Please, advice needed with little dude regarding giving medications!?

[lovelyboy]

Halo, all

I am not new to this forum, but I am new to Easy Child......I had posted often on the GP side
We have been having more and more school issues with my little dude, who is 4 and a halve years old!

Please could you give me a reality check on this situation!
I posted before about little dude having bad Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) and Auditory Processing Disorders (APD) stuff....Well some things are getting better, but some not....Unfortunatly it's behaviour stuff thats getting worse at school.

He is 4 and a halve yrs old...in grade 00 and will be repeating it next yr becaue he is not coping overall!

Ok....last week he was becoming more and more oppositional in class....could be plenty of reasons, but got so bad that he bumped his friends head on the floor!!!! He said this child wanted to put snot on him! Both went to principal....but none really seemed to understand what for!

Ok....today they had their first Birthday ring in class! When I went to fetch him, he was overstimulated, moaning, tearfull, aggitated and kind of upset! The teacher looked exausted!

She said that he couldn't behave at all!!! That she dont know what to do in future, that she is considering taking him to another teachers class for the period of the B/rings and he can come back to join in eating the cupcakes!!!!!

I am worried that he will feel excluded for not being able to sit still and listen! I can imagine how upset the teacher must have been with him....!!!

Now: We took him to my oldest difficult child child psychiatrist, who assessed him and didn't see any Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or ODD ass yet!
She concluded that his brain is still immature for his age and that he has bad Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) and Auditory Processing Disorders (APD)!
She then wanted to put him on Risperdal to just make him a bit more tollerant and easy to be around with.....I thought he is to young.....She said I must let her know when I am ready to try it!

Me and hubby are considering this step now! The thing that worries me is, that Risperdal is an anti psychotic adult medications....Never been tested on little children! I feel so horrible to put such strong chemicals in such a young developing brain! Do I rather wait for Occupational Therapist (OT) and ST to improve stuff maybe....or what!

 

[BusynMember]

I wouldn't give such a young child Risperdal. It has the potential for very serious side effects. My son had hideous side effects to it and to Zyprexa too. He could never stay awake and he started having flu symptoms and involuntary movements, which can become permanant. Unless he is unbearable for YOU or a danger to himself, waiting a while won't hurt. I'm sorry that I put my Sonic on so many medications. He is medication free now.

 

[lovelyboy]

Agh....I fully agree with you! It's as if the poor children need to be put on medications because the teacher cant cope!

 

[TeDo]

I agree with MWM. My son progressively became VERY aggressive on Risperdal. Since your son is so young, I would not chance it either. Too bad you don't have the Special Education laws there that we do here. Our laws make it so the school has to teach rather than punish and make whatever accommodations the CHILD needs to be successful in school. It keeps the school from telling the parents what to do......when they actually follow the law.

 

[nvts]

Hi! Is he receiving Occupational Therapy at all for the Sensory Integration Disorder (SID)? That could be key in helping him try and settle down...you could consider looking into various things on-line, such as a weighted vest or blanket, theraputty for him to squeeze, a stress ball to keep in his pocket - it's not surprising that he'd get keyed up with the birthday celebrations going on - that's a lot of stimulation for a little kid!

Beth

 

[lovelyboy]

Nvts....My son is seing an Occupational Therapist (OT) who specializes in SI once a week.....She did give teacher all the fiddling toys, weigthed vest and he has a "hide away" corner in class.....BUT the teacher says he bothers the other kids with it....so she has send many back home!
I know most of his stuff is SI and very much auditory and speech related! He get ST 3 times a week!
BUT the school see the behaviour issues and reacts! I dont know what to do anymore.....Yesterday he refussed to go to computers.....at school....He doesnt have enough language to tell why he doesnt want to go....So they forced him with him acting out! Even pulling another childs hair!
So I dont know even if medications will help! What worries me....how long do I wait to see if all these interventions will help and how long do I allow this to carry on and keep my son in mainstream?
When do I need to maybe look for other school for kids with special needs or something? The problem is: I dont know how I will be able to get my 2 kids to 2 different schools, 30 km appart, at the same time in the mornings!!!!!! I feel like running away and hide somewhere!!!!!!
I have a meeting with his teacher to hear if she has any ideas!

 

[Ktllc]

Lovely, you are in a very tough spot and it is always so hard to make decision when our kids are so young and we simply don't know how they will develop over time (same, worse, better?). I would definetly try to educate the school staff, maybe you could shadow little dude in the classroom for a few days and offer some practical tips?
I would also look into alternatives school and see what's out there. Before worrying about the logistics, you want to make sure it would be a good and viable option.
The third option would be to give him time and focus exclusively on therapies at this point, keep him home and let him make some Occupational Therapist (OT) an speech progress first.
How about a shorter school day at his current school? And over time, slowly make the school day longer?
If V was forced to do stuff, I would be in the same position you are! We are just lucky that his preschool is easy going and will accomodate (as in let him be if he does want to participate in an activity). V often chooses not do "fun" group activities and it is indeed better to let him be. Otherwise he would go into a meltdown.

 

[lovelyboy]

So I had the meeting with his teacher yeasterday.....overall I did get the impression that they are trying their best in the situation.....like the teacher said.....unfortunatly she got a class with quite a few kids who needs special attention this year! And she is allone in the class with 23 kids!
According to her, the big problem is that she thinks my sons overall development is at a 2.5-3 year age and he is in a 4-5 yr class....I think he is around 3-3.5 yr age.....So he understands and reacts to the environment in an immature level.....She said that the principle said she will come to some of the birthdayrings and keep little dude on her lap....and see if it may help.....The thing I still dont agree with is that she feels he is so immature he wont notice when he will miss out on a birthday ring.....I think she is WRONG! Just because his speech is slower in developing, he isnt STUPID!?
I would then maybe try and rather fetch him earlier on those days....before the ring starts?
She also said the biggest thing for. Him is to learn social acceptable behaviour and impulse control....She said he bit a little child yesterday..... I agree...BUT what I dont agree is that if it was only a behaviour thing, yes then rewards might work? But if its SI or Auditory Processing Disorders (APD)....therapy needs to do the tric, because maybe he doesnt have as much control over his behaiour then?
What was a relieve was that she is totally against medications at this stage! She says she is willing to rather struggle and help little dude, rather than have him behave and have a zombie like expression, and loose his charming character!

 

[nvts]

Just a thought...could they keep the equipment for the SI in another room? Perhaps the principals office and when it looks like he's gearing up for a problem, simply have him go to his "safe zone" and relax? I know how hard this is for you hun...been doing it for oh, so many years! But the teacher sounds like a gem - it's so wonderful when you feel that they're supporting your efforts and your little dude! Many hugs! Beth

 

[lovelyboy]

We are considering hiring a facilitator to help him in school....But I think its going to be a lot of money!!!!!
This might help him through the rest of the year!

 

[JJJ]

I agree with nvts, having the fidget box in the office instead of the room gives him a chill zone.

As far as medications, Clonodine has a much longer track record with kids, far less side effects and the pills are tiny so much easier to swallow. I'd ask your doctor about it.

 

[DammitJanet]

Clonidine might be a better idea or even a really small dose of ritalin. You would know immediately with ritalin if it worked. And I mean immediately. within a day or two you would see the results. It doesnt have to build up in his system like other medications.