Trying to identify triggers

klmno

Active Member
so, I've been trying to think of things going on in the past two years right before difficult child "loses it" or goes into mania, or whatever it is that "happens to him" every late winter/early spring for the last 3 years. I'm trying to be more thorough than I have been in the past by logging EVERYTHING that is going on or different.

It dawned on me again today- his allergies are acting up and I'd bet he's getting ready to have a major growth spurt.

Is this coincidental and specific to my difficult child?

I notice the allergies because when he was an infant until preschool years, he had asthmatic wheezing intermittently and doctor told me try to find the triggers. I found it was the combination of having a "bug" (even just a cold), being allergy season (mainly mold or hayfever time), and being exposed to a high allergen (like several cats at once). He didn't wheeze when 2 of these things happened at the same time, but every time all three of these existed together, he ended up on the nebulizer. He hasn't wheezed since he was 4 yo- thank goodness, but I still do everything in my power to prevent the combination of these 3 things.
 

dreamer

New Member
If you think about it, any time a person has discomfort of any kind- too hot, too cold, air too dry, too humid, just before eating, or after over eating--too little sleep--they can get irritable, crabby, short tempered, in a foul mood.and it can be much harder to "behave"
I would say in springtime, you have increased sunlight coming, but also still lingering too little sunlight. You have a time change if you live where they change clocks...you have cabin fever ending and spring fver hitting, nice fresh air outside, warmer temps etc...some people have sleep disturbances due to the change of season...anticipation of easter....yes, allergies, different allergens in spring. ALL these things CA each even alone trigger in some persons. If your bodys resources are busy trying to cope with outside influences, it is highly possible te brain does not have as much to draw on for a person to "behave" better.

FWIW, srping is a huge trigger in a LOT of people. FOr both "physical ailments" and "mental ailments"
 
M

ML

Guest
My son is also suffering allergies. I've been on a 2 month trial of probiotics, cal/mag/zinc, oils, etc. I do think it's helping but these types of things take a lot of time. I'm just hoping that we can do on a little less medication if I can get his immune system built up. Wishing you luck, k. Allergies are a major part of my son's diagnosis picture.
 

Steely

Active Member
Every year, since my difficult child was 4 or so, spring triggered major bouts of behavior problems. I always assumed it was allergies when he was little, but as he has grown, and I did research on bi-polar, I also realized the increase in sunshine induces mania in some BiPolar (BP) people. Two years ago, we did black out shades in difficult children bedroom, and it made a pronounced difference. It was not a cure - but it helped reduce his episodes of mania.
 

klmno

Active Member
Interesting, Steely. I might have to try that. Does that mean they adjust to the sun and that is why the effect isn't there all summer? Last year, I thought it might have been a reaction to the combination of allergy medications on top of the psychiatrist's medications, but this year he hasn't started on the allergy medications yet- he will this weekend-

So, maybe someday I'll get the list narrowed down enough to actually be able to help! Black-out shades are a good thought, though.
 

Steely

Active Member
For my son - the onset of daylight savings - started the ball rolling. Then, usually, he would be such a mess by the end of summer - it was unbelievable. So no, he never seemed to adjust to the light - it just seemed to fuel things all summer long.

I still shut the blinds early every night, and darken the rooms by 8, as I find it helps him. He is more stable right now in his life, than he may have ever been in terms of mania, so last year light was not as big of a trigger. We will see this year.

It is the same concept as darkness triggering depression, and people with uni-polar depression using sun lamps to relieve some of their depression. The year we used the opposite, black out shades, was the most stable year of his life.

It is really annoying though, because I suffer from depression - so the dark makes mine worse. Oh well - we live in Texas - there is plenty of light, black out shades or not.:sheepish:
 

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
When Miss KT is getting ready to "outgrow everything she owns", the fussing is worse. Also, brown sodas are bad for her...something with the caramel coloring, I think, since clear or fruit sodas don't have the same effect.
 
K

Kjs

Guest
December and Spring. the worst. I always blamed it on school. Just before the holidays, kids are looking forward to the holiday break, xmas..etc.

then Spring. Longest time school goes without a break. January - easter. This year with Easter being sooner I believe it helped. Then we count (yes literally count) the days until the end.

School. Just School. The lights bother him. Since early on when he first started, the ticking of the clocks, the flickering of the lights, the fire alarm drills..echoing in the gym - All bother him a great deal. He still would prefer NOT to eat in a fast food restaurant due to the buzzing of the french fry machine.
Also has complained of echoing when kids are talking, teacher talking in background.
He has learned to deal with most of it but makes him uncomfortable.
 
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