Worried about difficult child and upset witha friend

[AK0603]

Hello everyone, my difficult child is living with his bio dad now in Indiana, although my ex assures me he is doing well. No anger outbursts except for the first day or so he was there, and he did get into trouble for lying about some school work that was due, he's been pretty well. When I talk to him, he sounds "down" or unexcited, but then again, he hates to sit and talk on the phone.

My friend called me the other day and said that difficult child and his grandmother (my ex's mom) brought him to her parents house, (her parents and my ex's mom are good old friends) her mother called her the other night and said she could not believe how bad my son was. He was acting like a 5 yr old instead of a 10 yr old and that it was obvious he was "mentally challenged". She said he asked to go outside and play, found a penny, and came in all excited to find a "round shiny toy" he asked for a bag to put it in and try and find other round shiny things.

Now I know that her mom is sorta a drama queen or likes to stir the pot from time to time, and although this does sound like something difficult child would do for attention, act silly, or act immature. But to the point that she thinks he is challenged concerns me.

The new doctor there took him off Risperdal and only on the Zoloft for now and ex husband says he will keep it that way to see how he is without any mood altering drugs.

I did tell my friend to please talk to her mother not to say things or talk like that about difficult child that it is hurtful to me, and if difficult child heard that or somehow thought she felt that way his self esteem would even be worse. I don't know if she will though.

Vent over :smile:

 

[oceans]

I know that mine has always acted much less than his age. That is just how things are sometimes with difficult child's. I would not let this woman get you upset.

I hope that your difficult child will continue to do well with the change. It is good that he is off the Risperdal, as it had side effects and did not seem to be helping. I would be sort of concerned that he has a bipolar diagnoses and is just on Zoloft. Bipolar needs to be treated. He is just not going to get better on his own without the proper medications. Of course it could be that the bipolar diagnoses is wrong, and that he needs a new evaluation.

The Dr at the psychiatric hospital told me that we needed to treat the symptoms that difficult child was displaying. It is not right to ignore them and leave them untreated. I see that with the proper treatment that he is finally stable for the first time. I am hoping for some stability for your son as well.

Good luck to you! It is almost April...I hope that you will get a chance to visit with him soon.

 

[timer lady]

Both of the tweedles are very immature - they get excited over "shiny" new things.

It can be hurtful to hear comments like these from others, especially family. There have been times, for me, though when an objective outsider opened my eyes to various problems. I had become so very engrossed in the day to day that I'd miss the bigger picture.

Take comments of this nature for what they're worth. If it opens your eyes to a need, great. If it's just hurtful - blow it off. It's not worth the emotional drain.