Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional I think DS8 is depressed.

We were told by the psychiatrist who prescribed them they could both be stopped without weaning.

He did still have a tantrum yesterday - but he was having them before we ever started meds. That's what led us to seek out a psychiatrist in the first place. However, the tantrums were different before than what they've been recently.

Our pediatrician referred us out when we brought up the behavior issues. It was clear to the Dr that his behavior wasn't just 'normal' kid stuff.

Epoh, I'm glad he's under the care of a psychiatrist-- puts my mind at ease about the meds. And I'm very glad you're getting the referral. It sounds like the right thing.

DeeDee

I think time with a peer will help and do encourage you to do the drive. Maybe your friend can help out in some other way to compensate for you doing more of the driving? Gas/Car Wear Money? Cook a few family meals that you can heat 'n serve to make the rest of the week go easier?

But I'm worried about the Tantrums - good for you for getting the evaluation appointment all set up - it's hard to wait! And one doesn't usually get an answer right away either - to make matters worse. In the meantime, I'd suggest reading
'Transforming the Difficult Child Workbook' by Lisa Bravo
so you can start 'accentuating the positive' and also giving him safe places to practice being 'in control' of his strong feelings.

Keep us posted!
Grinity

We have an appt with the psychologist! Sadly it isn't until May. But at least we are on the schedule. Our next appt with the counselor isn't until the 31st - hopefully she returns my voice mail soon and we can get him in quicker.

ETA: @DeeDee - None of the pediatricians at my kids dr office would prescribe these types of meds - they always refer out. I *heart* them so much!

Oh, it's really more just me not allowing myself to be lazy more than anything! The time/gas isn't an issue, my hubby and I just tend to be super lazy on the weekends when we aren't doing kids sports (we both have fairly stressful jobs) and we just need to stop that!



Thanks. I was actually looking through my bookshelf for something and saw a copy of Transforming the Difficult Child! I have no idea where it came from - I guess my husband? It sure hasn't been read yet, but it will be soon.

Just wanted to let you know you're not alone -- DS9 goes through the exact same thing, kind of in waves. He gets to a period where he just melts down at bedtime and says all of those things, and it just breaks my heart. I wish there were some kind of medication that I could take him off of to make it stop!

And my hubby just got a call from the asst principal. Apparently DS hasn't been doing his work for the past couple of days, hasn't been listening to the teacher, and today when she called the counselor to come get him (apparently the administrators were busy) he ran off from her. They finally got him into the asst principal's office and he was screaming and kicking the wall. Neither he nor the principal could calm him down. So now my husband has left work and is going to the school.

AAaaaaarg! Why have I not heard any of this from his teacher?!

DS has so many triggers it can be hard to keep track of them. And it seems to just depend. Sometimes it's like he can handle things, and other times, just the sight of something can send him over the edge.

Apparently this morning he was busy playing with an eraser and pencil, and then realized he had fallen behind with his work and then freaked out and started screaming and flailing his arms around, etc. The teacher then called the counselor. My husband went to the school and talked to him and calmed him down. DS said he could handle the rest of the day, etc. So they sent him back to class. He was fine during reading time, but after, when he went back to his desk and saw all the papers he'd missed while he was in the office, he freaked out. Apparently he started taking everything off his desk and dropping it on the floor and yelling.

*sigh* He freaks out about stuff at home, but it's like at school it's dialed up to 11. The school counselor recommended two places to my husband, he was under the impression they were schools, but when I looked them up they are out-patient psychiatric centers.

He hasn't had any IEP or 504 with the school. Up to this point we've always just worked with his teacher. Shortly before the holiday break she basically told us she was done trying to work with him and was just going to strictly follow the rule book... and here we are. I'm pretty annoyed/angry with her, but at the same time I can kind of understand. She's got 22 kids in her class, and she cannot spend any significant part of the day dealing with a single child.

The counselor at his school is pretty lame, sadly. We've spoken with her before, and she's super nice and clearly cares about our son (and all the kids) but I'm not sure she really has much experience dealing with kids with behavior problems.

The husband took DS into the psychiatrist we've been taking him to and he recommended a place that does full-on evaluations. We'll take DS there every day for 2 weeks instead of school. He'll have class there and will be monitored and evaluated during and also some sort of testing outside of that. We go tomorrow to talk to them and see what the deal is.

I'm emotionally all over the place right now. On one hand I want to rage and scream and insist there's nothing that wrong with DS, and yet at the same time I know in my head that there IS something wrong with DS, and I'm a little relieved he's going to get evaluated.

ETA: Off to look for that Xanex!

Let's hope she stopped 'going the extra mile' because she had a deep knowing that it was time to really look at what is going on with your son, and stop with the stop-gap measures. I have know idea if she is right about this or not, but school seems a very negative place for your son right now, and sometimes it is better ... time will tell.
Hopefully this will include the IQ and achievement test.
Hopefully the folks will have the open-mindedness to seek to understand the ramifications of those results
Time to read 'Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis....'
http://books.google.com/books/about/Misdiagnosis_and_dual_diagnoses_of_gifte.html?id=NQrtt-peg5AC

here's a similar article -
http://www.sengifted.org/archives/a...nal-looking-beyond-psychiatric-diagnosis

take a look at
http://www.sengifted.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/SelectingAMentalHealthProfessional.pdf

I like the book Transforming, although I think the workbook is better organized...but I usually recommend the workbook because the version I read of Transforming was very anti-medication, which I think is too bad. Since you have Transforming, if possible I would recommend to read it, as long as you can keep yourself from feeling badly if you decide that medication is a thing to try for your family. Salt needed!

Love and More Love,
Grinity