Psychiatrist Finds Children Easier To Help Than Adults

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30028, 12 January 1963, Page 2

Psychiatrist Finds Children Easier To Help Than Adults

“The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON, January 11

Psychiatric work among emotionally disturbed children was both rewarding and creative—they were less inhibited than adults, which made it easier to get at the root of their problems and help them, said an American psychiatrist, Dr. Joyce Perrin, of Long Beach, California, in an interview in Wellington.

Dr. Perrin is touring New Zealand with her husband, Mr H. L. McCumber, the engineer who recently purchased for £ll,OOO the entire stock of antiques of a Wellington gallery.

In the United States, as in most other parts of the world, “there are no delinquent children. Just delinquent parents,” said Dr. Perrin.

staff of all three hospitals in Long Beach, is consultant for a psychiatric clinic for children, consultant for Catholic welfare and for the Californian State Department of Rehabilitation, a commander in the United States Naval Reserve, and psychiatrist for the Los Angeles Naval Medical Reserve Unit.

she renovated to her own design. She does her own laundry, too. Though Mr and Mrs McCumber have no family of their own there frequently is a “borrowed" child living with them, and sometimes more than one.

She did not think there was any marked increase of emotional disturbance among children. Rather, it was that it was recognised nowadays whereas in the past it had been hidden. Such children had been shut away from ordinary contacts by their parents. Now they were being brought to psychiatrists for treatment

“We once had five at one time,” said Mr McCumber, “We love young people and they seem to find us out and come to stay, maybe for a weekend, maybe for months. View Of Beach Their home, an old, rambling place furnished with genuine early colonial pieces and other antiques which both coUect in their spare time, looks out on the 11 miles of Long Beach, and in the backyard there is a play house, a shower where the children are supposed to get rid of the sand, and swings. Meals are often served there, but if dinner is eaten indoors, it is a leisurely, gracious meal served by candle-

Her day begins in her rooms at 7 am., but when she goes home after the last case—at 5 pm. if she is lucky —there is little time to relax Often there is a couple of hours of dictation to do and Dr. Perrin confesses that she has been known to take the dictaphone into the kitchen where she drops her professional name and becomes Mrs H. L. McCumber, jun., wife of a project engineer in the autonetics division of North American Aviation.

In Long Beach, which had a population of about 300,000. there were 11 psychiatrists, two of whom dealt with children. Busy Life

A highly qualified and widely experienced practitioner, Dr. Perrin is a remarkable woman.

Besides conducting her own practice in which she deals with both child and adult patients, she is on the

Unisys Cooking Mrs McCumber enjoys cooking and does all her own in a stainless steel and white-tiled kitchen which

light with flowers on the table.

“There is no TV in our home,” said Dr. Perrin; “we have so many other things to do that there is no time for viewing. But there are plenty of books and music.” The American couple are both fond of duplicate bridge and play whenever they can spare time.

During their month’s “holiday" in New Zealand Dr. Perrin has been visiting psychiatrists and psychiatric clinics and hospitals while Mr McCumber has been shoppnig for antiques.