PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon’s appeals court ruled Wednesday that a state board was wrong to permanently revoke the license of a psychologist who told the parents of a 9-year-old boy to bottle feed him chocolate milk, engage him in “tummy time” and isolate him from the family to treat what they said were troublesome behaviors.

The ruling, however, let stand the Board of Psychologist Examiner’s emergency order temporarily suspending Debra Kali Miller’s license – meaning she still cannot see patients.

Miller, who lives in Portland, did not return a message left Wednesday by the Associated Press.

According to court documents, Miller specialized in treating children with traumatic pasts whom she frequently diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, a rare condition in which an infant doesn’t form healthy relationships with caregivers.

Treatments for an older child can include using a pacifier or bottle, wearing a diaper or being held like an infant by a caregiver so they can “relive” a period of their infancy that was troubled.

The diagnosis is controversial in children older than 5.

The treatment was intended to encourage bonding with the father, who reported that the boy’s birth mother had abused methamphetamine during her pregnancy. The boy’s parents complained that he lied frequently, didn’t do his chores and stole food from classmates, according to the state board.

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