Im at the end of my rope...

[A mom out of options...]

Hi I'm new here and I could sure use some advice. I have a 14 year old step-son that has digeorge syndrome which causes a multitude of behavioral, physical and mental problems. For years he has struggled with impulse control. He is getting up in the middle of the night and eating any and everything he can get to. We have caught him even eating food out of the trash. He will also go through his siblings things and take it. He stole the necklace I wanted to where when I got married to his father and I found it in pieces weeks later. He has alo been caught red handed stealing money from his dad's wallet. I am super worried he is going toget himself hurt or in serious trouble if he does something like this to the wrong person. He seems to note have any regards for other people's property.

In addition to the lack of impulse control, he has a problem with honesty. He literally lies about everything even when I catch him in the act. He will deny everything and say it wasn't him all while holding the evidence. I tell him all the time that lying always just makes things worse but nothing I do seems to work. Any time he gets in trouble he goes on the defense and talks back. When I try to explain to him what he did to get in trouble he will put his fingers in his ears and ignore me.

There is a laundry list of other issues we are having and I am completely out of ideas. What makes everything worse is that his 8 year old brother that has extreme ADHD is following suit. If I need to elaborate on other things that happened I can. It truly is alot so I will leave it at this for now. Any advice is appreciated!

Thank you

 

[ksm]

Did you just recently get married? I do not know anything about his diagnosis. Was it this bad before you came into the picture? Does he spend anytime with his mom? I wonder about his genetics, his prenatal health, and any childhood traumas...

Many of those behaviors sound like fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) that I am familiar with. I hope your family is getting counseling, and that he has an IEP for school. Are there any sports or activities that he likes and can be involved in? That might help keep him busy, p,us be an outlet he could feed good about himself.

I am sure other people might have experience with his diagnosis and will share. This can be a safe place to vent. Keep coming back. Newksm

 

[Mirabelle]

Hello. This sounds very hard and I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. I have no experience with this syndrome but did some Googling to get the gist. I am wondering how much help your family is receiving from health care professionals in this situation. It sounds like a disorder that requires a lot of support and intervention.

 

[A mom out of options...]

Hello. This sounds very hard and I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. I have no experience with this syndrome but did some Googling to get the gist. I am wondering how much help your family is receiving from health care professionals in this situation. It sounds like a disorder that requires a lot of support and intervention.

He sees alot of different doctors but we really have a hard time finding help when it comes to the behavioral aspect.

 

[mindinggaps]

He sees alot of different doctors but we really have a hard time finding help when it comes to the behavioral aspect.

Have you tried medications? If so, which ones?

 

[A mom out of options...]

Yea and we have tried so many that can't even name them all.

 

[Crayola13]

I’m sorry about all the trouble with your stepson and his brother. Has the school offered any help or therapeutic programs? I don’t think doctors know much about DiGeorge Syndrome.