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Service to the Blind and
Visually Impaired - South Dakota Developmental Center
OTHER SERVICES AT THE
Human Services Center
ANCILLARY SERVICES: HSC offers services to enhance certain aspects of a patient's treatment.
These services include Occupational, Recreation, Physical, Educational, Speech and Hearing evaluation
and therapy, as well as Dental and Library Services. Medical consultants, i.e., neurology, ophthalmology
are available as needed.
ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY (ECT) SERVICES:
The Human Services Center provides ECT services to patients who are in need of this treatment. Krystal Diedrichsen, RN, BSN, serves as the Coordinator of the ECT Program. The treatments are performed in the ECT Suite by a psychiatrist, an anesthetist and a team of registered nurses.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment for severe episodes of major depression, mania, and some types of schizophrenia. ECT is most effective in major depression, where it has a strong beneficial effect in up to 80-90% of patients.
It involves the use of a brief, controlled electrical current to produce a seizure within the brain. This seizure activity is believed to bring about certain biochemical changes which may cause symptoms to diminish or to even disappear. A series of seizures, generally 6 to 12, given at a rate of 3 per week, is required to produce such a therapeutic effect; although, sometimes a smaller or larger number may be necessary.
Although there have been many advances in the treatment of mental disorders in recent years, ECT remains the most effective, fastest and/or safest treatment for many cases, particularly when alternative treatments, usually medications, are either not effective or not safe.
