My Jekyll and Hyde son

[smiley]

Ho Hum.

 

Bit of a rant - and also a bit of a question for you all.

 

M's anual review is coming up in a couple of weeks (and not a moment too soon...) and i've been looking around at other schools. M's school are very supportive but are stumped about his academic ability and how this might give the wrong impression to the LEA.. For example, yesterday morning and this morning M produced fantastic pieces of work - with help from 1;1. But by the afternoon he completely changed and attacked teachers and children alike, kicking walls, running off, grabbing anything that can be used as a weapon. This sudden change in behaviour has only begun this academic year - nothing can be found at school that has sparked it off - no set time - no set problem, etc (although a lots gone on at home). He's will now tell the adult who's trying to settle him - 'I can hurt everyone. I only care about myself'. He seems very calm when he says things like this and the staff have told me he is just 'stating a fact'. Very worrying.

Anyhow - all of these incidents are noted - the exclusion tommorrow is official - everything 'by the book'. The schools concern is getting him into the right school. The school and I both want him to go into the Priory school - but LEA man has hinted that M is academically able (what??!) so that will not be an option. LEA man is keen to put M into an ASD unit within a mainstream - which he is clearly not able to do..... What do i do?

 

Am I making sense? ARGH!!!!

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

it all made sense

<'>

is there any chance that he is behaving like this cos he remembers something that has happened in the past that he cant get rid of? he is still angry with someone or something?

is he eating something that is causing issue? cos it after lunch

will think more later got mushy brains

x

[smiley]

It's anytime hun the 1:1 can predict some of it - or at least knows what may have set him off. Just most of the time there appears to be no reason. He says he just wanted them to go away from him - so he thought being nasty would do it. When i went to collect him, three members of staff were standing outside the empty classroom doors - M was inside the classroom, under the table, banging his head on the wall . The staff had gone in to shut the blinds for him, but if they got near him - he would go for them. Took 10 minutes of me sitting under the table talking to him before he realised i was there .

 

Difficult being a mummy tonight .

[annie]

<'> Smiley <'>

 

Just a thought, for whatever reason M sounds as though he isn't coping at all at the moment . I wonder if it would help if you could get your GP involved. If he/she is supportive, could your GP write a letter suggesting part-time school ie. mornings only at least until the review. This would stop things escalating, but would keep M in school. It would also add weight to the LEA that a mainstream school would be too much for M.

 

Annie

xx

[smiley]

Thanks Annie <'>

 

I hadn't thought of GP - mines a bit useless when it comes to autism - but i'll certainly get an appointment and try! I also happen to have an appointment with M's consultant paed today - so i'll ask her too.

 

Sorry for my mad strop hard sometimes isn't it <'>

[annie]

No need to apologise Smiley, you rant away <'> .

 

I know that in a way that exclusions do help our children get the support/placement that they need, but at some point it gets to the stage where they are doing more harm than good IYSWIM . If M is coping in the morning, but things go pear-shaped later in the day, it would make more sense to at least give it a try.

 

Annie

xx

[Bagpuss]

Smiley <'>

[Kathryn]

Smiley

 

 

<'> <'>

 

Fingers crossed that the LEA will see sense soon.

 

K x

[Clare63]

<'> <'> <'>

 

Clare x x x

[smiley]

<'> thank you xx

 

My head is spinning..... Deep breath..

OT has been called (whilst i was in the office) and is going to try to get to see M before anual review (not likely, but worth at try) - she will also put something in the way of a report together for anual review.

Psychiatrist was also called - M's down for an emergency appointment (no idea when that will be), and is also putting something in writing for anual reivew.

Clinical psycologist - emergency referals been made.

Pead is writing letter to LEA man to say M needs specialist provision - and to update his dx's (lots has changed since the statement last year).

She is thinking of changing dx to Autism rather than AS ???

She's given me a script for strattera...................

 

Have GP appointment for monday (paed didn't want to sign him off - told me to go to GP )

 

 

Any advice, sympathy, baileys, chocolate, rude jokes, all welcome!

[Kazzen161]

>>She is thinking of changing dx to Autism rather than AS ???

 

Why?

[Clare63]

Awwwww Smiley, what a lot to take on board but at least things are moving in the right direction, you must be exhausted.

Thinking of you and wishing you lashings of Baileys and huge bars of chocolate. I'll leave the jokes to the others....

 

Oh yes... have some more of these <'> <'> <'> <'> <'>

 

Clare x x x

[JsMum]

No need to apologise Smiley, you rant away <'> .

 

I know that in a way that exclusions do help our children get the support/placement that they need, but at some point it gets to the stage where they are doing more harm than good IYSWIM . If M is coping in the morning, but things go pear-shaped later in the day, it would make more sense to at least give it a try.

 

Annie

xx

 

I actually in agreement here, it is clear here that the afternoons are a cause of concern, so I would ask if he could mornings too, rather than get repeat exclusions.

 

I would see the GP, how is his energy intake in the afternoon, the behaviour you describe could be a hypoglicemic (blood sugars rapid go too low) which is something J suffers because he misses lunch and doesnt drink enough, just a wonder??

 

JsMum

[smiley]

Sorry - didn't make myself very clear. It's not just the afternoons - it can be anytime, just this week it was the two afternoons so that's what i wrote about.

 

Saying that, i do think a shorter school day is a good thing for him right now.

 

Kazz - God knows! She was talking about 'severe aspergers' and if it would benefit M to have the Autism dx rather than the AS dx..... poss more support..??

