Wonder no more>>>>

[wakeupcall]

Yesterday I got this email from difficult child's teacher. It came in the morning, of course, but I worked yesterday (parttime) and didn't get it till I got home. difficult child has been in a social development class of six with three teachers since the end of March.
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"A list of things that have happened since 8:20:

- Torn up work
- Walked around the room yelling at students that are trying to work.
- Getting in other students face yelling at them to "COME ON!!"
- Hitting teacher in the face with his ticket bag.
- Tearing up other student's work.
- Telling the teachers and students he is going to "bring his air soft
gun to school and shot them"
- Hitting the teachers
- Throwing objects at the teachers
- Telling the teachers to "shut up fool, Don't tell me what to do"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I was horrified when I read it and started wracking my brain to figure out what had happened. We'd had a rough morning before school, but that's status quo for us. THEN it hit me, I forgot his medications!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, I've only done that one other time in eight years! I emailed the teacher and apologized all over the place, but told him that doesn't excuse difficult child's behavior and he'll have to suffer the consequences at school. At least I wonder no more how he would act without medications.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Pamela,

:smile: what a list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad you are letting the teacher hold him responsible even though he didn't have his medications. I think that's the right thing to do. Sounds like it was a little scary in that classroom yesterday morning. I'm sure you remembered this morning :nonono:

Sharon

 

[timer lady]

Pamela,

Have done this a few times - the only positive is that you know that the medications have a positive impact.

 

[Marguerite]

If a kid is without medications, I feel he does need that taken into account. This sort of behaviour IS unacceptable, but when a medicated child is suddenly off medications, things like this are far less under the child's ability to control. They just go to pieces because they simply can't handle things.
Where possible, isolation is t he best way to handle this sort of problem, but does he have an aide?

When difficult child 3 missed his medications (or was vomiting, and 'lost' his medications as a result) the teachers would often call me to ask about the medications - did he take them? difficult child 3's best friend, also autistic and on medications, is now going through the same process. I was at the school today and could see that friend WAS medicated, which only happens 50% of the time. The thing is, in Friend's case, he's partly used to having to quickly adapt to an unmedicated day. He's still horrible, but more simply noisy and erratic rather than obstructive. difficult child 1 & difficult child 3 would get aggressive and "in your face" at school when unmedicated, I think because it was not what they were used to having to cope with.

And now you know how much use the medications really can be.

I would chalk it up to experience, realise that by not medicating him you set him up for a bad day and therefore have to take some of the responsibility, and simply move on, everyone resolving to try harder.

Hey, it happens. It happened to us a lot. But don't punish him too hard for it, otherwise he feels like he's being punished for simply being who he is. Punishment is designed to teach a child that certain behaviours are unacceptable, and that he must work to change. The trouble is, he undoubtedly already knows what is unacceptable, and couldn't have changed today because he was already trying and failing. Give him a hug and see if you can find a way to make sure you BOTH remember the medications.

Marg

 

[busywend]

Well, that was quite a reminder and confirmation that his medications are working.

holy cow - you must have dropped your jaw with that note.

Poor thing. Poor class. You might want to consider leaving a dose or two of his medications at school for just such an occasion.

 

[TerryJ2]

Wow. Absolutely!

 

[Wiped Out]

At least you know the medications are helping-sorry for the rough morning.

 

[wakeupcall]

I would love to leave a dose of his medications....for just in case, but you have to have doctor's "orders" with the medications. He takes his Focalin XR at noon (and HAS orders for that) and when he did yesterday within 30 min. he was all better. Yes, I think the medications are working for a change!

difficult child has behaved so well since getting in this smaller class and the extra attention, that I really think the teacher was beginning to think there may not be much wrong with him. Well, he has no doubt now!

 

[neednewtechnique]

As others have said, at least you now know that the medications ARE having a good impact...with children they are growing and changing and maturing so much that it is hard to tell from month to month exactly what kind of impact the medications are having...now you know! We too, have forgotten medication on occasion. I consider us to be pretty fortunate that the only one I have to remember for the morning is the stimulant for ADHD...with her mood disorder not being medically treated, it doesn't affect her quite as adversely if we forget. The frustrating part for me is that, on the rare occasion when she DOESN'T take it, she actually seems HAPPIER... sure, she's hypered up and bouncing off the walls, but there is NO attitude or aggresive behavior, or anger...so for us, it makes me wonder if she is being treated properly.....