Medications/interventions for Impulse Contrl

[SheilaC]

My five year old ADHD difficult child has terrible impulse control. We are trying guanfacine but it isn't doing anything. We cant keep her out of anything. I mean it is constant. She sees something she is going to get it or touch it. If she wants something she is going to get it. Discipline doesn't change the behavior.

I was wondering what other medications that might be out there or other interventions we might could try. Suggestions?

 

[tiredmommy]

Has she been evaluated for sensory integration disorder? Some kids seek additional sensory input.

 

[Janna]

Nomad's suggestion of the Bipolar Child is a good one. They also have a website: www.bipolarchild.com.

If your difficult child is Bipolar, your best bet is probably going to be starting a mood stabilizer first. Antipsychotics (Risperdal, Abilify, Seroquel) work for the short term, but are not effective for the long haul. And ADHD alot of times does run comorbid with Bipolar, but Bipolar kiddos really can't take ADHD medications. It stimulates them.

My son, Dylan, started out as ADHD/ODD. He's been given varying diagnosis over time, to finally be stable with a Bipolar diagnosis and on Bipolar medication. It's a long road, though, and takes alot of patience.

Hang in there and welcome.

Janna

 

[Liahona]

Oh that sounds just like my difficult child! If he sees something his hand is out to get it. Funny thing is that I can say "Fold your arms!!" and he does it before he thinks about it! Ha Ha Ha He gets upset about it sometimes.

Focalin sent him into mania. That is when the docs stopped thinking he was ADHD only and probably BiPolar (BP) as well. Zoloft (antidepressant) made him hear voices.

Read the bipolar child. Some of the things difficult child does that I thought were just my difficult child are actually common to all bipolar kids. It'll be helpful. Also the Explosive Child has helped many here.

 

[pepperidge]

Janna-- acording to the sig, she is on Depakote, which is a mood stabilizer.

Is the Focalin having any positive impact? Tenex had no impact on my youngest son (indeed a negative reaction), but his impulse control was helped alot by Abilify, as another poster said.

Its tough, Abilify has helped my youngest a lot, also maybe maturity a bit too--he is better at 9 than he was at 6.

 

[mstang67chic]

I can't really speak about the medications but I understand about the impulsivity and inability to keep hands off of stuff. My difficult child is the same way. Not as bad as he was in some ways but also has gotten more sneaky in others. We adopted him at the age of 10 (he came to us at age 9) and he's had that issue since long before we got him.

Since yours is so young, you may want to try techniques like someone else mentioned (fold your arms! or hands behind your back/in pockets....something like that). Obviously, it won't help overnight, but it could be something in the long run that would at least make pause a bit. With us, we basically have to literally lock everything up we don't want messed with, taken, broken, taken apart, thrown away, given away......you get the idea. I even have to keep all of my bathroom stuff (make-up, shampoo, hair products, everything) in my room, locked up. difficult child has used a full bottle of my conditioner to wash his feet, has "played" in my hair gel/pomade stuff, cut the cords off of my curling irons to make stuff...you name it, he's done just about all of it.

That may be your main "preventative" action at this point until you can find something to help otherwise. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Good luck and sending hugs.