[b_Kenya_20]

I started looking after this child when she was 3 months old. The mother of this child says she didn't use anything while pregnant, but no one can tell for sure.
The ** is not mature enough to understand the needs of a young child and therefore F&CS has said that as long as the child is in care for 10 hours a day that she can go home at nights. F&CS feels that in that time the majority of the childs needs are being met.
I have pushed for developmental testing and she is behind in most things but doing very well in her fine motor skills. (she found a tiny fishing weight in a 2 inch shag carpet.) The child is no verbal except when she's screaming. stays by herself but delights in hurting herself. She has bitten her arms; to the point of drawing blood, pulled out her hair by the handful only to do it again, hits herself over and over again with blocks in the head, will shove her hand down her throat enough to throw up, etc. I have told both my supervisor and the **'s social worker about the odd behavior and they say that as long as the mother still has rights, she can refuse any treatment she wants for the child.

The doctor says she's underweight (11 lbs at 10 1/2 months) but says there is nothing wrong but she was sleeping when ** took her and ** didn't say anything about what has been going on. I was there.
I just am having a hard time understanding why a 10 month old would be so distructive toward herself. Maybe FAS is the issue but what do I do to help this child? I am beside myself when she throws these 5 hour fits because I can't seem to help her or I get beat up too. These fits are ear pericing screams that wont stop until she just all the sudden stops and then goes blank, alomst into another world. She wont just fall asleep like I thought she might in the begining, she just keeps screaming.

sorry this post is so long, I just needed to vent. Kenya