America’s children are being victimized by public servants who abuse their authority: children’s physical and emotional health is under stress.

The Rutherford Institute reports about a kindergartner who was suspended by Virginia school officials for crying in class. 

Yesterday, we reported that a Detroit mother was thrown in jail for exercising her parental judgment aabout her daughter’s best interest. 

Instead of blindly following the instructions of Detroit child protective agents who threatened her with loss of custody unless she gives her daughter the antipsychotic, Risperdal, Maryanne Godboldo was protecting her daughter’s health by weaning her off a very dangerous antipsychotic drug.

Press reports did not mention Risperdal’ list of multiple, harmful severe adverse effects that have been documented in clinical trials and post-marketing reports to the FDA. Children are particularly at risk.

Among Risperdal’s  severe adverse effects affecting children and adolescents in particular,  is an increase in prolactin level. The side effects include:  abnormal breast development and milk secretion (in boys and girls), sexual dysfunction, and bone density loss.

The Janssen / J & J Risperdal label states that 49% of children with autistic disorder who ingested Risperdal for only 8 weeks had elevated prolactin levels (compared to 2% on placebo). And 82%-87% of adolescents who ingested Risperdal had increased prolactin levels compared to 3%=7% of those on placebo.

The label acknowledges that: "Increass were dose-dependent and generally greater in females than in males.

See, Risperdal (January, 2011) label warnings 

 What do these cases reveal about the lack of judgment by those we put in positions of authority over America’s children?

 Vera Hassner Sharav