daily In addition, she is being administered Risperdal (Risperidone).

Ayn had never been given a psychiatric drug before.

Ayn's Story: Bubbly Little Girl

Her family describes Ayn Van Dyk as a bubbly little girl. She likes photography and baking. She loves pink and crafts. Ayn goes to school and her favorite subject is art, though she loves to write stories as well.

In 2003 she was diagnosed with autism, her family chose not to medicate her. On June 16, Ayn had been playing in the backyard of her family's home. Despite a a six-foot fence, she went missing. After frantically looking for her, without success, her father called 911 and a police search commenced. Ayn was found two hours later playing in a neighbor's backyard. Four days later, on June 20, Ayn Van Dyk was taken from her school and into custody by the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, against the wishes of her family. Ayn was placed in a "specialized hospital" for evaluation, as she was deemed unsuitable for foster care at the time.

On June 28, 2011, despite objections by the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Ayn was released from the hospital and placed in a foster home, due to the hospital considering that 'hospitalization was no longer appropriate'.

Discharge documents report that Ayn was medicated receiving 75mg of chlorpromazine up to twice daily. The hospital documents also state that "We saw no bruises or evidence of physical abuse, and her body status (weight, height, vital signs) showed no evidence of neglect". The Ministry doesn't agree with the discharge and is now seeking a longer term hospital stay of a minimum of 6 weeks and is working toward getting Ayn accepted into the Children's Hospital resident patient program.

PLEASE SIGN the Petition to bring Ayn Home:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/bring-ayn-van-dyk-home/

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY (your own words are best).

To see sample letter, click here:

http://bit.ly/ayn-lttr

Contact the Canadian authorities to demand that Ayn is given adequate medical, social, and emotional care while under their custody, and ask that Ayn is released to her family ;

Urge the authorities to review their policies on removal of children with special needs, and specially on forced hospitalization and forced drugging of children.

Stephen Harperadsf Office of the Prime Minister

80 Wellington Street

Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

Fax: (613) 941-6900

E-mail: pm@pm.gc.ca

Christy Clark

Premier of British Columbia

Parliament Buildings

Victoria, BC, V8V 1X4

Fax: (250) 387-0087

E-mail: Christy@christyclark.ca

Mary McNeil