13 yr son has episode at the museum today

RobinD

New Member
Well Willy had big eposide with therapists and his sister when they were at the museum. He was fine when he left and the first hour. He had $1 left of his money he just had to take and spend it. Well after he bought his thing for $1 he got mad and said he wanted his $1 back he didn't want it anymore. Well he began to cause a big scene and attack his sister. He had kick her really hard. She start to scream hysterically and was crying all the way home. Therapist had called me from her cell phone telling me that Willy was having a big fit and I may have to come get him. I ask where she was she said they were in the car coming back. I could hear Willy crying and screaming in the background. It took them 20 minutes to get from downtown which is only 5 to 10 minutes from our house. He came in the house and blew up some more. Therapist was on the phone I guess talking with the police and told Willy that he is on record now and that next time they will come arrest him. Therapist told me that both her and Marie's therapist were scared of Willy and didn't know what to do. That is odd as therapist can usually control him and so can Marie's therapist. So he must of been way out of control. Found out he threw his seroquel out the car window. I had ready an ativan for him when he walk thru the door. But didn't know about the seroquel so had to get that for him. Well he refuse to take the seroquel and ativan. He kept yelling he want his $1 back. He was fixated on this. He took off his glasses and threw them. I thought he was going to break them he just got these news ones just after winter break. He tip over my office chair, kick his walls and rip his wrestling poster. It took about 20 minutes to get him to take his medications. His aunt was over and got him to take his medications. So gave him a ativan and seroquel. I would of thought it would knock him out or take a nap. Nope he is awake but he is more civil now. Therapist told him that he won't be going community outing for a long time. She also took me to the side and told me she didn't really call the police but pretended to call the police even saying his name and spelling his name. So it would be so real and he believe it. He said he was scared that the police was coming to get him. He has never had the police called on him. We have called the mutt team (mobile urgent treatment team) who came out a few times a few years ago when he was unstable. I can't believe this little thing set him off so badly. He also said he isn't going to school tomorrow. Well this has been a fun monday. He is calm now and doing better. His sister was so scared of him. I talk with therapist about maybe she has ptsd with all the years of abuse she got from her brother over the years. She thinks so too. And at times when she gets mad retalliates at him and will throw things at him or hit him. She will cut him out of pictures we take or color over them with marker. That set him off last nite he than hit her in the stomach for doing so. I can't wait for back to school tomorrow. Poor therapist was sick and first day back from vacation and had to deal with this!!!
She has been with him for 6 yrs now and been able to control him before even help me take him to the hospital. But now he is getting so big as well. He weighs more than she does.
:bath:

So much for my break today. He left in a good mood too. Weird when they fixate on something so small and just goes out of control!
 

RobinD

New Member
Well all is calm again in our house. He didn't fall asleep from the seroquel or ativan. But he is calm again and it was like nothing even happen.
He went up to dad said he was scared when therapist called the police and that if he does this again when he isn't safe the police will come take him to jail. Even though she didn't really call them but he thinks he really did. So if it works what the heck! Therapist told hubby and aunt not to give him a $1 as that reinforce the behaviors he would do it every time to get what he wants. I agree with her about that.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Fixating on things is a big trait of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), as you probably know. And some kids with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) will throw fits if they can't get the fixation out of their heads. There's no real medications for that, but there are interventions that help a lot. My son no longer rages at all. He can deal with his obsessiveness without falling apart. Is your son getting interventions for Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)? Kids with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) usually don't respond well to normal behavioral plans as their brains work a lot differently. I know your son also has bipolar, but that isn't his only disorder. Maybe he needs help with the Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) part too??? Just a suggestion.
 

JJJ

Active Member
MWM,

What are some interventions that work for your son when he starts to fixate on something?
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
I realize this therapist has been with him for 6 years - but honestly WHAT does EVERYONE think will happen when he throws a fit again, the police get called, and they show up without knowing WHAT the deal was or worse - what happens when he throws a fit again and the police DO NOT get called ?

