He's only nine, but Kyle Jaffray has already threatened suicide. Frustrated by a lack of help from Nunavut health officials, his parents are making a public cry for help.
Kirsten Murphy
Northern News Services
Iqaluit (Apr 16/01) - Jodi Jaffray is watching her son self-destruct.
The nine-year-old's erratic behaviour is so extreme, he routinely threatens suicide, mutilates himself and lashes out at his four siblings.
Jaffray and her husband want Kyle to undergo a psychiatric assessment.
Medication and therapy can't begin until doctors diagnose what's causing her son's unpredictable behaviour, she said.
"If my son had cancer he'd get treatment. Yet mental health ailments, which can ultimately lead to death, go untreated. It's not right," Jaffray said.
Under the existing health service agreement between Nunavut and the Ontario government, psychiatric evaluations are done by visiting doctors.
That's not enough, said Jaffray.
She wants specialists at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa to examine Kyle.
A letter outlining her request was sent to government and hospital officials last week.
Doug Sage, mental health director at Baffin Regional Hospital, would not comment on the Jaffray case.
"Is it possible to get a referral to psychiatry (in Ottawa)? Yes. Are we just going to automatically do that? I don't think so or else we'd be a turnstile for different services," Sage said.
Jaffray was told last week that if her son seriously hurts himself (i.e. attempts suicide) then he'll be transported to CHEO.
'Be patient'
When cases fall outside the "ordinary," people must be patient, Sage said. Health care providers do their best with finite resources, he said.
"When you're talking about providing relatively unique and rare services to a relatively small community in a very isolated place, I'd be
shocked if people said we had everything we needed," Sage said.
Problems began after Kyle suffered repeated ear infections as a toddler. In 1999 he was diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing problems -- he can't filter out background noises, which makes concentrating difficult.
Two months ago Kyle "shut down," Jaffray said. He would burst into tears, wished himself dead and refused to go to school.
Kyle recently returned to school. His mood swings have improved due to daily Ritalin doses. Even so, the Jaffray family never knows what could set off the otherwise kind and gentle boy.
"There is increased tension and stress in the house," Jaffray said.
Andrew Johnston, deputy minister for the health department, said Jaffray's concerns are under investigation.
"We take all questions seriously. We are a young jurisdiction and our resources are scarce. We're continually looking at our programs and hopefully as time goes on we will continue to improve," Johnston said.
When asked if Jaffray's case was just the tip of the iceberg, he replied: "Are we inundated? I'm not sure. It's a touchy subject, somebody's health. We have inquiries from the public periodically; I don't get a lot of them personally."
Jaffray has gone public about the very private matter hoping to help others. She knows her family is not alone. Her priority is to get Kyle assessed by specialists.
"There are lots of kids with psychological problems needing help. I'm different, I have an idea how the system works. Many people don't know. They don't know they can speak up," she said.
Years of pain:
Jan 1991-May 1994
As an infant, Kyle Jaffray had numerous bouts of Otitis Media and by the time he was 18-24 months old, his parents had concerns about hearing loss.
"Because of the difficulties with recruiting and keeping doctors, it seemed as though we saw a new doctor on each visit," wrote his mother Jodi in a letter to Health Minister Ed Picco. "Every doctor would have a different opinion..." Two years lapsed before Kyle was referred to an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist.
June 1996-Feb. 1999
As concerns about his hearing grew, the family finally took Kyle, at their own expense, to Iqaluit to be screened by the audiologist. His hearing was normal, but a Central Auditory Processing problem was suspected. Testing could not be done due to his age. "She recommended close follow-up and reassessment in a couple of years, most likely by an audiologist in the south." When Kyle entered school, he had problems. The family asked that he be assessed for Central Auditory problems but was turned down. "After a long period of requesting help, it was finally agreed that he could see the Pediatric Resident in Iqaluit."
February 1999
The Resident tried to refer him to a development specialist, but that was turned down because the nature of Kyle's problems "did not fall under this doctor's field of expertise." In Ottawa, the Jaffrays, on their own and without the assistance of Nunavut health, had Kyle assessed and diagnosed with a Central Auditory Processing problem and Sensory Integration problems.
March 1999-June 2000
A "Phonic Ear System" in Kyle's classroom at Qaqqalik School in Kimmirut helped him be better able to focus but the school wrote a letter to the Health Centre to be forwarded to the community physician suggesting "alternate treatments.
Feb. 2001-present
Kyle was referred by a community nurse by phone with a doctor at Baffin Regional Hospital to a visiting psychiatrist but the appointment did not take place due to weather problems. The visiting doctor started him on medication for Attention Deficit Disorder and said she would make arrangements for an assessment in the south. "We are still waiting for this assessment."
