What tests should I do for difficult child and his behavior issue

tryinghard

New Member
All,

My husband and I are at our wits end. 12 year old difficult child behavior in the last eight weeks (since diagnosis of type one diabetes) has been horrible. Faked sickness, not paying attention in class, raging, crying, talking back...I could go on and on.

From the information I have gathered here I believe I need to have him do the following tests.

Neuro Physc and an Allergy test. (yes he has an iep at school but there is no diagnosis and I do not feel it is doing any good. I am going to try and hire an advocate to help me once we get the test results)

Questions:

Should I be doing any other kind of testing??
How do I find a GOOD Neuro Physc?
How do I find a GOOD counselor once I have the results of the testing?

I just got the book Explosive Child. I am half way through and there are a lot of things that I think will help.

I just put a call into his pediatrian but when I have brought stuff up in the past he dismisses it a "normal". Well just yesterday the school told me they have never had anyone come into the office faking sickness as much as my difficult child. AND i know he is faking because he is 100% fine once he gets home.

I just need your guidance and advise for what you did and what did or did not work.

I am so desperate I want to help him (and us) because every day is getting worse.
 

tryinghard

New Member
ALSO I do not think the type one diabetes diagnosis is the cause of these issues....they have always been there now are just horrible....

I do not think counseling for the diabetes will fix it all, but I am looking into it through the childrens hospital where he gets treated.

I am looking at a gluten free diet because he has to eat more carbs and most of what he likes is wheat based....
 
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butterflydreams

Guest
My difficult child went through daily multiple times per day going to the nurses office complaining of "feeling sick". He would get very dramatic even, flopping out of his chair. This was after finally getting him to attend school, after months of school refusal and his 1st hospitalization. I know for him, he suffers from anxiety along with everything else going on.

I think once in a while is normal, but what you are describing and what I went through with my difficult child is NOT normal.

I do agree with you that it can't be chalked all up to his diagnosis, but there could be a certain amount of anxiety related to his diabetes diagnosis.

Just with my difficult child doctors are usually quick to chalk everything up to grief over the loss of his father. It's not until they really start working with him and get past his outer defenses that they see there is some really scary (his psychiatrists words) stuff going on.

I wish you luck.

Christy
 

tryinghard

New Member
Thanks Christy,

I know he has aniexty...because what he describes to me. I have discussed it with him..but I am sure there is a lot more going on....

I appreciate your input.

What tests did you have done with your difficult child?
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
It does sound like he's got other stuff going on, but I wanted to caution you that diabetes can cause behavior issues. I'm hypoglycemic (which can happen to a diabetic and surely you're aware of all that) and if I'm not careful, can have mood swings and energy levels that mimic Bipolar, fast cycling. Crying jags, anger, elation, all those things can be a part of diabetics' issues. So don't totally rule it out.
Once you get his diet under control, it will help you sort out what sorts of psychiatric medications to use.
Also, it's imperative that he exericise every day until he works up a sweat. It will help regulate his blood sugar level, as well as use up energy that otherwise might manifest itself as anxiety.
Wish I could offer more ideas for tests.
 

smallworld

Moderator
I agree with Terry that until his diabetes is stabilized, his mood might be all over the place. Furthermore, just getting the diagnosis might have kicked up his anxiety. Are you working with a good pediatric endocrinologist? If so, that doctor might be able to tell you what else needs to be ruled out from a medical standpoint (such as thyroid, Lyme Disease, mono, etc). You also might want to check with a pediatric neuro to rule out seizures.

Between 3 children, we have seen 6 different neuropsychologists. There are good ones and bad ones. I found the good ones through word of mouth from other parents with special needs children and through our pediatrician and our psychiatrists. Neuropsychological testing should include both educational (IQ and achievement) and psychological testing. Neuropsychologists can also be found at children's and university teaching hospitals.

The diagnosis will determine the type of interventions needed. I'm not big into counselors because they tend to concentrate on the behavior rather than the cause behind it. My children see child psychiatrists weekly for medication management and psychotherapy.
 

tryinghard

New Member
Thanks everyone. Well the behavior he has been exhibiting the last eight weeks has always been there (nothing new) now it is just worse.

I spoke to the endrocronologist and he said none of this behavior is tied to the diabetes because when we test him he is always in a "normal" zone. If he is very high or very low then yes the behaviors would be "normal" for a diabetic in with those glucose readings.

I think the aniexty from the diabetes diagnosis has exasberated\intensified the underling diagnosis issues....

The other thing I think it could be is the gulten...he is eating mroe and maybe having a reaction...

I just want to figure it out for him....it is so hard on him and the rest of us.
 
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butterflydreams

Guest
Thanks Christy,

I know he has aniexty...because what he describes to me. I have discussed it with him..but I am sure there is a lot more going on....

I appreciate your input.

What tests did you have done with your difficult child?

We are still in the process. I really have felt that there was so much more going on than just grief, but it has taken some time for his psychiatrist to agree with me. His psychiatrist told me that in the beginning he was really thinking everything was due to grief, it wasn't until later that he really was able to crack through the shield my difficult child had put up that he realized there was more going on. In Nov. I had asked about doing a neuropsychologist and my concern about Bipolar. The psychiatrist had said then he wasn't seeing it. Now, he agrees.

Problem is because of insurance, difficult child is now at the state hospital instead of the private one and his psychiatrist can't treat him anymore. The new doctor does not agree with the original psychiatrists diagnosis. He was also diagnosed with psychosis in March and Abilify was added - symptoms pretty much went away. I talked to the new psychiatrist today and she says she disagrees that there has been psychosis - she thinks difficult child was basically making it up to make things seem worse. Now, I do agree he seems to take pleasure in making people around him scared, BUT why would he make something up that would ultimately cause him to be placed inpatient? They are removing his Abilify, so I am REAL curious how this is going to play out.

Sorry for the long reply.

Also, apparently they ran some blood tests and his thyroid level came back abnormal so last week they ran another test and they don't have the results yet, but what I was told was that this could also cause his behavioral problems. Interestingly enough, his sister was diagnosed with pre-diabetes in November and is also being tested by her endocrinologists for possible thyroid problems.

Do you have anyone in your family with thyroid issues? You might want to have your son's endocrinologist (I assume you have one) test his thyroid too. I know that thyroid issues and diabetes can run together.

Christy
 

tryinghard

New Member
Christy,

The thyroid idea is great. yes my mother had thyroid issues and i think i may also. have an appointment with the doctor. never thought of that
 
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