Hi there, I'm new to the group. I'm the mom of all boys...ages 8, 5 and 6 weeks. Our 8 year old son was diagnosed two years ago with generalized anxiety disorder, OCD and provisional tic disorder and borderline ADHD. For the past year or so, he's doing great... socially he has made great improvement. But over the past few months, the aggression, meltdowns, defiance and hyper activity have skyrocketed. We're at a loss. We don't know what triggered it and we don't know what to do. I feel like the house is filled with yelling, chaos and stress now. We don't live in an area with access to go therapist for pediatrics and even though he is approved for an IEP through his school, he doesn't display this behavior there. It's like he's worked so hard at school being quiet, listening, etc he basically explodes with energy when he gets home. Any advice, suggestions will be so greatly appreciated. I want my happy family back...
Introduction...please help: Hi there, I... - CHADD's ADHD Pare...
Introduction...please help
We've had medical professionals recommend a book called "The Explosive Child", which we have read and are in the early stages of trying to implement. I'm skeptical of lots of books since there seem to be a lot of parenting fads out there, but I also know that Massachusetts General Hospital has a program called Think:Kids that is based on the approach in that book, so it seems to have some research behind it. There is also a Facebook group called "The B Team" with parents who are providing mutual support in their efforts to implement the described parenting techniques with their children. And, here is a website by the author of the book which includes some (not well done, alas-- he's clearly not a radio professional!) videos about the approach: livesinthebalance.org/resou... . I believe he has a weekly radio call-in show/podcast, although I haven't tried to track that down.
I’m not sure what or if he is taking any meds but my 7 yr old sons morning medication he takes for his ADHD has worn off by the time he is out of school and recently we started him on an afternoon (non-stimulant) Med to help with his hyperactivity. It’s been a good thing so far so we’ll see if it continues to help. Just thought I’d mention that bc of what you said about how he’s good at school and not at home.
He's not on any medication yet...we feel lost. We tried therapy but the therapists in our area do not specialize in pediatrics. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of medication does your son take and do you see any downsides to him taking it? Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Means more than you know.
Is he on any medication? Is his behavior problem at home and school?
He is not on medication yet. At school he's shy and teary...but it's gotten much better in the past two years. The hyperactivity, defiance, energy, etc is at home. Once he gets "fired up" his younger brother starts acting the same way. His younger brother seems to react to discipline and can usually be turned around whereas my oldest son can't. It's like a switch is flipped and he can't control it, if that makes sense.
Our son has similar issues, but we've found getting him exercise, especially outdoor, individualized movement (like bike riding, hiking, running, etc.) helps tremendously with the hyperactivity and behavior. He is on medication (1/2 tablet of Wellbutrin daily) but the nutrition, exercise and sleep component are big contributors to how well he manages stressful situations, his ability to control his emotions & keep them in check. In our house, TV is also a problem. When it's on, especially during a commercial break (when he's no longer being entertained), he gets crazy, jumping on/hitting his brother, unruly, yelling, etc. By finding activities that offer real engagement and are action based, he can release that extra energy, wind down his batteries and it boosts the serotonin levels in the brain, allowing him to more fully relax. We try to feed him a snack immediately after school, to keep his blood sugar stable, then move onto a physical activity to get his body moving. I agree with the other commenters, Ross Greene's Explosive Child is extremely helpful in understanding the basics of what these kids are going through and offers great suggestions to deal with and minimize the outbursts and big emotions.
Sounds exactly like our house! Tv included! It seems if we have planned activities, he's much calmer. If left to his own devices, he gets crazy! Daily planned physical activity is a great idea. In the summer, he's calmer probably for that very reason. Winter is tough...it's 10 degrees right now! The snack idea after school is a great idea too! I never even thought of sugar levels causing behavior changes. We're having trouble with nutrition because he's an extremely picky eater...and I know processed foods aren't good especially for kids with ADHD and anxiety issues. I will definitely try what you suggested! Thank you so much!
Help!!!
So dismayed and frustrated!
Refusal to complete schoolwork. Help?
Frequent med changes
