Why These Children Fell into Endless Sleep

http://nautil.us/issue/107/the-edge/why-these-children-fell-into-endless-sleep

by dnetesn • 5 years ago

29 15 5 years ago

EarlKing• 5 years ago

I'll save you a click: It never explains why.

Thanks... i started reading, it read like a novel, talking about everything but the stuff i wanted to know, and yeah... I stopped reading.

SimeVidas• 5 years ago

Wikipedia to the rescue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resignation_syndrome#Causes

MrPatan• 5 years ago

I came away from the article with a pretty good idea why.

nichohel3• 5 years ago

My impression, after viewing the documentary "Life Overtakes Me" some time ago, is that the answer to this question is: to avoid deportation by feigning mental illness.

pnathan• 5 years ago

There are also allegations that the parents malnourish via the NG tube to ensure they don't get deported.

What is most interesting is that it only seems to happen in Sweden, and to specific cultural groups.

nichohel3• 5 years ago

The disease seems to be contagious--socially contagious. By this I mean that once it is realized that having a child lie motionless in bed is an effective way to block deportation proceedings, thanks to the extremely accommodating Swedish immigrant/refugee medical and social support apparatus, others in similar situations try it too.

I don't want to diminish the very significant hardships many of these immigrant/refugees are under. If telling my child to just lie still in bed, when the social worker comes by, allows my family to stay in Sweden instead of being sent back to Syria, I would probably do it too. If it was a requirement for a NG feeding tube to be placed in the child, even that might be an unpleasant but ultimately worthwhile sacrifice.

Resignation Syndrome seems to reliably and rapidly abate once the threat of deportation is removed. Is that because a massive stressor is removed and mental health can be regained? Or is it because a pretense can be lifted once the threat of deportation is removed?

drekipus• 5 years ago

As a soon-to-be father I get a little worried when I read things like this. Is there some new mental condition? Is it plastic in the water? Is it an inescapable risk?

Surely, playing with the child, rubbing feet, tickling, rough-and-tumble play, throughout their childhood would all help against such a thing. Tried and true methods from ages ago.

It even says in the article that the child is awake, so I don't see why you couldn't spook or tickle them into action. Is this just "new age diagnosis" that I have to wade through? (Not being facetious)

nichohel3• 5 years ago

As a father also, I want to reassure you that you have no cause for concern: this condition only occurs in very small populations that are at risk of deportation from liberal western countries.

Maursault• 5 years ago

It even says in the article that the child is awake, so I don't see why you couldn't spook or tickle them into action.

I was expecting the neurologist to perform a drop test [1], but the closest to this in the article is:

[Dr. Olssen] lifted Nola’s arm to show me how limp it was. The arm dropped unceremoniously onto the bed when let go.

Could this be a failed drop test?

Also see: Asylum seekers with apathetic refugee children [2]

[1] https://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/0515/p2485.html A few bedside tests are often helpful in patients with suspected pseudoneurologic syndrome. The first is a drop test: the clinician drops the “paralyzed” arm over the patient's face. In pseudoneurologic syndrome, the “paralyzed” arm will not strike the patient's face when dropped (i.e., a near miss). Second, the clinician can test weakness with painful stimulation. Unexpected painful stimuli to the affected extremity may cause a purposeful withdrawal response.

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asylum_seekers_with_apathetic_...

lettergram• 5 years ago

To me, this sounds like a fake story, almost propaganda. If it’s real, there’s something strange going on

The Times report, citing Swedish psychologist, says the children “usually woke up” after their families were granted residency, although not overnight.

https://nypost.com/2021/03/31/mystery-of-sleeping-refugee-ch...

From wikipedia:

More recently, this phenomenon has been called into question, with two children witnessing that they were forced by their parents to act apathetic in order to increase chances of being granted residence permits.[3][4] As evidenced by medical records, healthcare professionals were aware of this scam, and witnessed parents who actively refused aid for their children but remained silent at the time. Later Sveriges Television, Sweden's national public television broadcaster, were severely critiqued by investigative journalist Janne Josefsson for failing to uncover the truth.[5] In March 2020, a report citing the Swedish Agency for Medical and Social Evaluation, SBU, said "There are no scientific studies that answer how to diagnose abandonment syndrome, nor what treatment works."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resignation_syndrome

irthomasthomas• 5 years ago

This is an episode of Arrested Development. https://arresteddevelopment.fandom.com/wiki/Fakin%27_It

"At the hospital, Lucille mentioned that she hoped Buster would coincidentally stay in a coma throughout the trial. Michael asked Lucille if she was responsible for this, but in fact, Buster got into G.O.B.'s forget-me-now pills."

fallingknife• 5 years ago

Supposedly lying down without any activity for over a year but no signs of muscle atrophy. Actively resists when doctor tries to open eyes. Jaw muscles actively clenched shut. Obvious motive to lie. Maybe there is more medical evidence, but from what the article says it sounds like bullshit.

geocrasher• 5 years ago

Yes, this raised an eyebrow from me as well. Atrophy can happen in weeks. Healthy muscle mass means those muscles are being used. I suspect that there is something else going on with these diseases.

Why These Children Fell into Endless Sleep

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