Followup on suspected pedophile, Psychiatrist Eric Schwietering

Recently Psychiatrist Eric Schwietering was arrested for having child pornography on his computer. A casual internet search has brought up more interesting material regarding the apparent competency of the 'Doctor'. As seen in this article:

Boy's Behavior Problems Disappear When Mom Discovers Real Cause

As a young boy, Johnnie Tillson of Wisconsin had allergies to several medications, including penicillin.

By the age of five, he had become a difficult child and his mother tried to find out why. Her pediatrician could find no reason. She sought a second and third opinion. She was told Johnnie had a "conduct disorder."

She was referred to Milwaukee psychiatrist Eric Schwietering, who interviewed Johnnie (with no medical exam) and diagnosed him with "bipolar disorder" and prescribed him the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal (which was not then or now approved for use in children).

The drug made Johnnie very tired and caused horrible, abnormal weight gain. During the period he was on this drug, Mrs. Tillson often complained to Dr. Schwietering about the side effects of the drug and asked about alternatives: "Isn't there another route besides the drug? Couldn't it be allergies or something?"

Dr. Schwietering assured her that Johnnie's behavior and attention problems in school were not allergy related, even despite Johnnie's previous medical history of allergies to drugs. Johnnie's schoolwork and his behavior declined as he continued on the drug. Whenever she would inquire of Dr. Schwietering about it, he assured her that Johnnie's problems were characteristic of "bipolar disorder" and that if it were not treated with psychiatric drugs, Johnnie would grow up to be a drug or alcohol abuser.

Schwietering switched him to the psychiatric anti-seizure drug Trileptal, to which Johnnie had a severe adverse reaction known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome: full body rash and ulcers in his mouth and throat and in the mucous membranes of his eyes (3-15% of patients die from this reaction). He was taken off all psychiatric drugs but continued to have rashes, especially on the parts of his body covered by clothing.

Through some admirable research and testing by his mother, it was ultimately discovered that Johnnie was allergic to chlorine. When it was eliminated from the household, his problems vanished.

Of course, it could be a different Dr Eric Schwietering. But the names are unique enough that it probably is not the case.

Then there is this comment on the arrest noted previously

I feel so betrayed by Dr Schwieterings behavior!! My son saw him for many years and recently my daughter had a few appts. with him. I am not suggesting he ever did anything innapropriate to either of them, but I do have to wonder, considering the recent news about him. And were there any perverted thoughts about my son going through his head while he was seeing him? since his preference does seem to be young boys.

Dr. Eric (as we called him) was a very highly respected child Psych in our community. There was always a waiting list to see him. To think that I was trusting him to analyze my son, when in fact he had such serious mental issues of his own!!

Recently I had my daughter to see him a few times. I complimented him on his weight loss. Over the past couple years he must have lost at least 50 lbs. I asked how he did it, he was very evassive. Now I understand why, how could he tell me it was the “cocaine diet”.

During an appt with my daughter, he had her confused with another patient. He asked me how the medication was working. I told him “you never prescribed anything for her”. He said “i have the copy of the prescription right here in her chart, which i wouldn’t have if I didn’t prescribe” after we argued back and forth about it, he finally called the front desk to see when our last visit to him was. He asked the secretary “when was _______’s last appt here?” that’s when I realized he was looking at the wrong chart, because the name he asked about was not my daughters name. He was so embarrassed, but I was forgiving and just thought the poor guy has too many patients, and after all he is human, he must be overworked. Now I have to wonder if the confusion was more related to his cocaine addiction.

I can’t for the life of me, understand how a grown man with so much going for him, could get messed up with drugs and child pornography. It makes me literally sick to my stomach.

I want my money back.