 

(Choc-choc has worked a treat! But I don't have a drop of Baileys in the house

I seriously need to find a hobby! )

 

<'>

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

i wonder if Meggzie got asd diag instead of aspergers for that reason

how did it go with consultant??

i am still wondering if he is soo unhappy there, that his logic says if i kick off i can go home, it could just be that basic

loads lvs

x

[Kazzen161]

>>She was talking about 'severe aspergers' and if it would benefit M to have the Autism dx rather than the AS dx..... poss more support..??

 

I suppose it is true that a dx of Autism can sometimes lead to more help (and sometimes more money), but I'm not sure it would work the same if it was a change of dx.

 

Also, be aware that some schools that specialise in children with AS will not take a child with a dx of autism.

[Karen A]

<'> thank you xx

 

My head is spinning..... Deep breath..

OT has been called (whilst i was in the office) and is going to try to get to see M before anual review (not likely, but worth at try) - she will also put something in the way of a report together for anual review.

Psychiatrist was also called - M's down for an emergency appointment (no idea when that will be), and is also putting something in writing for anual reivew.

Clinical psycologist - emergency referals been made.

Pead is writing letter to LEA man to say M needs specialist provision - and to update his dx's (lots has changed since the statement last year).

She is thinking of changing dx to Autism rather than AS ???

She's given me a script for strattera...................

 

Have GP appointment for monday (paed didn't want to sign him off - told me to go to GP )

 

 

Any advice, sympathy, baileys, chocolate, rude jokes, all welcome!

 

 

 

 

<'> <'> <'> It sounds like the paed has taken prompt action and is pulling out all the stops which is good.

It is a lot to take in at once....must be a shock.Take care.Karen.

[smiley]

Now i'm fretting about the Strattera

 

Do i give it to him or not......???

 

Each child is different, yadda, yadda......... but ANY advice is welcome

[Tally]

Medicating children is a controversial issue, but every situation is different. You do also need to consider the risks of not medicating? How long can you and your son carry on the way things are? If it doesn't help, he can stop taking it.

[JsMum]

Hi Smiley,

 

We have been recommended Staterra and I have declined as J has Anxiety too, as well as SID, so for J it isnt suitable, but I know that there is other medications to look into, we are considering a low dose of Concerta at the moment J isnt in school for long periods, I am too aware of the risks of not medicating but we also do know the risks of medicating as well, every child is different and so the results are too, its so hard not to medicate as it is when you choose to medicate because even when J was on Medication there was periods where he was actually worse, especially in the evenings, we now know that his Anxieties increase so we understand that more, the psychiatrist did mention Risperidol for the Aggression yet last month the clinic peadatrition was only recommending straterra, a drug that actually increases the likely of Anxiety and Aggression so it is very confusing and contridicting and if one doc says one kind of drug yet an other says another what is a parent suppose to do.

 

ps I know you will have done this already but just double checking, what do you know about straterra? it may be good idea to look at some information before deciding.

 

JsMum

Edited November 19, 2007 by JsMum

[LittleRae]

Hi Smiley <'>

 

Sorry you're both not having a good time at the moment. My DS is on Strattera since January. It seems to work wonders at school, but I've not noticed any behaviour changes at home. One thing you should look out for - it is known that Strattera can cause or increase suicidal thoughts. My DS has not had this reaction, thankfully, but just be aware of it if you give him the medication. It can also take a few weeks to build up in his system so you won't notice any immediate effects.

 

Good luck

[Karen A]

Hi Smiley,

 

We have been recommended Staterra and I have declined as J has Anxiety too, as well as SID, so for J it isnt suitable, but I know that there is other medications to look into, we are considering a low dose of Concerta at the moment J isnt in school for long periods, I am too aware of the risks of not medicating but we also do know the risks of medicating as well, every child is different and so the results are too, its so hard not to medicate as it is when you choose to medicate because even when J was on Medication there was periods where he was actually worse, especially in the evenings, we now know that his Anxieties increase so we understand that more, the psychiatrist did mention Risperidol for the Aggression yet last month the clinic peadatrition was only recommending straterra, a drug that actually increases the likely of Anxiety and Aggression so it is very confusing and contridicting and if one doc says one kind of drug yet an other says another what is a parent suppose to do.

 

ps I know you will have done this already but just double checking, what do you know about straterra? it may be good idea to look at some information before deciding.

 

JsMum

 

 

Hi.If the clinic paediatrician and the psychiatrist are saying different ? contradictory things I think they need to talk to each other before they expect the parent to do anything otherwise it is very confusing. How about asking them to communicate with each other.Karen.

[JsMum]

Hi.If the clinic paediatrician and the psychiatrist are saying different ? contradictory things I think they need to talk to each other before they expect the parent to do anything otherwise it is very confusing. How about asking them to communicate with each other.Karen.

 

 

Sorry for the delay in replying but its been a heck of a day,

 

As for the Peadatrition and the Psychiatrist From both points of view they think J does need the ADHD treating and the psychiatrist is with me on that Strattera is not the best choice reguarding Js Anxiety, he was the one who suggesting Risperidol for the aggression but when I shared with him the peadatrition didnt support that, he said the last discussion he had from the Peadatrition was that J had severe ADHD with Aggression towards me, so she is in aggreement J needs Medication, after she witnessed just how destressed J can get and has referred him for the clinical psychologist. we are still waiting.

 

I do not want to use medication until all assessments have been fully investigated, J has had ASD confirmed by a private route its now the NHS route we are going down and all we are getting is medication recommendation it is very frustrating.

 

 

JsMum