His bad behaviors win - he looses.

I'm surprised a therapist would do that.

I'm so sorry you had a rotten Monday. As far as forcing him to go to school - I had it written into my sons IEP that there were some days I KNEW it was just better to stay home - so we had "free" days. Didn't need a dr. excuse - but I had to send a note to school. Other teachers in the district were told about the idea - and it's caught on here. The teachers are VERY happy to have you keep your son at home if all's he's going to do is have a bad day and make things worse for him and others around him or cause something more detrimental to happen (like have to call the cops)

Maybe you can suggest that - but you DO NOT TELL the child -it's for you and the teacher.

Hugs

ps - I also don't get why he couldn't have returned the 'thing' to the gift store and gotten his money back. IF the therapist was trying to teach him a behavior modification - wouldn't it have been BETTER to say BEFORE he bought his 'thing' "Okay Willy you can spend your dollar - but you are stuck with whatever you get and can't get your money back!" ?????

Just asking
Star
 

SRL

Active Member
If I had a therapist that faked a call to the police to scare my kid I would be on the phone to his/her supervisor so fast it would make your head spin.

Have your therapists read The Explosive Child? Given how fast he was escalating I think I might have given him a dollar just to get him and sister out of there safely and then dealt with the issue when he was calmed down at home later and better able to rationalize.
 

RobinD

New Member
He really fixates on what things cost and money. Even though he doesn't get the math part of money. He has to know what something cost even a gift from someone he has to know the cost of it. And will tell others of how much things cost over and over again.

The faking the police call didn't know about it until he was calming down in his room. He still think the police was called. What if the police called and he escaulated more they would of taken him away. I guess we still try to protect him yet.

We told him when he left with his money he isn't going to get much from a dollar at the museum stuff is not cheap there. And told him it is your last dollar is you spend it you won't have anything left. I think he had open it too it was a little book with some snake stickers.

The therapist he works with our autism therapist they use ABA. We haven't seen one of these behaviors in a very long time. Most of the time you can get him calm or get his mind on something else. But for some reason he wouldn't let it go.
 

happymomof2

New Member
Hey Robin, I would also call her supervisor about the "fake call to the police".

The first thing that went through my mind was about your son fearing the police. To me respecting authority and being "afraid" of them are 2 different things.

Sorry you and your son had such a bad day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better for you both!
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
In general, my son has learned not to meltdown anymore. He had interventions from early on--even when he had the bipolar diagnosis, we didn't really believe it, so he continued Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) interventions. What helps with my son is NOT making unreasonable transition demands such as, "All right NOW you have to turn off the game." It's more like, "In fifteen minutes you have to turn off the game...in ten minutes you have to turn off the game...in five minutes..." and then if he says, in a panicked voice, "But I have to get to a place where I can save it" I don't take it as defiance. I realize he is honestly panicked. He can get to a place where he can save the game, then he has to get off. We don't throw absolutes at him because they don't work. He may whine for a few seconds, but usually he says, with resignation, "Allr ight, I know." It took us a long time to get there and he doesn't have co-morbid issues, but he does fixate. It's very frustrating, but we have learned to understand that his brain is wired differently so that he isn't going to respond to "normal" parenting and he isn't going to think like a "neurotypical" person. Approaching him differently is very affective. Of course, all kids are different, but I think learning all about Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) is a great start. Too many folks with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) kids expect normal behavioral interventions to work for them and get frustrated when they don't. You kind of have to understand Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), then you can plan your strategies and help teach your "differently wired" kids how to cope. With us, school has helped enormously with that.
 

RobinD

New Member
Well son went to school today with no behaviors and did not fight me on going. And no phone calls yet from school :) He kept saying he was nervous last nite and he didn't want to go to sleep or to school today.

Well its nice and peaceful for now. Now just digging out of the snow we got last nite. Son was hoping for a snow day but nope! :meh:
 
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