Restraint and Seclusion

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When growing up, was anyone placed in seclusion and/or restraint? In my school, it was called "The Quiet Room." It was a cinderblock room with a tile floor that could have been no more than 80 ft square, with thin padding on certain sections of the wall. The door was of thick wood and only had a doorknob and lock on the outside.

I only recently learned that the practice had a proper name, and how much my experiences in restraint and seclusion may have radically affected me. Though fortunately, there are now talks about banning the practice in my home state, I have never heard nor seen anyone talking about it, ever. While I can find articles that show the views of parents and educators of autistic children who have been subject to this practice, I can never find any accounts of actual people who were subjected to it themselves. Would you mind sharing your experiences of restraint and seclusion with me?

Trigger warning, discussion of restraint of all sorts, scroll on by if this might be upsetting/triggering









I have not experienced it to my person, but I worked for some years in a residential home for kids under age 12, and this was used frequently. At any sign of outburst or meltdown, staff approached and pinned the child to the ground (up to 4 adults, usually two. The child was then carried to a "quiet room" 4x4 room with plastic walls and linoleum floor, electronically locking door, huge plastic windows for observation as well as a camera to monitor what was going on there.

Child was left alone until they regained self control.

I know how desperately frightening that might have been for me with my past of trauma and abuse.
No answers. I suppose it is safer than holding the child as they struggle until the upset is over, and it is not OK to allow somebody to hurt anybody or go on rampages where property is damaged or the child takes flight (this did happen, too). restraining and injecting with drugs or using other forms of restraint such as strapping to a bed or chair,, wrapping, straight jackets,

On the other hand my ND family member reports that being restrained and contained when in the height of an episode makes her feel secure and helps her regain self control.

I am not sure that banning such rooms is safer or better than the tools staff will be left with to work with in cases of need to protect and contain individuals in deep distress.

I was often sent to my room or confined there for long periods of time. I didn't mind that, in fact I preferred it to the alternatives which were resorted to in my family home growing up. No answers. thanks for posting about this subject.

My AS mother didn't like noise, so when I was upset, I was just quarantined until I got over having emotions. I was not a problem in school except for mostly ignoring it.

I don't remember anything like that ever being used at my school. All I really remember is that the teacher or principal would give you the strap, where they'd take a strap and smack it hard over your open palms. I still remember the "swish smack" of the strap coming from the hallway while in class. Seems like like every day after lunch and recess I would see or hear at least two or three kids getting strapped for some reason. Maybe because they got into a fight or something. I think the school gave up this barbaric (in my opinion) punishment after I reached Grade 4 or 5, or by the late 80s.

And my mom once told me that when *she* was a kid, they'd also put a dunce cap on you. I also remember the teacher threatening to put a bib on you for being a "crybaby", or pinning a fake tail to your butt for being a "tattle tail", but I don't really remember if she ever did that or not.

When I hear a kid complaining that they had to sit at the "naughty table" or something like that in school, I can't help but think how good they really do have it... sometimes.

never been in it myself but my high school had a narrow padded soundproofed room for that.

Yeesh, that's awful. I was once threatened with being sent to a residential home if I didn't start accepting the way things were done at my independent school. I'm glad I never went, it would have made things even worse.



While I was aware at the time that things in my school were quite violent, I was also aware that restraint and seclusion created a vicious cycle. The more often someone was secluded, the more often they would act out, which would get them secluded.

I got put in a supply room when I stuck my tongue out at my 2nd grade teacher because I was having trouble with a fine motor tasks she thought was so easy. I don't know if it was locked or not. I never tried to get out. This teacher did have a reputation for tying AD/HD and autistic kids to their desks but I never saw anything. I had a therapist tell her that if she did try that with me, he would sue her himself.

Not at school, no (it was a nice school with nice teachers). I was quiet and passive. I still am. Maybe Autism, maybe personality. Likely both.

Though, little Dill was locked away in cupboards and closets because it was apparently funny or something seeing someone suffering and learning that betrayal was to be expected from others. He's always been too passive and trusting, and he still is, so avoidance. Just psychopath things.