Swedish Resignation Syndrome

[Mighty_Emperor]

Sick Swedish Asylum Children Baffle Experts

Reuters

Apr. 27, 2005 - Swedish investigators are baffled by a mysterious illness affecting over 400 children of asylum-seekers, mostly from former Soviet and Yugoslav states, who fall into a deep depression and lose the will to live.

The government presented its first study of the so-called "apathetic children" Wednesday, after King Carl XVI Gustav added his voice to a chorus of concern from charities, church groups and politicians who want them protected from deportation.

"It is dreadful what is happening to these poor children," the Swedish king told reporters.

The condition is known as Pervasive Refusal Syndrome and can be life-threatening. It affects boys and girls of all ages, but mostly aged 8-15, who refuse to speak, move, eat or drink for days or many months, and must be drip-fed to keep them alive.

Virtually unknown before 2000, the condition has been seen on a large scale only in Sweden. But the researchers ruled out that the children were faking their condition.

"I have never believed that," said researcher Nader Ahmadi. He has documented 409 cases in the last two years -- many more than the 150 cases originally reported. But the data raised more questions than it answered, as he acknowledged.

"Why have these cases apparently only happened in Sweden? Why do they mostly come from such specific places in the world?" asked Ahmadi.

More than 61 percent of the children come from the former Soviet Union, mostly Central Asia and the Caucasus, and 26 percent from the former Yugoslavia, especially Kosovo.

Neither does approval of their families' asylum petition necessarily cure the children, he said -- some get well right away but others have remained seriously ill for up to a year.

Charities like the Red Cross and Save the Children have criticized the Social Democrat government for refusing to give the children an amnesty or legal protection from deportation.

Immigration Minister Barbro Holmberg has argued that all asylum petitions must be dealt with individually. Authorities continue to deport such children, when it deems their lives are not at grave risk and they will receive good care in their homelands.

But the father of two girls from Azerbaijan suffering from the syndrome who now face deportation said it was "not true at all" that they would receive good care back home. The family suffered violent persecution there for being half Armenian.

Elvira, aged 13, has been in a coma-like state for months and now her sister Eleonora, aged 7, is slipping into the same state. "Last week Eleonora refused to eat, drink or go to the toilet," their father, Abulfat, told Reuters.

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Copyright 2005 Reuters News Service.

Source

 

[Anonymous]

Pervasive Refusal Syndrome? Perhaps, it's the wave of the future? :cry:

 

[Vardoger]

This is a weird phenomena. It has never been reported in Norway which is the neighbour country of Sweden.

It wouldn't surprise me if this something which has been "started" by the mothers of the children and then it has spread by word of mouth to other asylum seekers.
Some of the children are obviously not faking, but I am sure others have found a way of staying in Sweden for a few more years.

This "epidemic" will surely spread to neighbouring countries soon.

 

[Hot_Cross_Nun]

Just wondering, just suggesting, but maybe this does happen in other countries, but no-one really gives a toss? Maybe the relevant authorities simply put it down to "circumstances", or otherwise ignore it because it's seen as a ploy to avoid deportation.

I don't have any special grounds or expertise for saying this, by the way - all I've read about this is what's written above.

To me, it sounds horribly sad.

 

[ARRRRRRRRGH]

Don't know why, but this reminds me of the fictional disease:
"Proprioception deficit disorder" found on this website...

Evil Genius: An Experiment in Fantastic Philosophy

 

[Leaferne]

Perhaps it's a form of PTSD, exacerbated by not knowing if their safety is permanent or not. I don't think children necessarily react the same way adults would. While "skiving for sympathy" did cross my mind, I'm not sure you could convince a healthy kid of 8 or 9 to lie around like that for so long.

Edited to add: some oddball virus, mayhaps?

 

[Stormkhan]

I would've been an apathetic child. But I couldn't be bothered.

 

[rjmrjmrjm]

Just wondering, just suggesting, but maybe this does happen in other countries, but no-one really gives a toss?

I think it would be noted, if not officially by a government, then at least by some social welfare group. It is a very strange story and it would be interesting to see if it spreads anywhere else in Europe.

