We are fostering/adopting our difficult child; today marks the 5th month he has lived with us. Until this week, things were going relatively well; so much so that we were ready to move forward with another foster/adoption.
Academically, he is doing really well - he is in Special Education due to his emotional issues. He was doing well enough that the school was considering mainstreaming him in a few weeks for one class.
With his placement with us, we got him a good therapist to help him on his issues; including making this a successful placement. His psychiatric changed his medications from vyvanse to focalin; stopped the noon clonidine. Now, I am thinking we need to revisit that.
This week, difficult child (who I view as an amazing kid - he has survived multiple foster placements and at least 2 failed adoptions) was suspended from school for a couple of days. The reason was because he bolted from the school and ran away into neighboring woods. The police were called; he was found and returned to school.
He had started a fight that day (third one this year); that is why he was in crisis. We did the consequences - took his stuff away, which created another emotional crisis which we worked though.
Now, he has earned one item back (TV in his room). But yesterday, as the day wore on, he was out of sorts, moody - not the worst we have seen but not the best.
I think one issue that is going on is that since we stopped the noontime clonidine, the fights began at school. So, today, we are going to start him back on the mid day medications.
Anyway, I share all of this as my first post of substance. Also so that I can hopefully tap into the wealth of experience. As sometimes, I feel I am making this up as we go along and would like to know if we are headed over the cliff.
Academically, he is doing really well - he is in Special Education due to his emotional issues. He was doing well enough that the school was considering mainstreaming him in a few weeks for one class.
With his placement with us, we got him a good therapist to help him on his issues; including making this a successful placement. His psychiatric changed his medications from vyvanse to focalin; stopped the noon clonidine. Now, I am thinking we need to revisit that.
This week, difficult child (who I view as an amazing kid - he has survived multiple foster placements and at least 2 failed adoptions) was suspended from school for a couple of days. The reason was because he bolted from the school and ran away into neighboring woods. The police were called; he was found and returned to school.
He had started a fight that day (third one this year); that is why he was in crisis. We did the consequences - took his stuff away, which created another emotional crisis which we worked though.
Now, he has earned one item back (TV in his room). But yesterday, as the day wore on, he was out of sorts, moody - not the worst we have seen but not the best.
I think one issue that is going on is that since we stopped the noontime clonidine, the fights began at school. So, today, we are going to start him back on the mid day medications.
Anyway, I share all of this as my first post of substance. Also so that I can hopefully tap into the wealth of experience. As sometimes, I feel I am making this up as we go along and would like to know if we are headed over the cliff.