Hi , Newbie here and need advice .

[heatherguhl]

Hey everyone ! This is my first post . I came across this site while doing research and Im happy I found it because I need some advice . My son Hunter is 6 years old and his behavior lately has just gotten out of control . He was diagnosed at 2.5 years old with ADHD and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)/not otherwise specified . But today at the pediatrician she mentioned ODD and Conduct disorder but didnt diagnose him , we will be going back to the developmental pediatrician which his pediatrician is calling to get us in ASAP! A little bit about Hunter . Hunter was put on medications at a very young age due to the fact that he was hurting and endangering himself ..for example . Pulled a easy child monitor down on him and broke his collarbone . Pulled boiling water I boiled for homemade tea down on him . Has made TVs fall and almost hit him . Would dart right into traffic if I let him . He is VERY impulsive . He does NOT think prior to doing anything . He is VERY destructive of property including his own things . I mean he destroys everything he touches and does not seem to care . He is very aggressive towards me and other children as well including his sister . Very very defiant . Its like I am not even standing there saying no Hunter dont do it ... or whatever it is that is happening . Last week he was up apparently in middle of the night and took 18 eggs from fridge and cracked them all in his room ..EVERYWHERE . These r things he does all the time . I dont understand and I dont know what to do . I am looking into parent management training . Tomorrow I am getting into Behavior therapy other then what the school offers .I am starting behavior charts this week as well . The other thing that is huge with him . He is always popping in his underware and doesnt care if he stays in it . I am told its a control issue ..... well moms and dads what do you think ? Conduct disorder ? ODD ? There is so much more to his behavior but this is enough to understand him I think ... any questions feel free to ask . Oh he takes Concerta ..

 

[BusynMember]

Hi there and welcome, but sorry you had to be here. If you want to take him for a further evaluation or to confirm the one he has, I'd go to a neuropsychologist, since he's older now. in my opinion I think you are misunerstanding your son's behaviors and why he does them. I don't think he is being defiant. I think he is showing typical autistic spectrum disorder behaviors, and sometimes he may not even notice that you're addressing him.

Has your son gotten interventions for his Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified, which is a form of autism? That was my son's diagnosis and with help he is sixteen now and doing very well. He was also "clueless" and impulsive as a toddler and we had to watch him 24/7. Things like watching eggs crack can be fascinating to a child on the autism spectrum. It is not misbehavior. It is a sort of "normal" for kids on the spectrum and I don't think parenting classes will help as these kids brains are wired differently and regular parenting does not normally work. About my own son: once he put a penny into an electrical outlet and was lucky he didn't kill himself, but he did fry our fish (the aquarium was plugged in there). Interventions at school for autistic problems have been invaluable and this year he is completely mainstreamed and his "ODD" and "Conduct Disorder" (dont' let a pediatrician derail you into thinking THAT is what is causing his behavior) suddenly disappeared. Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) kids need help. They are not maliciously misbehaving, they don't know how to behave better and are frustrated as this is a communication disorder and a developmental disorder, and this is the case even if the children can speak well. I would disregard the pediatrician...they don't usually have much clues about childhood disorders other than colds and the flu. That's not their area of study. Have you read up on Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified or it's cousin, Asperger's Syndrome? Is he getting speech (he probably needs it even if he can talk--Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) kids rarely know how to communicate correctly, even if they have a huge vocabulary)? Is he getting social skills classes? Occupational Therapist (OT)? PT? My son had a lot of interventions early on and now he barely needs any at all and even has a group of friends at school. He used to self-injure, but hasn't had a rage or outburst for about seven years. He is not on medications. He was, but that really isn't the main treatment for Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified. Some kids need medications to help them, but they REALLY need intervetions for their developmental and communication deficits.

 

[heatherguhl]

Hunter has been in therapy since he was 6 months old . I had home early intervention 4 times a week from early on . They dont seem to focus on the Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) and some dont think he has it . So not to sure that it is stemming from that .... It is mostly his behavior . Yes he has had a lot of ST , but was released last year . He still gets PT and Occupational Therapist (OT) on top of the behavior therapy . And its not just the pediatrician its the deleopmental pediatrician and she specializies in this field .I trust her 100 % . The medications do help him , but I know he needs more on top of that .. with that I mean therapy and such .

 

[klmno]

Hi and Welcome! I don't have any experience in this area but wanted to offer support and get your thread moved up so maybe you'll get more responses. There are a few members here with similar issues, I think.