Apparently, it isn't a 'new' illness - nor indeed is it spesific to Sweden or asylum seekers. The real mystery is WHY there is an epidemic. Some sort of mass-hysteria-illness?


http://apt.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/10/2/153
http://ccp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/5/1/23

 

[Vardoger]

Latest news on the apathetic children in Sweden:
It has been discovered that many of the parents have poisoned their children and in many cirmcumstances removed the feeding tube which was feeding their children who was in almost coma.

My swedish not better than that I can read it. If a swede is willing to translate part of the news article to english you're welcome:
Apathetic children in Swden
Link is dead. See later posts for the article's content and translation into English.

 

[Kingsize Wombat]

Imagine an illness that only afflicts children of asylum seekers...in Sweden. And it exists - or does it?

Resignation syndrome: Sweden's mystery illness

For nearly two decades Sweden has been battling a mysterious illness. Called Resignation Syndrome, it affects only the children of asylum-seekers, who withdraw completely, ceasing to walk or talk, or open their eyes. Eventually they recover. But why does this only seem to occur in Sweden?

When her father picks her up from her wheelchair, nine-year-old Sophie is lifeless. In contrast, her hair is thick and shiny - like a healthy child's. But Sophie's eyes are closed. And under her tracksuit bottoms she wears a nappy. A transparent feeding tube runs into Sophie's nose - this is how she has been nourished for the past 20 months.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-41748485

The same story is also available as a podcast, if you'd rather listen:
https://player.fm/series/bbc-news-front-page/11668-resignation-syndrome-swedens-mystery-illness

 

[AgProv]

Imagine an illness that only afflicts children of asylum seekers...in Sweden. And it exists - or does it?



http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-41748485

The same story is also available as a podcast, if you'd rather listen:
https://player.fm/series/bbc-news-front-page/11668-resignation-syndrome-swedens-mystery-illness

The condition called "svarmod" taken to extremes? Let's say you've arrived in Sweden as a refugee following traumatic experiences in your own country - which might well be a lot further South with less extreme changes in the duration of night and day across a given year. We know there's a condition where people can be starved of natural daylight during the winter months and who can develop lethargy, depression, greater sensitivity to otherwise minor illnesses, et c.this is even seen in Britain. The (in)famous association of native Swedes and suicide has to do with this. What if this is the "svarmod" taken to extremes in people already traumatised by life experience, arriving in a country where the customs and language are alien to them, who do not have native resistance to short cold days and longer colder nights?

You'd also expect to see this in refugees taken in by Finland and Norway and the incidence to be higher the further north you go. Maybe because Sweden has what amounts to an open-door policy for immigrants and refugees, the condition is more prevalent here? And if the daylight deficiency can be "cured" or at least eased by exposure to lighting simulating natural daylight - has this been tried?

 

[blessmycottonsocks]

Imagine an illness that only afflicts children of asylum seekers...in Sweden. And it exists - or does it?



http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-41748485

The same story is also available as a podcast, if you'd rather listen:
https://player.fm/series/bbc-news-front-page/11668-resignation-syndrome-swedens-mystery-illness

More on Resignation Syndrome (and other strange medical cases) here:

https://m.ranker.com/list/what-is-syrian-resignation-syndrome/melissa-sartore

 

[GNC]

Mentioned in FT416, an in-depth article on Resignation Syndrome in Sweden:
Article

Basically, young asylum seeker children are falling asleep and not waking up, like sleeping sickness. Nobody knows why. It may be trauma-based, they may give up the will to live (or wake), it may be neurological. It's very strange, and upsetting for the parents.

 

[Xanatic*]

As I recall, they were just faking it. I'll see if I can find a non-swedish article about that.

 

[GNC]

The article does mention some eye contact was made, so... mass hysteria rather than faking it?

 

[EnolaGaia]

My swedish not better than that I can read it. If a swede is willing to translate part of the news article to english you're welcome:
Apathetic children in Swden
Link is dead. See later posts for the article's content and translation into English.

Here is the MIA news article's text (in Swedish):

Larm om vanvård av apatiska barn

Migrationsverket misstänker att vissa apatiska flyktingbarn medvetet vanvårdas av vuxna för att familjen lättare ska få uppehållstillstånd. Verket har polisanmält ett tiotal fall. Minst två gånger har apatiska barn förts med ambulans akut till sjukhus med förgiftningssymtom. Trots det har varken vårdpersonal eller socialtjänst polisanmält. ...

