Wow

Southern child

New Member
My difficult child has finally gone over the edge... The school calls and he is in the guidance office saying"I want a knife or scissors to cut myself" Who in the world says this at 5???? My SO has thrown us out and I am staying with my mom. They started my difficult child on risperdal 0.5mg at night. No help so far..today he was under the table at school saying"I want to die"..What do I do now. His nuero-psychiatric evaluation is schedued for 1/22/10 that s how backed up ther are...I am out of solutions and at my whits end.....Please someone help me.....
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
That's so sad and scary. If my child was saying those things, I'd seriously consider taking him to ER. He'll get seen sooner and the stuff he is saying...you have to take it seriously. Meanwhile lock up anything sharp in the house...and be glad your SO sent you packing. He's a jerk and did you a favor. By the way, if this is NEW behavior, I'd want him OFF the Straterra. Straterra is known for messing with mood disordered children and I've heard more problems like this than anything good about it. But the doctor needs to wean him (and fast).



Please keep us posted.
 

busywend

Well-Known Member
I would take no chances either. Off to the ER next time he says it. Who can do a 24 hour watch at home? Nobody.
 

DaisyFace

Love me...Love me not
Hello--

Did the school call and just ask that he be picked up and taken home? Or did the school call so that he could get immediate professional attention?

That kind of behavior needs to be evaluated by an emergency room or crisis center right away!!!

Even if it turns out that the child did not mean it, suicide threats must be treated seriously.

Let us know how it goes!

--DaisyFace
 

aeroeng

Mom of Three
I also had troubles with the very long waiting lists. When my son talked of wanting to kill himself the therapist recommended taking him to the ER immediately. He did not like the idea and ran away. Police search, found him, and escorted us to the ER at around 1:00 am. The whole process got his mouth moving and he explained in detail all his well thought our strategies for saying what he said. More for manipulating his parents then really wanting to kill himself. So he did not qualify for admittance.

But, because we went through the ER they were able to get him into a day program much faster then we could have by waiting "in line". Very frustrating but sometimes the ER is your fastest way in.
 

rlsnights

New Member
1. Did you call his psychiatrist and let him know? If not, you need to do that today.
2. Next time it happens I would either take him to ER or at least call the psychiatrist on call for yours - they should have someone available after hours AND during the day. If not, then you tell his receptionist that your child is actively suicidal and you expect an immediate call back.
3. I second the suggestions of putting away sharps like kitchen knives and scissors. You also need to make sure any medications including OTC and vitamins are where he can't get them. Might also want to put away or toss any plastic bags.
4. I personally think he needs to be hospitalized and his medications re-evaluated
5. That said, I am wondering if this is being triggered by the change in living situation. Does he have a therapist? Does that person know what's happening? If not, call and get him an emergency session if you can't get him hospitalized.

Hope things calm down soon. Hugs
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
You may want to ask his pediatric psychiatrist or neurologist to admit difficult child for a thorough evaluation. We had what was then called a team evaluation. At least they saw what I saw including school. It didn't fix difficult child but it started us on the road of possibiities and decent services by the school system.
Just a thought.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
in my opinion, being only five years old, it is unlikely he is being manipulative. JMO, of course, but I think his behavior is serious.

Has he been on Straterra a long time? A few months? Again, this is a big trigger for violence in kids if they are misdiagnosed and have mood disorders. Especially if he's never done this before. Prozac did this to two of my kids. Zoloft did this to me. Antidepressants, like Straterra, can be dangerous in young children (and some adults too). They can cause angry mania or mixed states.
 

Marguerite

Active Member
We had a horrible experience with difficult child 3 on Strattera. It also made him very anxious, very aggressive and easily upset to rage point. We took him off it after only three days, but it was three days of utter ghastly mess.

I agree, a 5 year old is unlikely to be trying to manipulate you.

Also important to realise about 5 year olds - they don't understand the finality of death. Of course he is just as much a risk (perhaps more so) because of this lack of understanding, but what he is trying to say, is that he feels really, really bad and wants someone to make it stop, or HE will do something drastic to make it stop.

I'd be talking to someone in an emergency capacity (either the prescribing doctor, or the ER) and giving serious consideration to Strattera NOT helping and perhaps taking him off it (you need to ease off it if you can).

I know they don't like to give stimulants to kids with anxiety issues. This is why they tried difficult child 3 with Strattera. But for him, the stimulant makes it easier for him to concentrate and THINK, which in its own turn helps his anxiety level ease. So although anxiety ids a concern for us, the stimulant medications actually help.

It really helps if you can fully understand exactly what the child's problem is. You may be able to ask the neuropsychologist to call you if there's an earlier cancellation; but ubtil then, I would be blockading the prescribing doctor's rooms until he can be consulted with.

In our case, we rang the ER (our problems came to a head late at night). Because difficult child 3 had only been on Strattera for 3 days we made an executive decision to take him off it. But I rang his specialist as soon as his offices opened on Monday and reported in. The specialist called me as soon as he could (within an hour) and we talked. He endorsed taking difficult child 3 off the Strattera, reminded me he hadn't been happy to prescribe it but it was on the recommendation of a more senior specialist.

It may not be as simple as this for you, but if you go back over your own records of your son's history, you might see a pattern.

Keep your own good records. The sort of problems you've reported here, need to be in a diary of your own on your son. You may never need it; but on the other hand, you may. Or in ten years' time a specialist may ask a question you can't immediately answer. Having your own detailed diary from the past is a very useful tool.

Hang in there. He sounds very upset but at least he was smart enough to tell people. Hugs to him, and to you.

Marg
 

Southern child

New Member
Well, I did get an emergent evaluation that day but they said that he was not backer act material because he was calm at this time. They did put him on risperadol 0.5mg at night. Of course his psychiatrist is on vacation but we have an apt tomorrow.

2 days after this happened he was sitting under the table at school yelling "Iwant to die"I want to die". When taken to the guidance office he proceeded to kicked and destroy her office, then he curled up on the floor and slept for 2 1/2 hours....
His therapist did come to school that day to see him, but you the school never even called me.
I' m hoping that hid psychiatrist will take him off the stratterra tomorrow.
I'm still at my mom's and she had to deal with one of his horrible melt downs yesterday and she got hurt trying to restrain him. We are moving back into my condo today(the one I own and left to be with SO). Have not had any contact with SO since we left last Sat.

I guess everything happens for a reason.

Thanks to all of you who reply it really, really helps.
 

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
I hope you and difficult child are able to make it to the docs tomorrow without incident today. Sounds like there have been enough changes and uphevals for the two of you lately.

Sharon
 
Top