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Wonderful Family
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difficult child has had a couple of really good weeks and beginning last weekend; an awesome one - at home. He actually started acting "normal" for a change.
Over the last couple of weekends, he has been suggesting family outings. Then last weekend, he started posing for pictures like he did when he was very little at the pumpkin patch; while telling easy child he needs his medications adjusted immediately and he would tell psychiatrist when we go back (we go on Monday). To top it all off, he's been loving, hugging me, and I actually caught him reading a book in bed last night - (first time for everything, I guess).
When he gets upset, he gets over it quickly, responds normally. Although his thinking is still black and white/polarized. One of the few areas right now I can still tell difficult child is a difficult child.
All sounds perfectly normal and wonderful, laughing and telling jokes; except he's not acting normal; and I've noticed a big increase in his energy level. He has been extremely hyper the last 3 days; and last night while watching a funny move, he was laughing hysterically - very loud and almost too much laughing? I hate to say it, but it sounded almost false.
He's mentioned to me 3 or 4 times this week how happy he is right now. He also made a point of telling me how he came home early from a friend's house; and actually was persistent about getting what he wanted for dinner one night rather than having a fit. At one point last night, I thought I would find him skipping down the hall for a period of time and singing at the same time! Then he settled down a bit - more "normal" and became irritated briefly when I wouldn't let him drag an unhappy dog to his bed.
I dropped a short email to school just to see how things were going; and received back the old "I was going to tell you". Seems that difficult child has been refusing to do work; then starting to do it (which is good). Teacher seems to think this is because of some of the older kids he is in class with are doing this. Nothing major - just another thing that might be an indicator?
And, I've heard a couple of irrational comments to me about family members and why he "hates" them. All while he is happy
However, this is pretty close to the same scenario last year; although he is infinitely happier and better behaved - this time.
The only two real red flags I've seen are the couple of irrational comments that came out of the blue and work refusal at school. But all these can easily be explained away. Another possible one is dragging both dogs to bed with him; he tends to do this whenever he gets anxious; but again, it's a normal thing.
difficult child was kind-of (behavior was much worse overall) like this last year just before he was hospitalized. husband thinks the world is just going his way . . . any thoughts, what to look for or anticipate? If it is some type of mania happening, how do we know and what do we do before it's too far gone? Or is this how the kids are typically once they are really, truly stabilized? I know how great I feel the first few days after a really bad cold or flu.
I don't want to over-react, but I also don't want to be blindsided this time.
It's only in the last 4 to 6 months that we've been able to see him cycling over a period of weeks; and we are at the point in the cycle where he tends to be in a good spot. Before, he just lived in a constant state of rage and anger - 24/7.
Yes - I'll bring it up with psychiatrist on Monday; but I'm concerned if it is something, it may be hard to see? Perhaps a better way to explain it, I feel like there is a (nice) alien living in my house; I keep looking back to make sure this is really my kid.
by the way - easy child does need an adjustment in ADHD medications - he is literally bouncing off the walls and the roof tops these days!
Over the last couple of weekends, he has been suggesting family outings. Then last weekend, he started posing for pictures like he did when he was very little at the pumpkin patch; while telling easy child he needs his medications adjusted immediately and he would tell psychiatrist when we go back (we go on Monday). To top it all off, he's been loving, hugging me, and I actually caught him reading a book in bed last night - (first time for everything, I guess).
When he gets upset, he gets over it quickly, responds normally. Although his thinking is still black and white/polarized. One of the few areas right now I can still tell difficult child is a difficult child.
All sounds perfectly normal and wonderful, laughing and telling jokes; except he's not acting normal; and I've noticed a big increase in his energy level. He has been extremely hyper the last 3 days; and last night while watching a funny move, he was laughing hysterically - very loud and almost too much laughing? I hate to say it, but it sounded almost false.
He's mentioned to me 3 or 4 times this week how happy he is right now. He also made a point of telling me how he came home early from a friend's house; and actually was persistent about getting what he wanted for dinner one night rather than having a fit. At one point last night, I thought I would find him skipping down the hall for a period of time and singing at the same time! Then he settled down a bit - more "normal" and became irritated briefly when I wouldn't let him drag an unhappy dog to his bed.
I dropped a short email to school just to see how things were going; and received back the old "I was going to tell you". Seems that difficult child has been refusing to do work; then starting to do it (which is good). Teacher seems to think this is because of some of the older kids he is in class with are doing this. Nothing major - just another thing that might be an indicator?
And, I've heard a couple of irrational comments to me about family members and why he "hates" them. All while he is happy
However, this is pretty close to the same scenario last year; although he is infinitely happier and better behaved - this time.
The only two real red flags I've seen are the couple of irrational comments that came out of the blue and work refusal at school. But all these can easily be explained away. Another possible one is dragging both dogs to bed with him; he tends to do this whenever he gets anxious; but again, it's a normal thing.
difficult child was kind-of (behavior was much worse overall) like this last year just before he was hospitalized. husband thinks the world is just going his way . . . any thoughts, what to look for or anticipate? If it is some type of mania happening, how do we know and what do we do before it's too far gone? Or is this how the kids are typically once they are really, truly stabilized? I know how great I feel the first few days after a really bad cold or flu.
I don't want to over-react, but I also don't want to be blindsided this time.
It's only in the last 4 to 6 months that we've been able to see him cycling over a period of weeks; and we are at the point in the cycle where he tends to be in a good spot. Before, he just lived in a constant state of rage and anger - 24/7.
Yes - I'll bring it up with psychiatrist on Monday; but I'm concerned if it is something, it may be hard to see? Perhaps a better way to explain it, I feel like there is a (nice) alien living in my house; I keep looking back to make sure this is really my kid.
by the way - easy child does need an adjustment in ADHD medications - he is literally bouncing off the walls and the roof tops these days!
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