Migrationsverket reagerar nu på uppgifterna om hur en del apatiska flyktingbarn vanvårdas.

• Personal på ett behandlingshem har sett föräldrar hälla ut näringslösningen som deras apatiska barn skulle ha. Behandlingshemmets personal har anmält händelserna till socialtjänsten. Trots det polisanmälde inte socialtjänsten fallet.

• Det finns misstankar om att barn utsatts för sexuella övergrepp samt människorov.

• Vid minst två tillfällen har apatiska barn förts akut med ambulans till sjukhus med förgiftningssymtom.

När det finns misstanke om att grova brott begås mot barn bryts sekretessen och vårdpersonal eller socialtjänst är skyldig att polisanmäla brott. Trots flera misstankar om oegentligheter när det gäller apatiska flyktingbarn har inga polisanmälningar gjorts.

Den socialarbetare eller läkare som inte anmäler ett misstänkt brott riskerar åtalas för tjänstefel. Än så länge har Migrationsverket inte anmält någon för tjänstefel i de här ärendena. Däremot tar verket nu saken i egna händer och polisanmäler ett tiotal fall där apatiska barn misstänks ha utsatts för brott.

Annica Ring är beslutsfattare på Migrationsverkets Mottagningsenhet 3, som handlägger de apatiska barnen i Stockholm. Hon bekräftar att det finns en ovilja hos socialtjänstemän och vårdpersonal att anmäla misstänkta övergrepp mot flyktingbarnen:

– Jag har arbetat intensivt med apatiska flyktingbarn i 1,5 år och upplevt oegentligheter i en del familjer. Vi anmälde först till socialtjänsten, men blev frustrerade över att inget hände. Nu har vi själva polisanmält ett tiotal fall och det finns fler på gång. I många fall finns det konstigheter, säger Annica Ring.

Migrationsverket och polisen har sedan tidigare haft misstankar om att de apatiska barn som utsätts för brott inte alltid är föräldrarnas biologiska barn, utan kanske gatubarn eller barnhemsbarn som köpts.

– Man kan ha tagit med sig barn hit för att offra i asylprocessen. Om man har fyra barn, varför går man då under jorden med bara tre av dem och lämnar ett åt sitt eget öde, som vi sett exempel på, säger Annica Ring.

Migrationsverket har i dag inte rätt att göra ett DNA-test för att kontrollera om barnen är föräldrarnas biologiska barn. Sociala myndigheter kan göra det, men bara då någon nekar till faderskap. Först våren 2006 då den nya lagstiftningen om DNA träder i kraft får myndigheterna rätt att undersöka om ett barn är biologiskt.

Annica Ring är noga med att betona att det här inte handlar om att misstänkliggöra alla flyktingföräldrar med apatiska barn. Samtidigt menar hon att det är dags att börja diskutera problematiken utan att bli betraktad som cynisk:

– Vi är duktiga på att tycka synd om människor i Sverige. Men de flyktingar som kommer hit är ofta oerhört driftiga och har satsat allt på ett kort.

– Det här är ett brott mot FN:s barnkonvention och mot de mänskliga rättigheterna. Jag upplever att många tjänstemän hos socialtjänsten lägger på en ”asylfilm” när de hanterar apatiska barn; i stället för att se barn som far illa väger man in att de är asylsökande, säger Annica Ring.

Hon har haft kontakt med 92 flyktingfamiljer med apatiska barn i Stockholmsområdet. Trots att Migrationsverkets personal upplevde att det fanns tveksamma omständigheter i flera familjer har sociala myndigheter bara använt möjligheten till LVU, Lagen om vård av unga, och omhändertagit barn vid två tillfällen. Det senaste fallet skedde helt nyligen.

– Hade det varit svenska barn hade man aldrig accepterat det här. Det finns skäl för LVU i flera fall än två. Barnen far oerhört illa och vi kan inte bara sitta och titta på, säger Annica Ring.
Rikskriminalpolisen avstår från att kommentera uppgifterna.

