What is a cataleptic fit?

Answer 1

I've witnessed one at my house. Most have seen it in the movies. A war movie, US troops approach a small child sitting next to his dead parents. He's unresponsive to touch or sound. He sits motionless. A cataleptic fit is a shutting down of the mind caused by an "extreme emotional event". Similar to catatonic fit. This lasts for many hours. My witness of it on an abused child whereby his mother took his toys away from him on his 6th birthday and likely told him she was going to throw them all away because he did not thank her for putting on a birthday party for her and that he did not pick up all his toys before bedtime. This 6 year old couldn't believe how his mom was treating him. His toys were scattered all over the living room. I expect he threw them, then was dragged to his room by his mother, but he may have walked on his own. This was 8 pm when I came back into the house. Found him in his bedroom, eyes wide open, he never blinked. He was rocking back and forth slightly, maybe one inch or less rocking motion. I had to roll him sideways down onto the bed and put a blanket over him. He was not ultra rigid, I could move his legs a bit. I put a blanket on him and read him stories and told him he was a good boy. At 11 pm, 3 hours later he hadn't said anything. He always said "I'll forgive mommy this time too" when his mom berated him. In the morning he seemed ok and unaffected by his mental shut down. His mom moved away a day later to be able to abuse her kids without interference. The abuse continues today, at the blessing of the courts as mommy dearest admitted she is a child abuser in writing and the courts have done nothing so far. Child abuse is legal in USA and it can produce cataleptic fits in 6 year olds when you abuse them enough.