[Restraint in child psychiatry]. / La contention en pédopsychiatrie.

In child psychiatry, there are significant ethical challenges when patients put themselves at risk or refuse to cooperate in their care. This article illustrates two situations of violence and restraints and looks at how the vulnerability of caregivers can be acknowledged in order to find the best balance between the imperatives of protection and the respect of young inpatients in child psychiatry.

Acknowledging caregivers' vulnerability in the managment of challenging behaviours to reduce control measures in psychiatry.

BACKGROUND: The management of challenging behaviours in inpatient with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorders can lead to an escalation of control measures. In these complex situations where patients have an intellectual disability/autism spectrum disorder accompanied by a psychiatric comorbidity, the experiences of caregivers related to the crisis management have rarely been studied. PURPOSE: This study examined the moral experiences of caregivers related to challenging behaviours' management and alternatives to control measures. RESEARCH DESIGN: Using Charles Taylor's hermeneutic framework, a 2-month focused ethnography with a participatory approach was used. PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT: Sixteen caregivers were interviewed in a Canadian mental health setting for adults with intellectual disability/autism spectrum disorder and psychiatric comorbidity. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The research was conducted in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and local Research Ethics Board approval. Written informed consent was collected systematically from participants. FINDINGS: By accounting for caregivers' moral experiences, this study sheds light on a neglected dimension of the care relationship: the vulnerability of the caregiver. We highlight the main barriers and facilitators to alternatives to control measures. First, a caregiver's vulnerability was characterised by the overall impact of challenging behaviours and the moral distress associated with the use of control measures and exclusion mechanisms of intellectual disability/autism spectrum disorder patients. Second, a strong ambiguity between care and control measures and a lack of inclusive approaches were identified as the two main barriers to challenging behaviour management. Third, the involvement, both professional and personal, of caregivers was deemed necessary to implement alternatives to control measures. DISCUSSION: A conflict of values opposes two conceptions of autonomy: a rational autonomy, which is counterproductive to the reduction of control measures, versus a relational autonomy based on shared vulnerability. CONCLUSION: The recognition of caregiver's vulnerability is a benchmark to create alternative approaches, which defuse the logic of control and promote an ethics of care within which caregivers' self-concern can be understood as fostering mutual respect.

Multidisciplinary treatment plan for challenging behaviors in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Among symptoms that patients with neurodevelopmental disorders can exhibit, challenging behaviors (CBs) are some of the more complex to face, both for caregivers and the patients themselves. They are more frequent in individuals with severe autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability, and during the transition period from late childhood to young adulthood. Here, we offer an overview of the therapeutic approaches proven worthy in managing CB. Topics include nonpharmacologic treatments (such as behavioral and family interventions), drug prescriptions, and specific intensive care for life-threatening situations, including inpatient stay in specialized neurobehavioral units. Then, we focus on rare, complex, and resistant clinical presentations, mainly based on the authors' clinical experience. We propose a multimodal intervention framework for these complex presentations, embracing developmental and dimensional approaches. A case presentation illustrates the proposed framework, with the aim of serving readers and health practitioners that are facing such cases.