SALVAGED FROM THE WAYBACK MACHINE:
https://web.archive.org/web/20060219051720/http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/inrikes/did_11091731.asp

 

[EnolaGaia]

My swedish not better than that I can read it. If a swede is willing to translate part of the news article to english you're welcome:
Apathetic children in Swden
Link is dead. See later posts for the article's content and translation into English.

Here is the salvaged Swedish text translated (via Google) into English.

Alarms about neglect of apathetic children

The Swedish Migration Agency suspects that some apathetic refugee children are deliberately neglected by adults in order to make it easier for the family to obtain a residence permit. The agency has reported about ten cases to the police. At least twice, apathetic children have been taken by ambulance to hospital with symptoms of poisoning. Despite this, neither care staff nor social services have reported to the police. ...

The Swedish Migration Agency is now reacting to the information about how some apathetic refugee children are neglected.

• Staff at a treatment home have seen parents pour out the nutritional solution that their apathetic children would have. The treatment home's staff have reported the incidents to the social services. Despite this, the social services did not report the case.

• There are suspicions that children have been sexually abused and kidnapped.

• On at least two occasions, apathetic children have been rushed by ambulance to hospital with symptoms of poisoning.

When there is a suspicion that a serious crime has been committed against children, confidentiality is violated and care staff or social services are obliged to report crimes to the police. Despite several suspicions of irregularities regarding apathetic refugee children, no police reports have been made.

The social worker or doctor who does not report a suspected crime risks being prosecuted for misconduct. So far, the Swedish Migration Agency has not reported anyone for misconduct in these cases. However, the agency now takes matters into its own hands and reports to the police about ten cases where apathetic children are suspected of having been exposed to crime.

Annica Ring is a decision-maker at the Swedish Migration Agency's Reception Unit 3, which handles the apathetic children in Stockholm. She confirms that there is a reluctance on the part of social workers and health care staff to report suspected abuse of refugee children:

- I have worked intensively with apathetic refugee children for 1.5 years and experienced irregularities in some families. We first reported to the social services, but became frustrated that nothing happened. Now we ourselves have reported about ten cases to the police and there are more underway. In many cases, there are strange things, says Annica Ring.

The Swedish Migration Agency and the police have previously suspected that the apathetic children who are exposed to crime are not always the parents' biological children, but perhaps street children or orphanage children who have been bought.

- You may have brought children here to sacrifice in the asylum process. If you have four children, why do you go underground with only three of them and leave one to your own fate, as we have seen examples of, says Annica Ring.

The Swedish Migration Agency does not currently have the right to perform a DNA test to check whether the children are the parents' biological children. Social authorities can do that, but only when someone denies paternity. Only in the spring of 2006, when the new legislation on DNA enters into force, will the authorities have the right to investigate whether a child is biological.

Annica Ring is careful to emphasize that this is not about making all refugee parents with apathetic children suspicious. At the same time, she believes that it is time to start discussing the issue without being considered cynical:

- We are good at feeling sorry for people in Sweden. But the refugees who come here are often extremely enterprising and have invested everything in one card.

- This is a violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and of human rights. I experience that many officials in the social services put on an "asylum film" when dealing with apathetic children; instead of seeing children who are doing badly, they consider that they are asylum seekers, says Annica Ring.

She has had contact with 92 refugee families with apathetic children in the Stockholm area. Despite the fact that the Swedish Migration Agency's staff felt that there were dubious circumstances in several families, social authorities have only used the option of LVU, the Act on the Care of Young People, and taken care of children on two occasions. The most recent case took place very recently.

- If it had been Swedish children, this would never have been accepted. There are reasons for LVU in more than two cases. The children are doing extremely badly and we can not just sit and watch, says Annica Ring.

The National Criminal Investigation Police refrains from commenting on the information.

SALVAGED FROM THE WAYBACK MACHINE & GOOGLE-TRANSLATED:
https://web.archive.org/web/20060219051720/http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/inrikes/did_11091731.asp

 

[GNC]

Sounds like I said, their will has been sapped by a hopeless situation, rather than faking it. Then they were exploited.

 

[staticgirl]

That's fascinating. Poor weans.