We were all surprised at how fast he has been able to achieve this new milestone as we have been doing bicycle training for less than two months now. I thought it would at least take a year for him to be able to do this task. But, not just in terms of riding the bicycle, he definitely seems more attentive to the icon exchange and makes great eye contact with his therapist. For some reason, he would stare deeply into her eyes for minutes then burst into giggles and laughter. There is something about this particular therapist that has piqued Luki's interest. This has not happened with other therapists in the past.
I nonchalantly commented to the supervisor, let's call him J here, that perhaps it is the new Charlotte's Web hemp oil I have been supplementing which may be contributing to his increased awareness and cognition. Immediately, as his eyes widened, he wanted to know more and so I showed him the bottle and he asked to take a picture of it to show his supervisor and warned me that he will need to report me (forgot what government department it was, child protective services??) as this is a controlled substance with some THC in it. A couple of months ago, I had shared with him that I was contemplating supplementing endocannabinoid oils for brain development and also possibly adding hippotherapy into Luki's curriculum in the summer. All he stated at the time was that neither of these were evidence based and therefore had no significant proven efficacy nor actually have any clinical benefits. He had never mentioned to me at that time that if I were to start the hemp supplement he would need to report me to his supervisor and to some asinine government department which purports to protect children. Had he mentioned this then, I would have used more discretion in sharing this information with him, would have had second thoughts in starting the treatment and would have sought further information into the implications of using hemp products, especially for minors, in medical need.
I am feeling back stabbed and furious that he did not counsel me as such beforehand and now under the pretense of looking out for the best welfare of my son wants to see if there are any punitive measures to reprimand me for using hemp. I asked him what the repercussions of using this would be if the law deemed it illegal and he told me he had no idea. Really? What if it were that the parent goes to jail, gets a felony conviction for using a controlled substance hence making their chance of employment difficult and also have the child taken away under state's "protection"? How would he feel if that were the repercussions? I have lost all trust in this supervisor who has worked with us for almost a year now. He just doesn't get it and it doesn't feel like he is on our team. I need someone who is more sympathetic to our plight and willing to look into Luki and our family's best interest, not the interest of his job, Easter Seals and other institutions. Does he really think I am intending to have my 4 year old smoke marajuana to get him high? He should know us better than that by now! Is he coming into my home to do surveillance on whether Luki is being abused, neglected, or is he coming into my home to ensure Luki learns ABA techniques to function and communicate better? Granted, he may be obligated to report such incidences according to the law. And, he is, afterall, just doing his job. But, so were SS soldiers who put innocent Jews into burning ovens during WW II in Nazi Germany. A more conscientious person would counsel better beforehand and inform us of their obligation to inform authorities and the repercussions that may follow rather than too happily stating that he "must report this" and when asked about the ensuring repercussions flatly state, "I don't know" (I thought I heard his internal thoughts saying "not my problem, I don't care"). Maybe I'm reading too much into this situation.
For a while, I have felt J throws techniques and fancy ABA jargon around but is not really listening to me as if he always needs to have the last word. Why hadn't he told me beforehand? Right now he just seems like a jerk and and I am really working hard to control myself from speaking to his supervisor. What stops me is I don't want to make this issue any bigger than it needs to be considering what a controversial issue it already is in the rest of the county. Just look at what happened to this dispensary by the police and their flagrant disregard for the disabled woman in it.
Marijuana Dispensary Suing Mayor After Cops Raid Shop And Eat Edibles
Yet, on another hand, I wonder if I am just being over sensitive and over reacting. My intuition is giving me mixed messages and I am stumped on how to proceed with this issue. Better to wait until my temper cools to make any major changes.
Recently, in an expose, Former LA County Social Worker Reveals Corruption in Child “Protection” Services, a social worker from the Department of Children Services of Los Angeles revealed the corrupt nature of the department and how the best interest of the child takes last precedence over financial gain made by the department by placing children in adoptive services instead of trying to remediate the parents so that they can regain custody of their own children. It is also common for the department to receive more federal money if children get medicated on psychiatric drugs and an alarming majority of children in foster care are on some type of psychiatric drugs. A few years back, a 7 year old boy with homosexual tendencies was bludgeoned to death by his mother and her boyfriend and the social workers were negligent in protecting him. And yet, a loving mother who out of desperation administers endocannabinoid oils for her sick child, whom allopathic medicine can no longer treat, gets sent to jail and her child taken into "protective" state custody. In light of this expose, I am panicked about our ABA supervisor's attitude over the use of hemp oil supplement. And, I am enraged.
As if the above didn't raise my blood pressure enough, I also had a visit from a representative from the IHSS (In Home Supportive Services) to see what, if any, benefits Luki would be eligible for. She spent 30 minutes interviewing our needs and concluded we would be eligible for $5.00 per month on diaper changing duties. You've got to be kidding me, give me a break! I am really tired of all these "free" services that seem more of a nuisance than help. I cooperate with getting assessments done through the Regional Center, IHSS, PT, OT, ST, ABA all because I have been made to feel it is the right thing to do and afterall, isn't early intervention everything?! In hindsight, I am doubting the wisdom in all this. The only reason I keep up with ABA is that it allots a set time for me to interact with Luki. As far as I'm concerned, I am his primary therapist and the ABA person they send is just my aide and their supervisor gives occasional tidbits about the theories of ABA.
End of rant,,, Luki has woken up from his nap and I must attend. He has taken over the cat bed and likes to take cat naps on it.
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