When David Lopez was 14 years old, he started to experience severe unprovoked aggressive and self-injurious behavior. This was completely out of character for David who is autistic. David’s parents were at a loss even though his mother, Eileen, a pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, had access to top pediatric specialists. 

After many trials on different medications, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations, Eileen read the book Each Day I Like It Better, which was written by a mother whose son is on the autism spectrum, had severe unprovoked aggression and received relief from ECT. Eileen did some due diligence and found that Dr. Neera Ghaziuddin, a physician at the University of Michigan Medical Center, had an interest in Catatonia in children on the autism spectrum. It took 11 weeks to get a bed for David in the University of Michigan pediatric psychiatry unit where Dr. Ghaziuddin diagnosed David with Agitated Catatonia and recommended ECT.

David’s parents were relieved when David responded to ECT. It saved their son’s life and the well-being and safety of his family. His family had been on high alert all the time and dealt with injuries themselves from David's aggression. They learned that for Agitated Catatonia, David would need maintenance ECT on an ongoing basis. Only family members who really understood David’s condition were supportive of this plan.


David continued to do well but when he reached the age of majority, state law did not allow his parents to consent to ECT on his behalf. They were able to obtain guardianship over David but it specifically excluded ECT. They knew that David would deteriorate if the treatment was discontinued. David's parents had to petition the probate court for permission to consent to David's ECT, which was granted. Today, David and his family are all doing well.